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Organization <br />Description <br />SKJAJA’s mission is to level the playing field so that all youth grades K-12 <br />have access to extracurricular opportunities that ignite their sparks and <br />allow them to grow into the best versions of themselves. W e believe that <br />every child has the right to explore their passions and discover who they <br />are in thew world, regardless of financial or life circumstances. 100% of the <br />children we serve live in Orange County and come from low-income <br />households. 92% of students in our program identify as People of Color, <br />and over 50% of our students are from immigrant and refugee communities. <br />SKJAJA serves nearly 2,000 children annually. <br />SKJAJA fulfills its mission through 3 core programs: 1) Scholarships for <br />marginalized youth to participate in extracurricular activities, after school <br />programs and summer camps, many of which have an arts focus; 2) PLAY <br />it Forward, a partnership with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in which <br />we collect unused high-quality instruments from community members and <br />refurbish them for school distribution to youth who wish to participate in <br />orchestra or band programs but experience financial barriers in doing so; <br />and our newest and perhaps most successful program, In-School Arts Field <br />Trips, a school-based program created in 2021-22 to infuse joy into the <br />school day through live performances and the arts. <br />Since 2008, SKJAJA has partnered with local arts and youth serving <br />organizations, social service organizations, educators, social workers, and <br />public school district administrators and staff to bring arts and other <br />enrichment experiences to over 5,000 children in Orange County. Over <br />90% of our programming and scholarships are arts focused. SKJAJA is <br />fueled by collaborative partnerships that create webs of support for our <br />students and help us understand a fuller life context of the communities and <br />families we serve. Our Board of Directors is comprised of a diverse mix of <br />community and business leaders with lived experiences relating to the <br />families with whom we partner. SKJAJA’s Board Chair and 20% of the <br />Board identifies as LGBTQ+ and 40% as Black and Hispanic. 50% identify <br />as women, and one member is a SKJAJA parent. <br />SKJAJA's signature In-School Field Trip program was created in 2021-22 <br />at the request of school leaders aiming to infuse more JOY into their <br />communities during the school day. For the last 2 years, SKJAJA has <br />partnered with 7 Title 1 schools to curate 15 shows for over 3,250 <br />students. To build school-wide connection and community, each program <br />reflects the school’s values and culture, includes every student and grade <br />level, and exposes students to some of the best children’s performers and <br />artists in the country – many of whom are local. Bringing the experience to <br />schools in this way has resulted in high-quality, culturally responsive arts <br />experiences for students, with minimal lift from teachers and staff. 90% of <br />teachers and staff surveyed reported their experience and the positive <br />impact on students as excellent. 100% of teachers surveyed said they <br />would like to partner with SKJAJA on an In-School Field Trip again next <br />year. <br />DocuSign Envelope ID: 1EE72BC9-3696-4D96-BE50-AC3605C16998