Martin Luther King Academy
Key Geographic Focus
The Keller Foundation has a key interest in supporting programs and services for children and familiesliving in the community around the Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr. Leadership Academy. MLK is a K-8school in the Grand Rapids Public Schools system and is located on Logan Street in southeast GrandRapids.
The Foundation currently supports several programs serving children attending MLK and their parents/families:
Tutoring Center and Other Enrichment Activities
The Keller Foundation supports the First United Methodist Church (FUMC) Tutoring Center at MLK. It offers a Tutoring program and provides a variety of enrichment activities for the kids attending the school. Enrichment activities are varied and diverse and provide opportunities for the children toexperience extracurricular activities that are often available to their peers in more affluent communities.These include opportunities for the kids to experience the Grand Rapids Ballet, the Meijer Gardens, JohnBall Zoo, Blandford Nature Center, the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, and the Grand Rapids ArtMuseum. In addition, the Tutoring Center organizes opportunities for the kids to earn Merit prizes,which inspire and celebrate kids’ educational achievements; and family events, which help foster deeperparental involvement in their children’s learning and school activities.Read more about FUMC Tutoring Center at MLK here www.facebook.com/FUMCTutoringCenteratMLK
Other Programs at MLK
The Foundation also supports several organizations providing various in-school and after-school programs or services for kids attending MLK. These include:
- KSSN Network. To support the provision of comprehensive health and human services in the MLK School building to serve students and their parents/families. This idea is called a“community school.” Placing services at school removes many barriers families have in finding services and helps keep students in class.
- Camp Fire USA: To provide summer and after-school programs for children at MLK. These programs are essential community resources that keep kids safe, provide educational enrichment, help working families, and better prepare children for the future workforce.
- Kids Food Basket: To address childhood hunger by providing Sack Suppers directly to students at MLK to ensure that every student who needs one can easily get one. These nutritious SackSuppers fill a gap that schools and parents often cannot afford, in a way that is accessible and safe for kids. They help ensure that lunch is not the last meal of the day for students at MLK.
- Children’s Assessment Center: To offer the Kidz Have Rights program to students at MLK. The program aims to curb the problem of child sexual abuse in Kent County by empowering elementary students with the know-how to distinguish between different types of touches; and identify “Safe Adults” to go to if they receive a Confusing or Selfish Touch.? Planned Parenthood of SW Michigan. To offer the Peer Power afterschool program to 5th grade students at MLK. The program aims to enhance kids’ knowledge about their bodies; improve parent-child relationship and communication on sensitive issues; and enhance their communication with peers.
- Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation: To create and maintain libraries in the 4th and 5th Grade classrooms at MLK.
- The First Tee of West Michigan: To enhance physical education by introducing the game of golf and The First Tee Nine Core Values and Nine Healthy Habits to students at MLK. This school golf program creates an environment where the kids will be introduced to the lifelong sport while learning the basic golf motor skills and the inherent values of the game.
