School Miracles is a project which empowers students from underprivileged communities who grow up to become positive role models for others demonstrating that hard work and education can take them wherever they want, regardless of where they started from. We achieve this through a holistic program targeted at students 10-18 years and their parents which aims to equip students with the needed knowledge, skills, and mindset in order for them to change their lives for the better.
A great number of students living in Lukovit and Yablanitsa municipalities in Bulgaria (poor rural regions) drop out of school at age 14 and start working instead, or start families, or often do both. Among the main causes for this demotivation towards education are poor academic performance and lack of belief among students and their families that education can help them improve their lives. They have no role models to prove them otherwise. Schools cannot deal with this problem alone.
School Miracles provides marginalized students with: tutoring to help them in their studies; afterschool clubs based on students' interests and managed by the students themselves in order for them to develop crucial skills; individual and group mentorship to broaden their horizons and assist students in the choice and pursuit of a career. School Miracles forms a strong community of students, parents, teachers who together feel empowered to achieve positive change despite their tough reality.
In 5 years time the project will help 80 students to successfully graduate from high school and take their first career step: either get into a university of their choice or get a job at a place where they can further develop and achieve socio-economic stability. These students will serve as role models to their peers in the community. In the long run they will become the future change-makers who will help break the vicious circle of poverty in the region.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
