A Long History of Mutual Care

Open Doors Academy (ODA) began more than 30 years ago at St. Paul’s. This was in response to a group of middle-school children who consistently wandered through the parking lot and the church, looking for something to do after school. Rather than locking the doors and turning the kids away, the church chose to open our doors and welcome them in. Volunteers and a youth minister began to develop some activities and help with homework.

A robust and consistent group of students and volunteers was formed, mutually benefitting from the interactions: the church no longer worried about kids wandering in and potentially getting into trouble; the volunteers developed bonds and relationships with the children; the parents knew where their children were after school; and most importantly, the children benefitted from literacy, homework help and adult support in a safe and caring environment.

Fast-forward to today: ODA has grown throughout Cuyahoga County and Northern Ohio, having served 28 programs with children in grades K-12 during the 2023-2024 school year. Not only does ODA provide after school programming, but summer camps, scholar travel opportunities, and year-round family engagement programs. Beginning in 2018, ODA partnered with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to establish the Center for Out-of-School Advancement (COSA), with the goal of improving out-of-school programming by training providers and providing small group and one-on-one mentoring.

The results speak for themselves:

• ODA scholars have a 98% high school graduation rate.
• Scholars attending ODA programs have shown a 57% reduction in attrition.
• 93% of scholars have continued to postsecondary education or career options.
• Scholars attending summer and school year programs saw an average increase in their reading grades of 15% over the summer, a time when many students demonstrate a decrease in reading grade.
• And 87 cents of every dollar raised goes directly toward programming.

In 2017, St. Paul’s merged its Reading Day Camp with ODA, looking to rely on the administrative support and family relationships ODA had built with the strong and dedicated volunteer base from St. Paul’s. Julie Micheletti has coordinated the volunteers for this program since its inception.

St. Paul’s provides adult volunteers to read with ODA scholars for two weeks of their camp programs, this year at Archbishop Lyke School in Cleveland. This has been positive for both the volunteers and the scholars, providing a bridge to school starting in August. Aside from this one-on-one interaction, we at St. Paul’s provide a book for each scholar from the donations at our annual book fair.

Funding for this comprehensive program comes from a variety of sources, including federal and state funding, private corporations and foundations, and individual donors. Significant portions of federal and state dollars have recently been cut, and the ODA staff are working hard to minimize the impact on existing programs.

How can individuals help?

One of ODA’s largest fundraising events is the annual Clambake. Opportunities are available for table sponsors and individuals, and it’s sure to be a fun time!

Now in its fifth year, this fun and meaningful evening supports ODA’s afterschool and summer programs, helping to improve scholars’ school attendance and grades, and graduate ready for what’s next.

This year’s clambake will be held on Saturday, October 11, 5:30 – 9 p.m., at the Cleveland Rowing Foundation, 1003 British Street, Cleveland. Reserved individual tickets are $225, and strolling tickets are $150.

Please contact Betsy Hockey if you would like more information about ODA or to volunteer!