55 To The Four Roskamp’s backing crucial new program WORDS: Lela Rast Hartsaw PICTURES: Whitney Patton Have you seen the TV commercial where the announcer says “What if eating only one piece of broccoli would improve your health? What if doing only one push-up would make you stronger?” Well, those statements couldn’t be farther from the truth; however, it has been proven that making a small, repeated effort can and does have a big impact. For example, frequently choosing to do push-ups instead of sitting in front of the TV can help make you stronger. There is data to prove it. The following local story is another great example of how the ripple effect of one conversation, one action, or the investment of one-hour per week can bring about tremendous results. A little over a year ago, Carolyn and Steve Roskamp became interested in ��nding a solution to a problem. Steve recalled: “When I had a conversation with John Annis of the Sarasota Community Foundation, and he informed me that 30% of students in Sarasota County Schools were reading below grade level, I was stunned. He went on to tell me that Manatee County’s numbers were worse. I could not believe Manatee County had a staggering 50% of its students reading below grade level expectations.” Steve and his wife Carolyn wanted to understand the underlying difference between Title I schools in Sarasota and Title I schools just a 30-minute drive to the north in Manatee County. These were similar kids in similar demographics. One of the differences, the Roskamps found, was a dedicated focus on four-year-olds. That one conversation led to countless others and a core partnership was built between Manatee Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene, The United Way, Manatee Community Foundation, and USF-Manatee. The Soar in 4 pilot program was born through this powerful collaborative effort and put into play the summer of 2016 at Sea Breeze Elementary... thanks to the initial interest, dedication, and ��nancial assistance of Carolyn and Steve Roskamp. The project is aligned with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade Level Reading, which has found, based on national research, that there are ��ve recurring issues affecting the success of each student: Attendance: If children are not in school, they are not learning. So, a focus on attendance should be the ��rst measure taken in each community. School Readiness: If the expectation is that ��ve year olds are reading by mid- Kindergarten, it makes sense that fouryear olds need to be well prepared to start school when they turn ��ve.
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