Partnerships and Sustainable Growth

​Partnership with DC Public Libraries

In partnership with the DC Public Libraries (DCPL), CHC provides free, high-quality STEAM education to underserved children during after-school hours and summer vacation. This program, unlike traditional education, aims to bring about tangible change in the community, bridging the education gap and promoting educational equality. CHC provides the program at the DCPL Parkland-Turner branch during after-school hours during the school year and at the Anacostia branch during summer break. (This successful program, based on in-depth data analysis, is outlined in our Case Study II, 'Partnership with Parklands-Turner DC public library,' written by Dr. Lan Joo, Founder and CEO of CHC Institute.)

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Partnership with DC Public Schools (DCPS) through a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA)
We have established a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with DCPS to address gaps in STEAM education within DC public schools. Through the strategic partnerships, our organization provides STEAM educational content, learning materials, and expert instructors, while the partner institutions contribute facilities and personnel. In the case of schools, they also recruit students and ensure their attendance. This collaboration with our partner institutions has been a key factor in maintaining consistent student participation, which contributes to the long-term success of the program.

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Strategies for Strengthening Partnerships

 

Establishing strategic partnerships and close communication: Establishing strategic partnerships with institutions such as DC public libraries and DC public schools is essential to building a solid foundation for our program and securing the necessary support. To identify potential issues early and work collaboratively toward shared goals, we will maintain regular and open communication channels. Participation in external events, such as the STEM Fair, will also be a part of these partnerships, serving as an essential platform for engaging with communities and raising awareness of our organization's vision.

 

Leveraging complementary strengths: Our organization provides STEAM education content, resources, and instructors, while the partners offer safe learning spaces, skilled staff members, and ensure students' attendance. By leveraging each other's strengths, we have enhanced the quality of our programs. We will continue to maximize the synergy of our collaboration by fully utilizing the expertise of each partner.

 

Defining a clear role and shared vision: When establishing new partnerships, it is essential to define the roles and responsibilities of each institution clearly. Engaging in in-depth discussions about leveraging each other's strengths and resources will improve mutual understanding. Additionally, setting shared visions and goals—particularly in addressing gaps in STEAM education—and working together to achieve them is vital for the success of our partnerships.  

 

Strategies for Sustainable Growth

 

Leveraging insights obtained from data and feedback: We will systematically collect and analyze data to evaluate learning outcomes and growth throughout the school year. In addition, we will gather feedback from participants, their parents, and instructors. The insights gained from this data and feedback will highlight our program's strengths and identify areas for improvement, providing essential guidance for the continuous development of our program content. Through these efforts, our organization aims to develop sustainable STEAM programs.

 

Promoting a successful partnership model: We will continue to promote a successful partnership model to achieve sustainable growth in our program. We will document and share our successful case studies to encourage other local institutions to partner with us in our efforts to reduce disparities in STEAM education.  

 

Maintaining flexible and adaptive program operation: We will remain flexible in adjusting and adapting the program content to meet the unique characteristics and needs of each participant, school, or institution. We understand that not all children and institutions function the same way, and therefore, a flexible approach is necessary.

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