b"Underprivileged and Educationally At-Risk Children in Delray BeachWhenwewerebabies,wewatchedandmimickedour parents. We learned the meaning of what were initially merelysoundstous.Welearnedthatthosesounds togetherformedwordsthathadmeaning.Welearned how to talk. We learned English. But what would have happened to us if the only language spoken in the house wasnt English? We started school, and we came home andifwedidn'tunderstandourhomework,oneofour parents could help. But what if there were no parents who couldhelp?Thesearethereal-lifeproblemsfacedby many children in Delray Beach. The population includes many Haitian and Latin American families where the principal, if not only, language spoken at home is Creole or Spanish. Their parents are generally either unemployed or underemployed. The kids start school and more than 30% of them are left back during their first five years in school. The Milagro Center (MC) in Delray Beach runs a 52-weekK-12after-schoolprogram(full-dayinthe summer) to help children of families living below the federalpovertylevel.Theprogramsuppliesthe languageandacademicsupportmissingathome. 98% of the participants in their program have been promoted to the next grade every year. Also, while lessthan50%ofthelocalpopulationwillgraduate highschool,thisyear100%oftheseniorsinMCs Teen Program graduated and are goingto either a college or a trade school this fall.MCsformulaforsuccessiseasytounderstand.JustbywalkingintotheirYoungChild Centeryouseekidswhoaredoingtheirhomework,participatinginworkshops,asking questions and learning from both professionals and volunteers. At their Teen Center, we saw kids learning about life. Learning to have confidence inand to respectthemselves. MC is giving these kids a chance to escape what could be an endless cycle of poverty. HOT has also given MC grants for a Security System, a Water Cooler, Math and Literacy Tutors, aTeenCenterVan(matchinggrant),anAcademicTutorfortheTeenProgram, Summer Field Trip Transportation, and a New Roof (matching grants).MCs current needs are:$5,000 for a Financial Aid Fund to be administered similar to other HOT funds$5,000 to construct a paved walkway between the Tween and Teen Centers $8,000forcollegecounselingworkshopsandcollegetours(includingtransportation, accommodations, and food)$9,000 to replace security fencing enclosing the Tween and Teen Centers $20,250 to provide daily nutritious meals and beverages to 75 middle school and high school students for Fall 2020 semester 32"