Education is a pivotal part of our program. Every day, each student is expected to complete summer reading assignments. In addition, each day, or on alternating days, the students attend a one-hour class that focuses on academics. This class covers a variety of topics including SAT verbal review, reading comprehension, and geography. Each student is encouraged to strive to become one of their school’s top students and to graduate with honors.
Our emphasis on academics is not only to ensure personal growth and success, but also to increase each student’s eligibility for scholarship opportunities. Each year, institutions such as Bentley University, Stonehill College, Northern Michigan University and others award full scholarships to selected students who have completed the journey. We select our scholars based on their character and their grades. West Point and the United States Naval Academy also recruit our students. These relationships are a part of the fabric of the village that creates life-changing opportunities for our youth.
Music is a major part of the Ron Burton Training Village. Self respect, creativity and discipline are important values taught at RBTV through the Village Vocals program. Some of our students are gifted musicians, song writers and singers and the RBTV choir gives them the opportunity to enhance and explore their talents. RBTV employs a music director during the summer program. Our music program is integrated throughout our daily schedule and provides a unique, exuberant opportunity for our kids to express themselves in a fun, uplifting environment. At RBTV we carefully select songs that are peaceful and evoke kind, caring thoughts. We also expose the campers to a variety of Broadway, Country and Classical music.
The ACT/SAT Prep For Success course focuses on the basic fundamentals and rules tested on the SAT /ACT in order to achieve a higher score. This is a continuous methodical approach that incorporates all the rules and concepts students are expected to know, including a step-by-step process that better prepares them to answer the questions.
We teach critical reading, grammar, and math rules and concepts, critical test-taking strategies, and assign weekly homework to facilitate mastering each topic.
Throughout history there has always been tremendous inequality in education for minority students. There is an academic disparity in urban communities where students are under-educated, unmotivated, and defeated by school systems that fail to provide an adequate education. Because of lack of school funding, there is an unequal distribution of academic resources, lack of rigorous standards, poor curriculum, and inadequate technology.
At RBTV we are trying to bridge the educational gap by offering our SAT/ACT initiative to teach students the content tested on these crucial standardized tests. Low standardized test scores often prevent black and Latino students from obtaining a higher education. The rules and concepts for the standardized tests are not taught in most school systems, yet students are expected to achieve a certain score on these tests. We have to recognize and offer minorities the same opportunities and instruction given to students from more affluent backgrounds. Many colleges offer significant academic scholarships for high SAT or SAT scores. Therefore, it is important to have a strong standardized test score. RBTV is empowering minorities with free test preparation and educational enrichment that they would not otherwise be able to afford.
Prep for Success Testimonials:
"The SAT/ACT was the key to my acceptances. I was able to learn and apply all the information, and was able to raise my score 200 points!"
Daunte Pean, Northeastern University
Additional acceptances included: Boston University, Tufts University, UMass Amherst, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
"I cannot begin to describe how much this course has helped me improve my SAT scores, and opened so many doors for me. With my old scores, I would not have been able to get into the colleges I applied to."
Lucca Possamai, United States Coast Guard Academy
Additional acceptances included: Holy Cross, Bentley University, Stonehill College, and St. Anslems.
"The RBTV SAT class conducted by Elizabeth Scott is second to none. The benefits of this class are amazing. I was able to increase my SAT score by over 100 points! I am grateful for the multitude of rules and strategies that I learned in this course, and will use them in college and beyond."
Nate Shaver, Bentley University
Additional acceptances included: Bentley University, Stonehill College, Bryant University, UMass Amherst, and Roger Williams University
