Over the course of the 2018-2019 school year, Miami Carol City High School found itself in dire straits. The emergency generated conversations from the Miami Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) around the closing of the historic high school. In response, MDCPS gathered a group of providers to rally around the struggling high school to provide unique services that will have an immediate impact on improving the school and avoid closure. The Opa-locka Community Developmen Corporation (OLCDC) rose to the occasion with the creation of the RAPP Program, coupled with private tutoring and care coordination The RAPP Program is a series of intensive creative writing and poetry workshops on the Miami Carol City High School campus during the school day in the drama class. The classes were led by local poet, Darius Daughtry. The effort yielded a published book entitled VOICES, a collection of Miami Carol City High School Student’s poems. The remarkable book featured thought provoking insight into the complexity of talent that often goes unnoticed and gave students an outlet to explore those talents and further learn the mechanics of writing and improve their overall academics. “The program was great! We produced a great product where students were able to see their art and writings displayed in a printed publication. It was a rewarding experience because most of them have never had this opportunity before,” said Nakia Bowling, Director of Family Services at OLCDC. Nearly 20 students also received private tutoring sessions and other social services administered through OLCDC’s Keeping Our Promise, a wraparound model for care coordination, which was funded in part by the MDCPS’ School of Hope Initaitive and The Children’s Trust. The year long effort culminated with a celebration banquet, unveiling and distribution of VOICES. Each student that participated in the RAPP Program received a copy of the publication to take home with them. The program was such a success, OLCDC’s RAPP Program was invited to repeat that success for the 2019-2020 school year. To view more pictures from the RAPP Program's celebration, CLICK HERE.
