Equity Now, Inc.

At Equity Now, we believe that all students can succeed and that developing the executive functioning skills and positive mindsets of children and young adults contributes to strong, vibrant communities—outcomes that benefit all of us. Serving students from kindergarten to grade 8, Legends Fellows support students in the classroom with the ABCs of Academic Success – Attendance, Behavior and Culture. Equity Now deploys a diverse team of Legends Fellows to serve full-time alongside teachers at Legends Charter School. These student success coaches, who are Service Year members, develop positive relationships with students that strengthen academic and social-emotional skills that drive success in school, work and life. Legends Fellows contribute to Equity Now’s clear and bold vision of what public schools can and should be for all children: places of learning, exploration and risk-taking, where every student feels safe and connected to his or her school community; where data is used continuously to help promote student growth and achievement; and where all students have access both to positive developmental relationships with adults and other students as well as personalized learning environments that encourage them to persevere through challenges and build on their strengths. Grounded in an evolving research base, The Legends Fellow program focuses on supporting the development, growth and success of students, while preparing to be leaders in their communities and careers. The Legends Fellow Program helps Legends Charter School students succeed by delivering holistic support to students, classrooms and the whole school. Equity Now is committed to supporting the development of both our students and our Legends Fellows. Diverse, trained teams of Fellows serve full time at Legends Charter School as student success coaches, who partner with classroom teachers to help students cultivate key social, emotional and academic skills that are important in school and in life—whether that’s mastering fractions or learning to work in teams. Fellows tutor students one-on-one or in small groups; help students stay focused in class; organize school wide events designed to enhance school culture and climate; and support afterschool programs. By developing strong relationships with students, Fellows help create environments where students can build on their strengths, take risks in their learning and feel connected to their school community. The Legends Fellow program’s approach is based on research about how students learn. Fellows focus on reducing “early warning indicators” that place students at increased risk for dropping out of school: low attendance, poor behavior and/or course failure in English Language Arts and mathematics. Research shows that students who exhibit one or more of these warning indicators have at least a 75% chance of dropping out of high school. Reducing or eliminating these warning signs makes it more likely that a student will graduate from high school, dramatically improving their lifetime trajectory. Legends Fellows receive training and professional development throughout the year to help support their work with students and to help further their own personal and career goals. Training topics include: • Evidence-based instructional strategies designed to advance students’ social, emotional and academic development • Student progress monitoring • Strategies that help create welcoming and safe learning environments • Community context, civic knowledge, social justice and equity