Today's Message
Posted: Wednesday, October 23, 2013Year of the Teacher Weekly Feature: Community Academic Center
The Community Academic Center (CAC), located at 214 Grant Street, just south of Lafayette Avenue, coordinates and provides cradle-to-career educational support programming for youth and families on Buffalo's West Side. The center serves as a site of listening and learning: Buffalo State listens to community partners, families, and children in order to better understand what is needed for children to be ready, willing, and able to engage fully in learning. Programming is developed and designed in collaboration with campus and community partners, with activities and offerings ranging from outside-of-school-time enrichment to instruction for newcomer refugee youth and parents.
The CAC also supports microenterprise development and partners with neighborhood revitalization efforts. With a special emphasis on the needs of refugee families, the center serves as a "hub" for work being done at various satellite locations in partnership with a variety of community-based organizations.
The CAC offers both content specialty after-school programs taught by Buffalo State students, as well as English language learner support program. For a full listing of fall 2013 programs, visit www.buffalostate.edu/cac/programs.xml.
The CAC also holds a Monthly Service Corps, an opportunity for Buffalo State students and youth from the community to come together to volunteer for a Saturday afternoon. For upcoming service dates, visit www.buffalostate.edu/cac/x487.xml.
Through a generous gift from longtime Buffalo State supporters Eleanore Woods Beals, '50, and her husband, Vaughn Beals, the college opened the doors to the CAC in November 2011. It is jointly operated by the Center for Excellence in Urban and Rural Education and the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.
Read about other Buffalo State teacher-centered programs and initiatives on the Year of the Teacher website.
