Accomplishments

1. Overview Accomplishments Serving nearly 8,000 children statewide, RCMA has twice earned the prestigious Program of Excellence designation by the National Head Start Association. In 2006-07, our preschoolers improved significantly on every category of the Learning Accomplishment Profile. In 2006-07, 78% of our children improved by one or more levels on the Oral Language Proficiency Scale. In May 2007, the Orlando Sentinel ranked our Wimauma Academy among the top five charter schools in Florida. More than 50% of our child care centers are nationally accredited (compared to 8.4% of all centers statewide and 9.5% nationally). Founded in 1965, the Redlands Christian Migrant Association provides quality child care and early education for children of migrant farm workers and other rural, low-income families in 21 Florida counties. Mennonite Church volunteers organized RCMA in the Redlands farming area of southern Miami-Dade County to provide a safe, nurturing environment for children while their parents worked the fields. From three small centers serving less than 100 children, RCMA expanded over the years. Today RCMA serves nearly 8,000 children in more than 70 child care centers and two charter schools. During RCMA’s four decades of service to farmworker families, parents often reported back that their children flourished in our programs. With dedicated caregivers hired from the farmworker communities, the children received nurturing and early education skills consistent with their cultures and tailored to the unique needs of migrant families. More and more, however, parents told us their children suffered a disconnect upon entry into the public school system. Therefore, in the year 2000, RCMA established two charter schools to focus on the unique educational needs of migrant and low-income, rural children. RCMA’s Wimauma Academy in southeastern Hillsborough County and Immokalee Community School in northern Collier County have become more than places of learning – both are sources of pride for the poverty-level families they serve. In the 2006-2007 school year, RCMA completed build-out of the Immokalee Community School, now a K-6 campus serving 220 children. Our attention now turns to expansion of our 175-student Wimauma Academy. With the encouragement of parents and staff of the Hillsborough County School District, we have launched a $1.6 million capital campaign to expand Wimauma Academy from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, to pre-kindergarten through eighth grade to accommodate an eventual 255 students. The curriculum at both schools is tailored to the most at-risk students in the communities, and their improvement has been remarkable. At both schools we find a constant: The longer the students remain with us, the better their academic performance.

2. The Need Parents of current students, staff of the Hillsborough County School District, and staff, management and the Board of RCMA recognize the need for this expansion. All students, regardless of their background, must be proficient in reading, writing and math by age 8. Wimauma Academy’s record indicates a high level of success with a challenging population that has never before enjoyed academic success. The adjacent chart confirms the students’ improvement on the developmental scale score on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). This clearly demonstrates that the longer students are under our roof, the better they perform. For four years in a row, the Wimauma Academy was rated an “A” school based on the students’ performance on the FCAT. Recognizing the school’s accomplishments, the Hillsborough County School Board in 2005 unanimously approved RCMA’s charter to operate the Wimauma Academy for another five years. In May 2007, the Orlando Sentinel ranked Wimauma Academy as one of the top five charter schools in Florida. Wimauma Academy students come from homes where resources, literacy and even living spaces are very limited. Nearly all the students speak English as a second or sometimes third language; 99% qualify for free/reduced lunch prices; and 30% migrate with their farmworker parents. Despite the challenges of a migration and poverty, the students have responded phenomenally to the unique approach of the Academy’s teachers and staff. Among immediate improvements are school attendance and completion of homework. Wimauma Academy attendance is 98%, compared to approximately 82% at surrounding public elementary schools. Along with small class sizes, one of the goals has been to overcome language barriers that can lead to students dropping out of school and repeating the cycle of poverty. Our strategic system to develop literacy and on-grade-level reading abilities has proven successful. For example, students take the Developmental Reading Assessment quarterly, to track literacy improvement. Results from 2006-2007 indicate that an average of 65% of the Wimauma students improved by four levels of reading –- an above-average performance for a poverty-level student population. (A middle-income child would also progress four levels per quarter.) Among other critical elements of success: Students are required to wear uniforms, parental participation is required, and former migrant workers are among teachers and staff. As a result, the school has become a source of pride for the community and a refuge of learning for the children.

3. The Project • The Wimauma Academy is housed in nine refurbished portable classrooms and serves 175 children from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade, with 15 teachers and a staff of 35. The school serves academically and socially at-risk children of migrant and seasonal farm workers. Family income does not even reach the poverty level, and the average parental education level is third grade. • RCMA wishes to extend its positive impact on students at the Wimauma Academy by expanding the school from pre-k through fifth grade to pre-k through eighth. Located on leased property owned by the neighboring Beth-El Mission, RCMA proposes an approximately 9,300-square-foot capital expansion to include the following new construction: • 7 classrooms • (700 square feet each) • Music / art room (700 sf) • Cafeteria / Kitchen (3,000 sf) • Teacher resource room (700 sf) • The addition will be constructed adjacent to our existing school. • RCMA entered into a 50-year lease agreement with Beth-El Mission in September 2000 to use the property for our charter school and adjacent child development center. An amendment is being drafted to extend the duration of the lease. • We have consulted with an architect who specializes in “green” architecture – buildings that are economical, energy saving and environmentally friendly – to develop a request for proposals. One potential bidder has estimated construction cost at $175 per square foot; thus a capital campaign to raise $1.6 million. • Site plans, architectural plans and drawings, engineering studies, permitting and a capital campaign will be developed or launched in 2008, with ground-breaking tentative for spring/summer 2009/2010. Wimauma Academy at a Glance K-5 charter school serving 175 students, of whom: 99% qualify for free/reduced lunch prices 30% migrate with their families 89% English language learners 99% Hispanic Successes at a Glance A-rated school for four consecutive years 65% improvement on Developmental Reading Assessment School attendance is 98% Parental participation is 80%

4. Leadership Barbara Mainster, Executive Director of RCMA since 1988, is one of Florida’s most-respected advocates for children of farm workers and rural, low-income families. Under Ms. Mainster’s leadership, RCMA has expanded from three original centers in southern Miami-Dade County to over 70 centers and two charter schools, which in 2006-2007 served more than 7,800 children throughout Florida. Ms. Mainster received a bachelor of science degree in social sciences from Michigan State University in 1962 and studied anthropology in graduate school at Cornell University. A Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from 1964-66, Ms. Mainster joined RCMA in 1972. Ms. Mainster has testified before congressional and state legislative committees; served as vice chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Farmworker Affairs (1996-98); is a past president of the Florida Children’s Forum; serves on Florida’s Reading and Literacy Partnership Committee and is the founding president of Socially Accountable Farm Employers. In 2007, she received the Nancy Thomas Award, which recognizes Florida’s leading proponent of early childhood education. As RCMA Executive Director, Ms. Mainster manages a $55 million budget and 1,700 employees statewide. Maria Jimenez has been RCMA’s Director of Charter Schools since 1999 and oversaw the opening of both of the organization’s charter schools. Overseeing more than 410 students and 70 teachers and support staff, Ms. Jimenez has nearly 15 years experience in education focusing on at-risk populations. Prior to joining RCMA, Ms. Jimenez worked in Miami for ASPIRA of Florida, which targets at-risk Latino youth. Her duties ranged from coordinating anti-gang programs to serving as interim Miami-Dade County director, in which she supervised 40 staff and 300 students. Ms. Jimenez has a B.A. in psychology from the University of the Americas in Mexico City; a B.S. in therapeutic recreation/management from Florida International University in Miami; and a master’s in public administration from International College in Naples. Ms. Jimenez also served as Board Chair for MUJER, Inc., a domestic violence prevention and intervention organization. Mark Haggett, Director of Wimauma Academy, has a degree in mathematics from the State University of New York at Potsdam. After approximately 10 years of success but little fulfillment in the telecommunications industry, Mr. Haggett decided to explore a career in education and was hired as a math teacher. Within the first year, the school’s math scores improved from 37% to 62%, compared to district improvement from 42% to 46%. Wimauma Academy outscored the local school district, despite fewer resources. His commitment to quality and education is evident through daily work with students and teachers. Marcela Estevez, Wimauma Academy Counselor and Parent Liaison, devotes 100% of her time and effort working directly with students and their parents. She holds a degree in Education La Normal University in Mexico and is a certified bilingual translator. Ms. Estevez spent 20 years serving the Mexican community through Mexican Consulates in Atlanta, New York, Orlando and Tucson. Her experience as a teacher for several years in Mexico helps provide support for teachers and parents who are navigating two languages and two cultures. Architect Mike Facundo is responsible for construction and maintenance of all 90 of RCMA’s facilities throughout Florida. Mr. Facundo, who joined RCMA in 1993, has a degree in architecture from Florida Atlantic University and will be the main liaison with the construction company and engineers. A former farm worker, Mr. Facundo knows all too well of the living conditions of the children served by RCMA and will ensure that the project will be a high-quality learning space where students will be happy and eager to learn.

5. The Budget • The expansion of Wimauma Academy will require new construction of approximately 9,300 square feet at a projected cost of $1.6 million based on a $175 / square foot cost estimate. With the addition of sixth, seventh and eighth grades, Wimauma Academy enrollment would grow from 175 students in 2007-08 to an eventual 255. • RCMA has consulted with architect Robert A. Andry of Alva, Fla., who is certified in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, to develop a request for proposals. An RFP featuring feature “green architecture,” for an energy-efficient, environmentally friendly learning space, will be issued in 2008. Using Florida State Educational Building Codes for intermediate-grade classrooms, RCMA has embarked on the following expansion plan: • 7 classrooms (700 square feet each) • Music / art room (700 sf) • Cafeteria / Kitchen (3,000 sf) • Teacher resource room (700 sf) • The construction site is adjacent to the existing school, which consists of nine refurbished portable classrooms connected with decking and a creative shade structure. • In the summer of 2007, RCMA launched the “silent phase” of the capital campaign and announced the project at a press conference in April 2008. By July 1, 2008, approximately $260,000 had been pledged or donated, including: • $125,000 (real estate) from Jay Taylor, Taylor & Fulton • $25,000 (pledge), Community Foundation of Greater Sun City Center • $35,000, Alex Sink (Florida Chief Financial Officer) Inauguration Committee • $25,000, Interfaith Social Action Council • $25,000, Hadley & Helen Hill Fund • $10,000, Mabel & Ellsworth Simmons Charitable Foundation • $5,000, Clark Family Foundation • $2,500, Freeman Family Foundation • $2,000, Micro Lumen, Inc. • $1,000, Talcott Family Foundation • $4,400, miscellaneous donations (under $750)

6. Success Stories In 2002-2003, the Wimauma Academy’s first eighth-grade class graduated. In 2007, these first Wimauma alumni reached another milestone: Maria Hinojosa Maria, who started with RCMA as a preschooler, passed eight college courses while a student at Tampa Bay Technical High School. Among 236 graduates, Maria was seventh in her class with a GPA of 4.88. She’s a freshman at the University of South Florida. Jessica Diaz Jessica is the first in her family to go to college and only the second to graduate from high school. A wife and a mother, Jessica graduated from East Bay High and is majoring in business administration at Hillsborough Community College. Vanessa Flores The first in her family to attend college, Vanessacame to RCMA as a 5 year old. A graduate of East Bay High, Vanessa attends Hillsborough Community College. Osmara Rodriguez A graduate of Tampa Bay Technical High School, Osmara is studying interior design at the Art Institute of Tampa. Juan Valdez Juan graduated from Tampa Bay Technical High School and received a diploma and a certificate in auto body repair. Hoping to open his own auto body shop someday, Juan attends Hillsborough Community College. Ramiro Juarez A graduate of East Bay High, Ramiro attends Hillsborough Community College and wants to be an architect. He was first enrolled at RCMA as an infant. Jose Lerma Jose is studying audio systems at the Installer Institute in Daytona Beach. A graduate of East Bay High, Jose wants to convert his audio-systems hobby into a profitable career. Daniela Diaz Daniela graduated from Tampa Bay Technical High School. Juan Hernandez Juan graduated from East Bay High.

7. Ways to Give Outright gifts: The campaign seeks outright gifts of cash (check) or appreciated stock for construction and related costs to expand the Wimauma Academy charter school. Gifts of stock may be made by contacting RCMA Business Affairs Director Ira Malamut at (800) 282-6540 or ira@rcma.org. Giving from IRAs: The Pension Protection Act of 2006 allows taxpayers and donors to direct charitable transfers from their Individual Retirement Accounts. If a donor/couple is 70.5 years old, he/she may be eligible to transfer up to $100,000 each or $200,000 per couple to charity from their IRA per year. To find out how to direct your funds to the Wimauma Academy Capital Campaign, contact RCMA Business Affairs Director Ira Malamut at (800) 282-6540 or ira@rcma.org. In-Kind gifts: Certain in-kind gifts, such as equipment, building materials, engineering services or other items to support construction and offset related costs, are accepted at the discretion of the Wimauma Academy Capital Campaign Committee. Gifts of real estate: We may accept gifts of real estate, including houses, condominiums, commercial property and undeveloped land. Such gifts are accepted at the discretion of the Wimauma Academy Capital Campaign Team. Deferred gifts: These types of gifts involve the transfer of substantial assets that affect the distribution of the donor’s estate. They may executed through a will, trust, life insurance or retirement plan. Methods of such gifts are: bequest through one’s will; trusts in a will, charitable remainder trust, annuity trust, unitrust or lead trust. Each instrument has tax consequences for the donor and benefits for the students of the Wimauma Academy and should be drawn up by the donor’s financial adviser, tax adviser or estate planning attorney. Gifts of life insurance: Naming the Wimauma Academy Capital Campaign as a beneficiary in a donor’s life insurance policy has numerous benefits, including no interruption of cash-flow or assets during the donor’s lifetime plus the comfort of leaving a legacy to migrant children.

8. Opportunities With a 9,300-square-foot building that includes seven classrooms and a music/art learning lab, many high-visibility, high-traffic spaces carry naming opportunities for significant donors: Description Number Gift Level Total Named Building 1 $500,000 $500,000 Available (1) Classrooms 7 $75,000 $525,000 Available (7) Music/ Art Room 1 $100,000 $100,000 Available (1) Cafeteria 1 $100,000 $100,000 Available (1) Kitchen 1 $100,000 $100,000 Available (1) Teacher’s lounge 1 $50,000 $50,000 Available (1) Total 12 $1,375,000 In addition to naming opportunities for these major components, general recognition gives afford further opportunities to recognize significant donors: Founder Gifts: $25,000 and above Leadership Gifts: $20,000 – $24,999 Major Gifts: $15,000 – $19,999 Benefactors: $10,000 – $14,999 Patrons: $5,000 – $9,999 Supporters: $1,000 - $4,999 What’s in a Name? The Town of Wimauma was founded in 1902 by Capt. C.H. Davis, who used the first letters of his three daughters’ names (Willie, Maude and Mary) to form the community’s name. Home to 4,500 residents, Wimauma is in southeast Hillsborough County, approximately 30 miles from Tampa.

9. Reach Serving Nearly 8,000 Children RCMA operates more than 70 child development centers and two charter schools in rural areas of 21 Florida counties.