IMPACT
in Rapid City
Your Generosity in Action
Thanks to your support, United Way of the Black Hills is proud to share real stories — told in the words of our partners — that show how your generosity is making a difference every day.
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative – Compass High Impact Tutoring
The impact of Compass Partners in Learning high-impact tutoring program in Rapid City Area Schools is best captured by one program evaluator’s observation: “The students love it. You can tell by their smiles when they walk in the room, the hug many offer their tutor and their steady engagement with the daily lessons.”
This simple but powerful observation illustrates how the program’s structured approach to literacy support creates an environment where learning flourishes. Dedicated tutors, working alongside an instructional coordinator and family engagement coordinator, provide 30-minute literacy lessons to students who need additional support.
The consistent, personal attention from tutors has created strong bonds that encourage students to fully engage with their learning. The program’s success is built on this foundation of trust and connection.
When students arrive at their sessions excited to learn, offering hugs to their tutors and remaining steadily engaged throughout their lessons, it demonstrates how the program has transformed what could be challenging learning moments into positive, anticipated experiences.
These tutoring sessions at Knollwood and Woodrow Wilson Elementary schools show that when students feel supported and connected to their tutors, they’re more likely to engage with the learning process. The smiles and hugs observed by the evaluator aren’t just signs of affection – they’re indicators of students who have developed a positive association with reading and learning.
By focusing on both academic support and building strong tutor-student relationships, the program helps young readers develop the confidence and skills they need to succeed. Each tutoring session represents another step toward the program’s mission of helping children become confident, successful, and joyful readers.
Thanks to generous donors like you, United Way of the Black Hills is able to make stories like this possible!