Our Story of 

 S.A.B.R.E.E. Enrichment Academy, Inc.

Our STORY of S.A.B.R.E.E. Enrichment Academy, Incorporated

The creation of and the overarching purpose of the 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, S.A.B.R.E.E. Enrichment Academy, Incorporated, are the culmination of Dr. Sonji Fatima Daniel-Harold’s journey of resilience and empowerment. Despite enduring childhood sexual abuse from ages 7 to 12; parental neglect; poverty; experiencing the senseless murder of her father at seven years old; suffering bouts of depression in her late teens and early twenties;  suffering of domestic violence as a 22-year old wife and mother of two children; the clinical death and subsequent medical revival via an injection to the heart and other measures, and  hospitalization of her son, Sabree Marquis Danielat three-and-a-half years old  as a result of having a grand mal seizure;  and the GREATEST TRAGEDY OF HER LIFE—the murders of her SAME 17-year-old son, Sabree Marquis Daniel, and his stepmother, Renay Daniel, on June 1, 2005, by Sabree's father, Dr. Harold's ex-husband and ex-police officer, Jamie Lee Daniel II—            Dr. Harold has emerged even more determined to fulfill her purpose. She is committed to utilizing her gifts and talents to enrich the lives of children, adolescents, teenagers, young adults, and victims of domestic violence.  Dr. Harold has consistently maintained her strong faith and beliefs, honoring her grandmother and teachers by educating and caring for her mentees in a holistic manner.

In 2000, Dr. Harold began her first year in the education field at the Morris Union Jointure Commission, a school for autistic children. In 2001, she relocated to Missouri from New Jersey and became a middle school mathematics teacher at a private, alternative school in Saint Louis County. She was promoted to educational Administrator in 2006. She believes in holding herself accountable for helping mentees develop into analytical, compassionate human beings, who are well-equipped and productive members of society. The educational and mentoring programs and services offered at S.A.B.R.E.E. will be enhanced to reflect a self-sufficiency model, providing basic human needs and a wide array of services to support individuals and eradicate obstacles to self-sufficiency.

Dr. Harold's research and personal experiences have shown that historically, youth living in high-risk environments face an elevated probability of becoming educationally disadvantaged. These youth, often referred to as at-risk or historically disadvantaged mentees, are chronically exposed to various adverse factors that compromise their academic achievement and development. Our philosophy at S.A.B.R.E.E. maintains that all mentees can achieve academic success, develop, and strengthen their self-efficacy, become resilient, and thrive, ultimately contributing to strong families and communities.

S.A.B.R.E.E. Enrichment Academy will empower its mentees to dream big and create aspirations for themselves, enabling them to develop individual plans to achieve their goals. The academy aims to enrich their lives and address their holistic needs, helping them become well-rounded, well-equipped citizens of our communities. Dr. Harold has been instrumental in helping thousands of mentees over the past twenty-two years graduate from high school and excel in their lives. She intends to continue her service on an even grander scale as the CEO and Founder of S.A.B.R.E.E. Enrichment Academy, Incorporated.

Dr. Harold leads an intentional, purpose-driven life, aiming to positively impact the lives of thousands of historically disadvantaged learners, as well as victims of domestic violence, through holistic programs that address their needs. She has had the privilege and challenge of working with at-risk mentees for the past twenty-two years and wrote her Doctoral dissertation on 'Improving the Achievement of Students in Alternative Education Through the Implementation of the Resiliency Model,' a tool that provides an assessment technique to determine risk factors and supports in one’s life, along with strategies to identify, develop, strengthen, and promote resiliency while increasing self-esteem.

S.A.B.R.E.E. is committed to providing consistent, rigorous, and high-quality education and mentoring services to youth, adolescents, young adults, and victims of domestic violence. We believe these services are key to fostering long-term, lifelong learners and improving self-efficacy and stress reduction, particularly for those who have faced historical disadvantages. In terms of domestic violence services, S.A.B.R.E.E. believes that victims, like Dr. Harold herself, deserve assistance, including nourishment, clothing, encouragement; extrinsic motivation with the goal of intrinsic motivation; immersive career skill enrichments, and opportunities for educational skill-building experiences.

S.A.B.R.E.E. purposes to work with students from the extensive list of "targeted schools" (in Saint Louis County and Saint Charles County) as determined by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MO DESE). Dr. Harold has initiated contact with several school districts and schools through introductory emails and communications to various school principals to explore possible collaboration. Mentees engaged with S.A.B.R.E.E. will have access to a wide range of academic and mentoring activities, receiving a comprehensive array of educational services aimed at career and college readiness. They will be equipped with the tools needed to empower themselves as healthy, resilient, educated, and thriving individuals with emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, conflict resolution abilities, character-building skills, and more. For victims of domestic violence, the services provided will include nourishment, clothing, immersive career skills, and education, such as reading and math review skills, if needed.

S.A.B.R.E.E. is committed to providing consistent, rigorous, and high-quality education and mentoring services to youth, adolescents, and young adults. We believe these services are key to fostering long-term, lifelong learners and improving self-efficacy and stress reduction, particularly for those who have faced historical disadvantages. S.A.B.R.E.E. understands that creating a stable future and career requires not only the appropriate skills but also access to resources that can inform and guide bright futures for our mentees. In terms of domestic violence services, S.A.B.R.E.E. believes that victims, like Dr. Harold herself, deserve assistance, including nourishment, clothing, immersive career skill enrichments, and opportunities for educational skill-building experiences.

S.A.B.R.E.E. firmly believes in the adage "it takes a village to raise a child" and extends this philosophy to supporting even those who are broken. In line with this belief, we aim to develop numerous healthy collaborative partnerships. We are seeking to establish partnerships with the following organizations: Informed Improvement, LLC; Summit Learning Platform; Valor Collegiate; The Gephardt Institute; Washington University; Saint Louis University; Harris Stowe University; Intersect Arts; COCA (Center of Creative Arts); Children’s Educational Alliance of Missouri; the Saint Louis Community Development Corporation; Industry and Business Development; Children’s Educational Alliance of Missouri; Clay Community Education Center (also known as Saint Louis Public Schools-Office of Community Education;  North County Recreation Complex; Gene Slay’s Girls and Boys Club; Yale University; DynEd; Imagine Learning; ESL Lab; Edmentum ESL; Achieve 3000 ELL. We are also open to forming partnerships with any other dynamic organizations that may benefit the mentees at S.A.B.R.E.E. We believe that by "casting a wide net" of potential partnerships, we will yield valuable relationships and collaborations.  

Educational programs and mentoring activities at S.A.B.R.E.E. will be scheduled throughout the week and year at our site/facility, as well as in various school buildings, partnership sites, and hopefully churches and colleges. Typically, mentees will progress through the entire continuum of educational and mentoring services throughout each academic year. S.A.B.R.E.E. will continue to provide support to each mentee throughout their academic career, as well as one year thereafter, offering supplemental coaching and guidance as life's challenges may arise in navigating their post-secondary aspirations. Dr. Harold hopes to establish lifelong relationships whenever possible.

S.A.B.R.E.E. aims to make a significant impact in our communities by nurturing and supporting our mentees both collectively and individually. We will continuously and systematically assess the effectiveness of our program through the analysis of our outcome data. By implementing evaluation studies, we aim to validate and strengthen our program in a way that garners community support and potentially allows for national replication. We will establish and nurture a professional learning community of staff members, stakeholders, mentors, and volunteers, cultivating a continuous and supportive learning environment.

THE DESIRED OUTCOMES OF S.A.B.R.E.E.

a)     cultivation of positive relationships between mentors and mentees

b)     impartation of conflict resolution knowledge

c)      attainment of character-building skills AND resiliency-strengthening skills

a)     reduced disruptive behavior and increased self-control

b)     strong motivation to attend college and/or other post-secondary goals (ie. technical school, armed services, entrepreneurship, etc.)

c)      improved study skills

d)     increases in self-esteem and self-efficacy

e)      connectedness to peers

f)      social support from peers

g)     improved relationships with adults

a)      school matriculation

b)     college (or other post-secondary) pursuits

c)      participation in the armed services if desired

d)     reduced community crime

e)      enhanced social mobility

f)      improved community engagement in civic matters

g)     gainful employment or entrepreneurship

h)     wealth management literacy

 

The OVERARCHING GOAL of S.A.B.R.E.E. is to achieve its own brick and mortar building from which it will offer its services. In the years to come, Dr. Harold is considering  forming a school which offers both an academic curriculum, mentoring programs, and enrichments such as:

·        Brain-based/ Alpha Waves Music

·        Physical Education

·        Science Lab

·        Art

·        Foreign Language

·        Computer Lab

·        Robotics

·        Library

·        Field Trips and Virtual field trips

·        Master Gardener Program with School Garden

·        Public Speaking

·        Computer Coding

·        Performing Arts school-wide

·        CSI Forensics for middle schoolers

·        Outdoor Education Program

·        Middle School mentees will explore the following: sailing, bowling, basketball, tennis

·        Criminal Justice

·        Annual full-scale musical and drama productions

·        Yoga classes

·        Rosetta Stone-Spanish lessons

·        Aromatherapy therapy/sessions

·        Credit Union presentations

·        Hygiene presentations/coursework

S.A.B.R.E.E. is committed to fostering lifelong learning among our mentees. We will create and sustain a mentoring culture that values diversity and individuality, and we are dedicated to building and supporting inclusive professional learning communities where our staff are valued. Our focus is on mentee academic success, holistic care, resiliency training, and excellence, providing access to a wide range of resources to ensure our mentees are career-and-college-ready and competitive in a global economy. Our mentees will be equipped with tools and strategies to advocate for themselves and their communities.

Should S.A.B.R.E.E. become a school in the future, the academy will develop and maintain a professional learning community to ensure the highest quality mentors and support staff. We will offer the following: Basic literacy and numeracy, State of the art computers &other technology, STEAM programs-Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Exposure to the arts & sports, a complete rigorous curriculum, Extracurricular activities, Quality educational books, materials, and software, Financial assistance and scholarships, Nutritional programs & After-school programs, Optional Extended Day programs, Sports, Police D.A.R.E. programs, Resiliency-building programs, School uniforms, Community outreach programs, Firefighter & EMT,  mentorship programs, State-of-the art technology, software, textbooks, and other learning tools.

Should S.A.B.R.E.E. become a school in the future ,we will offer mentorship programs & peer tutoring, Assessment strategies& Accommodation strategies, Time-management & Brain-based strategies, Multiple Intelligence strategies and Learning Styles strategies, Effective Instructional Practices and Instructional Intervention strategies, Differentiated Instructional strategies and Engaged Learning strategies, Professional Learning Development workshop for educators, Promotion and Immersion of Professional Learning Community environment for ALL, Mentoring programs for educators, Advanced Placement Courses, Referral incentive programs, Brain-break activities, Wood shop & hands-on skill classes, Home economic classes: cooking and sewing, Life skills classes, Business classes and Retail classes, Health Care classes, Cosmetology classes, Barbering classes, HVAC classes, Digital Arts program, RAMP up to Readiness advisory program, Credit Recovery courses, Student Agenda Books (track homework and message delivery system),Parent Portal (access to teacher grade book for student),Wealth Management literacy.

***AT PRESENT, Dr. Harold is collaborating with the owner of a new, virtual reality gaming house and event venue titled TALLIS Media in Saint Peters, Missouri.       Dr. Harold has been asked to be its CEO, to which she has agreed to enable her to make a living for herself. The building is approximately 7200 square feet in size. An approximately 33X43 square foot room has been constructed in the rear of the building. In this room, Dr. Harold has been given permission to conduct meetings with corporations regarding team-building activity proposals; provide fundraising events for other nonprofit organization, as well as her own nonprofit organization; fundraising events for victims of domestic violence via partnerships with domestic violence organizations, and UTILIZE THE SPACE TO MENTOR THE HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED YOUTH, AS WELL AS VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE via educational software, training software and tutoring experiences. This will allow S.A.B.R.E.E.  to provide after-school and summer school services and activities such as:


In terms of ACCOUNTABILITY, our mentoring program will collaborate with a diverse group of quality mentors, parents/guardians, volunteers, professionals, and community members. The S.A.B.R.E.E. Enrichment Academy Mentoring Program will be registered in the Mentoring Connector Registry. Mentees will participate in a Youth Outcome Survey to assess the effectiveness of the mentoring program in their lives. Educators and parents/guardians will also receive surveys to ensure we are providing the best mentorship service possible. S.A.B.R.E.E. Enrichment Academy, Incorporated will implement multiple layers of accountability to ensure a system of knowing we are doing a good job AND a mechanism for making improvements should we discover we are doing a subpar job in any area. We will be a good steward of our funding. Our activities and our outcomes will both be true to our mission.

Our accountability system will be comprised of four components: 1) Collecting, measuring, and evaluating; 2) Can be low technology (pen and paper) or high technology (Microsoft Excel spreadsheet); 3) Internal discipline for regular review; and 4) Protocol for improvement. S.A.B.R.E.E. will also make it a practice to receive qualitative feedback from our stakeholders and clients. We will implement the following measures: 1) Client surveys; 2) Focus groups; 3) Client advisory council and 4) Client board members. In our educational and mentoring programs, we aim for 100% of our mentees to achieve self-efficacy, wholeness, resiliency, academic success, and global competitiveness as each semester progresses. S.A.B.R.E.E. acknowledges that participation in the program will provide skills and knowledge that will benefit participants not only during their educational careers but throughout their lives, positively impacting the trajectory of their lives and their individual potential. We expect full participation from our mentees in 100% of the scheduled sessions and activities.

S.A.B.R.E.E. will adopt the "Promoting Effective Classroom Participation" methodologies developed by the Centre for Teacher Effectiveness (CTE) at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. By utilizing a specific software data collection system or methodology, S.A.B.R.E.E. will provide a weekly progress report to ensure proper levels of engagement and achievement for each mentee. The CTE measuring tools will help keep S.A.B.R.E.E. informed and guide next steps for individual and collective progress and participation. At the beginning of our work in Saint Louis County, Missouri, S.A.B.R.E.E. will conduct a public opinion survey to gather residents' views on desired educational programs/systems and mentoring activities/programs. During each town hall-style meeting, S.A.B.R.E.E. will count and track participating community members and take detailed minutes of the meeting. At the end of the semester, a follow-up survey will be conducted to gather parents' and mentees' opinions and perspectives on S.A.B.R.E.E.'s performance. Additionally, S.A.B.R.E.E. will employ a formal researcher or research team to provide statistics for accountability and the evaluation process, which will account for 25% of the budget. S.A.B.R.E.E. will report on our progress and the expenditure of grant funds.

S.A.B.R.E.E. will implement key personnel to execute projects, such as the launch and Year one management of its high-performing mentoring programs, with the engagement of a wide variety of stakeholders. Parental engagement will be a priority, with regular communication between families and their mentees' teachers or advisors. Parental input will be sought through biennial surveys and the Parent Teacher Organization. S.A.B.R.E.E. will collaborate with various community organizations to provide services for the organization and its mentees. The organization will contract the services of a principal investigator, such as Informed Improvement, LLC Education Consulting Services, for data analytics and strategic planning, with the consulting service contracted for approximately 15 hours per year. Should S.A.B.R.E.E. become a school, the Missouri Charter Public School Commission (MCPSC) will conduct regular quality control and compliance, which S.A.B.R.E.E. will strictly adhere to. Although MCPSC has approved only 20% of the applications for new charters submitted to them, S.A.B.R.E.E. will strive to earn their confidence and approval as time and finances permit. Once approved, a letter of support from the MCPSC will be included in the appendix.

A high-level plan for the project will be presented in a graphical table format, identifying the individuals responsible for each activity, along with the planned start and end dates. The activities in the plan will align with the line items in the project budget narrative. This plan will focus on components of the school's opening and growth that are funded by this project, due to page limitations on this narrative. Our mentoring program will collaborate with a diverse group of quality mentors, parents/guardians, volunteers, professionals, and community members. The S.A.B.R.E.E. Enrichment Academy Mentoring Program will be registered in the Mentoring Connector Registry. Mentees will participate in a Youth Outcome Survey to assess the effectiveness of the mentoring program in their lives. Educators and parents/guardians will also receive surveys to ensure we are providing the best mentorship service possible.

In terms of LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY, S.A.B.R.E.E. is committed to diversifying its revenue streams and funding sources for the optimal functioning of the academy. Dr. Harold will obtain a small business loan to help finance the nonprofit organization and will also serve as the CEO of TALLIS Media Center to generate funds that she will contribute to S.A.B.R.E.E. Additionally, she will hold fundraising events at the TALLIS Media Center venue to raise funds for S.A.B.R.E.E., as well as for other nonprofits, earning a fee for services rendered. She will also sponsor Corporate Team-Building events, where she will earn a fee per event. Furthermore, as a Certified Grant-Writer, Dr. Harold is offering grant-writing services to assist in generating funds for S.A.B.R.E.E.'s endeavors. As a Licensed Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, Dr. Harold will utilize her expertise to accumulate real estate investments over time to help fund her nonprofit. Dr. Harold will diversify her portfolio by implementing stock market investments to help support S.A.B.R.E.E. In addition, she will collaborate with as many funders as possible, as well as government entities, to support our array of programs and services. We have achieved our SAM.GOV approved participation. The academy will be developed with the commitment and involvement of different service partners who will provide various aspects of the programs to historically disadvantaged youth, adolescents, young adults, and victims of domestic violence on an ongoing basis. Finally, S.A.B.R.E.E. will have an active fundraising department dedicated to cultivating discretionary revenue to create an elite academy, ensuring that funding is budgeted for maximum impact.

In terms of Partnerships and Volunteers, S.A.B.R.E.E. intends to achieve a substantial impact with our communities one mentee at a time. We will continually and systematically assess the effectiveness of our program via the analysis of our outcome data.  We will implement evaluation studies to validate and to strengthen our program in such a manner as to garner the support of our community and possibly replicate our program at the national level. S.A.B.R.E.E. will establish and nurture a professional learning community of staff members, stakeholders, mentors, and volunteers whereby we cultivate a continuous, supportive learning environment. S.A.B.R.E.E. will position our enrichment academy as a valuable program for effecting positive change in the lives of our mentees and their families, as well as our educators.

At this time, S.A.B.R.E.E. has begun developing partnerships because it recognizes the importance of developing esteemed partnerships. In her diligent research regarding successful organizations, Dr. Harold has discovered impressive institutions that she believes may prove valuable. S.A.B.R.E.E. will be seeking to form strong alliances with several reputable institutions, such as the following: Summit Learning Platform, which may provide one of our learning management systems, personalized curriculum, and assessments; Valor Collegiate, which may provide an elite “Compass” model and materials that structure a restorative justice discipline system, social-emotional learning curriculum, and positive behavioral intervention and supports. (Valor Collegiate was the only district or Network in Tennessee to rank in the top 5% for both achievement and for growth; The Gephardt Institute, which may partner to connect S.A.B.R.E.E. with Washington University and/or Saint Louis University and/or Harris Stowe University student groups interested in educational equity; Intersect Arts and COCA, which may be partnering for trained, freelance artists for S.A.B.R.E.E. rotational resident artist model; Children’s Educational Alliance of Missouri, which may permit partnering for parent outreach and choice advocacy.

**Saint Louis Community Development Corporation, which transforms neighborhoods and communities by establishing more vibrant, affordable, and livable neighborhoods in Saint Louis. Industry and Business Development: Strengthening business and industry through expansion, retention and attraction partnerships; Children’s Educational Alliance of Missouri, which partners for parent outreach and choice advocacy; Clay Community Education Center (also known as Saint Louis Public Schools-Office of Community Education), which offers youth and adult courses, such as literacy courses, job-training and art courses, access to school-beat, neighborhood stabilization officers and community; North County Recreation Complex, which facilitates community connections; Gene Slay’s Girls and Boys Club, which partners with the community for enrichment programming during intersession  breaks; and other universities, which may partner for summer interns to support community engagement.

In CONCLUSION, the mentoring academy is in memory of and in honor of Dr. Harold’s beloved son, Sabree Marquis Daniel, as well as his stepmother, Renay Daniel. The acronym S.A.B.R.E.E. symbolizes Seizing Abundance Because of Resiliency, Edification, and Empowerment. S.A.B.R.E.E. will address the holistic and educational needs of historically disadvantaged mentees, including gifted mentees who are on a trajectory of success but still require encouragement and support to complete their endeavors, as well as victims of domestic violence. Dr. Harold believes that every person has a right to be safe and free from all forms of abuse, neglect, and violence, and she wishes to leave a legacy of assisting others to do so.

Dr. Harold recognizes that she cannot single-handedly eradicate the scourge of domestic violence and its consequences, nor the existence of historically disadvantaged youth and the ramifications of their circumstances. Nevertheless, Dr. Harold is committed to offering her services and efforts to make a positive impact on as many lives as possible. Her faith and determination remain strong. SHE STILL BELIEVES IN MIRACLES. As Dr. Harold's son Sabree had written just a few days before his passing, "Love is the LIGHT that shines through the darkness and helps us find our way." Furthermore, Dr. Harold maintains, "I am a woman, who believes the LIGHT I bring changes everything."