Learning Club

From Learning Club intern to educator and community leader—meet our first Alumni of the Month, Javen Betts!

Javen has built an impressive record of achievement, and we’re excited to celebrate the many ways he is making a difference.

A proud University of Kansas double alumnus, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Education and his master’s in Educational Administration with High Distinction. He is now pursuing his doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at KU!

In the Shawnee Mission School District, Javen teaches sixth grade and serves as a Science Cadre Teacher Leader. His leadership also extends to the district’s Strategic Planning Committee and Human Resources Recruitment Leadership Team.

Javen founded Men of Excellence, a leadership and mentorship program helping fifth- and sixth-grade boys develop as young leaders. His commitment to students reaches beyond his own classroom and into the wider community.

As Director of Educational Activities for the Delta Eta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., he leads educational programming, academic excellence initiatives, and professional development.

He also serves on The Educator Academy’s Board of Directors, is a fellow with Brothers Liberating Our Communities (BLOC), and contributes to the Black Alumni Advisory Council for KU’s School of Education and Human Sciences.

Through his work as an educator, founder, and leader, Javen continues to create opportunities for others while pursuing his own goals.

Javen, we’re proud to count you among Learning Club’s alumni and celebrate all you have accomplished!

Help us congratulate him in the comments, and share his story!

From learners to leaders! 💙

Chimpaye and Elizabeth have been part of the Learning Club for almost a decade. This year, as they began middle school, they also took an exciting step forward by becoming tutors themselves.

Their journey is a beautiful example of how learning, mentorship, and community can inspire young people to grow and give back.

Ms. Brown, who has worked with both girls since they were in third grade, says, “I am so proud of my girls and the young adults they are becoming.”

We are proud of Chimpaye and Elizabeth and excited to see where their journey takes them next! 🌟

We’re ready for another great year of tutoring! 📚✨

This week, Learning Club volunteers came together for our Back-to-School Training. They reviewed our Child Protection Policy and explored the newly revamped Susie’s Corner, which offers practical tools and strategies for engaging students at all of our after-school program sites.

We are grateful for each volunteer who gives their time, energy, and care to help our students learn and thrive. Thank you for being part of the Learning Club family! 💙

Check out Ms. Gayle Lee, who previously led Learning Club's internship team and Cyrus K. Holliday site teams. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Ms. Gayle!

🎉 MEET 2026 REASONS TO BELIEVE EDUCATOR HONOREE- GAYLE D. LEE

Here’s why her nominator says Gayle is a Reason to Believe: For more than four decades, Gayle has created opportunities, removed barriers and helped students and families believe in what is possible. She leads quietly and selflessly, seeing a need and getting to work to make life better for others.

✨ We’re honored to celebrate Gayle alongside 13 other extraordinary Reasons to Believe. Stay tuned to learn more about each of them!

Learning Club students earn points for showing up, working hard, and saving throughout the school year. They can then use those points to “purchase” prizes.
It is a fun way to keep students motivated while teaching the value of effort, responsibility, saving, and accountability.

You can help us keep our prize shelves stocked by purchasing student incentives from our Amazon Wishlist or visiting LearningClubKCK.org/donate.

Every prize celebrates a student’s hard work! 🎉

On August 18th, the powerful storm that swept through Kansas City, Kansas, damaged our Learning Club office.

Thanks to the incredible support of our staff and volunteers, we are back up and running. However, many of the families we serve are still dealing with the storm’s aftermath.

At this time, monetary donations and gift cards are the most helpful ways to support our families. Your contribution will allow families to purchase the specific items they need while helping ensure this storm does not continue to disrupt our students’ learning.

Please donate today and help our Learning Club community recover. 💙
https://www.learningclubkck.org/donate.html

In 2023, when we asked Sarah if she liked going to school, her answer was, “Not at all.”
This year, her answer was, “Always.”
For the past three school years, Sarah has worked with her Learning Club tutor and mentor, Ms. Joyce. With Ms. Joyce’s encouragement and support, Sarah has grown nine reading levels and is working toward reading on grade level!
Sarah says Ms. Joyce motivates her to work hard and do her best at Learning Club and at school.
Every child deserves a caring adult who believes in them. Become a Learning Club volunteer and help a student write their own success story.

Learn more at LearningClubKCK.org/volunteer.

Our main office at 54th and Leavenworth Rd was badly damaged in the storm, and our friends at Christ the King have been so gracious and helpful this week! If you have time to spare on Saturday, please consider lending them a hand! ❤️🙏🤝

At Learning Club, Summer Is Something More! Check out our latest newsletter to see what we've been learning together- https://mailchi.mp/learningclubkck/at-learning-club-summer-is-something-more

Check out what Learning Club students are doing to stay engaged and growing all summer long with out latest newsletter!

Summer at Learning Club To kick off the summer, Learning Club students and staff met at each after-school site in early June for on-site day camp. They played games outside, blew bubbles, made chalk art, learned to hula hoop and basked in sunshine. Then it was time to head indoors for lunch. Students enjoyed hot dogs with....