What is Odyssey Junior?
While their parents are in class, over 50 children and grandchildren of Odyssey students, ages newborn-18, participate in one of our five Odyssey Junior classrooms. Recognizing that breaking the cycle of generational poverty involves whole families, we support children in self-discovery, literacy, and expression through a variety of forms, including reading, writing, speaking, visual arts, music, and movement.
Check out the Odyssey Junior Oracle to see what students have been up to!
Scouts
Ages 2-4
Voyagers
Grades 3-5
Odyssey Junior's impact
A recent evaluation found that Odyssey Junior has a positive impact on participants’ interest and confidence in reading and self-expression. Specific outcomes include:
- 74% of children indicated that Odyssey Junior helped them develop their love of reading. Students shared that “I like reading more, learning new words” and “[Odyssey Junior] reintroduced me to reading.”
- Across all age groups “was the sense that involvement in Odyssey Junior improved students’ writing ability.” One student shared, “we have book reports at school, it made me feel confident to read in front of my entire class, because we do it at Odyssey.”
- Odyssey Junior created a safe community for students to take risks and express themselves, which allowed for positive outcomes around self-efficacy, self-confidence, and self-expression.
- Participants reported that Odyssey Junior helped them to develop goals related to attending college. Students now talk about “when” rather than “if” they go to college.
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