OUR PURPOSE
The House, Incorporated is a not for profit organization which sponsors The Student Leadership Center Before and After School program. The five day a week program incorporates homework completion, athletics, teambuilding exercises, nutrition, conflict resolution, and problem-solving competencies necessary to build healthy, positive relationships and connect the students to the community with purpose and a productive, unselfish and focused future.
 Located in the middle of Woodbridge in 15,000 square feet of warehouse space, The Leadership Center offers help with academics, but also provides social and recreational activities each school afternoon and is a safe haven from gangs, drugs, experimentation with sex, idleness, and mediocrity. Students are certified annually in CPR, learn dance, sportsmanship, receive cultural diversity training, conflict resolution and gain other skills and leadership methods. Most importantly, parents and guardians have entrusted more than 60,000 visits of their youth to various activities at The House and spread the word about the programs to other families, school administrators, and social service and foster agencies, our primary means of gaining new enrollees.
We draw many enrollees from any of the 85 public schools in Prince William County, as well as from the greater Washington, DC area. Rival gangs threaten their peers and actively recruit new members, while drugs are readily available at the schools and in the community. The Leadership Centers provides a safe environment with positive values that students may trust.
WHY IS IT NEEDED AND THE PROBLEMS IT ADDRESSES
Every 26 seconds another youth drops out of a public high school in America. A primary goal of The House Leadership Center’s Before/After school program is that our students achieve academically. When Virginia released the Standard of Learning (SOL) scores in September, 2007, only one middle school in our county showed adequate yearly progress (AYP) (Potomac News, September 5, 2007)!
Many students say school does not seem relevant. The lack of challenge contributes to students’ boredom and attendance problems with a slow process of disengagement, poor grades and study habits, discipline and behavior problems, lack of involvement and being held back a grade or more. The House has teamed with high school administrators to identify students in middle and high school who would benefit from additional instruction, improved communication between The House staff, parents and the school, daily mentoring, and identification of job markets students can aim for only with adequate grades and knowledge of where they want to go in life. We try to inspire motivation that comes from earning passing grades, passing tests and moving to the next grade with their classmates.
SERVICE LEARNING
During their attendance at The House, students participate in all aspects of the After School program including service learning, a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection that enriches the learning experience and link their future aspirations with concrete actions today.
 Student experiences extend beyond the classroom into the community through structured service opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, discovering their own strengths and abilities, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills and knowledge essential for becoming productive students and adults. Service learning combines service objectives with learning objectives so that the activity heightens the student’s awareness of the connection between school and work. PROGRAM GOALS
The House:
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Expects participating students to raise their language arts, math, science, and social studies grades to average or above, and ultimately to graduate from high school.
- Expects participating students to gain a knowledge of and vision for attending college and/or preparing for an occupation that involves proficiency in math, science, or language.
- Ensures that each student has at least one strong relationship with an adult in their school.
- Increases communication between parents and administrators/teachers in their student’s school.
- Assists students with discovering higher education options.
- Provides job-shadowing and readiness help such as resume writing, interviewing skills, and dressing for success.
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