Robins Foundation is committed to ensuring every student has a fair shot at a successful and empowering education, career and life. So we partner with organizations who support year-round education like Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) who provide workshops for educators and summer retreats for students designed to help eliminate disparities in academic achievement that arise along racial, national origin and socioeconomic lines.
VCIC’s Education Equity Initiative helps train Richmond-area educators and school faculty to provide inclusive and encouraging learning environments for students. Through workshops and retreats, teachers and administrators gain deeper insight into the effects of bias on student performance and opportunities. The VCIC helps them then design curriculum and action plans to close the achievement gap. VCIC’s programs are based on the philosophy that changes in schools must start within the teachers and administrators themselves.
The VCIC also coordinates assemblies, workshops and retreats for middle and high school students to combat prejudice and break down barriers in their own schools. The Harold M. Marsh, Sr. Connections Institute encourages students who have been recognized as leaders among their peers to reflect on their own experiences. Intimate discussions with diverse perspectives foster understanding and acceptance.