A growing partnership in Akron’s Middlebury neighborhood is giving Mason Elementary students meaningful support well beyond the classroom.

Just a short walk from the school, Vincent House, a non-profit backed by Citizens Akron Church, provides after-school programs, homework help, sports, dance classes, boxing, and monthly family dinners for nearly 70 students.

But the connection goes deeper.

On Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, Vincent House staff come into the school to eat lunch with 5th graders, talk with them about life, and help them handle challenges big and small. Teachers say that trusted presence has boosted students’ confidence, behavior, and excitement for learning.

The program is growing and aims to eventually support hundreds of Akron kids through elementary, middle, and even high school, keeping those supportive relationships in place every step of the way.