first-hand where OrchKids students
are coming from is Brown Challenge
founding donor, Congressman Elijah
Cummings. Immediately following the
performance, the Congressman gathered
the young performers around him in the
courtyard and told them how proud he
was of each and every one of them. And
he gave them some homework: share your
talent and your voice with others; tell a
friend what being in OrchKids means to
you; when you go home, find a journal or
piece of paper and write down how you
felt today!
In an interview with DC Metro Theater
Arts, the Congressman had this to say
about the concert: “I have heard the kids
before. Every time I am overwhelmed.
They are so talented. A lot of these
kids live in the neighborhood I live in.
And it’s a pretty rough neighborhood,”
Cummings told DC Metro Theater Arts.
“The idea that these young kids have this
opportunity to have their talents shown
and nurtured means a lot.”
OrchKids is providing safe places to build
relationships and examine these intense
and often scary topics. One composition
group composed these lyrics: “Our
selfishness leads to problems. Creating
unhealthy bonds. So careless without
awareness. Our problems they should be
dead.” By providing a positive outlet to
communicate challenges and concerns,
OrchKids is helping Baltimore’s youth
find their voice which we believe will
lead to their advocacy for solutions
to any challenges they may encounter
throughout their lives.
Independent Evaluation: The BERC Study
OrchKids is working and we have the data to prove it! OrchKids commissioned the Baltimore Education Research Consortium
(BERC) to conduct an independent evaluation of the programs impact.
As you can see in the results below, your investment in this program is not only paying off for our students, it’s paying off for our
community and our city:
Youth Served
Length of Participation Findings
5 to 8 years (N=86) • Higher rates of attendance
• Lower rates of chronic absence
• Fewer suspensions
• Less likely to leave City Schools!
• More likely to score proficient or advanced on MSA
ELA and math
• More likely to meet/exceed expectations on PARCC ELA
2 to 4 years (N=244) • Higher rates of attendance
• Lower rates of chronic absence
• Fewer suspensions
• More likely to score proficient/advanced on MSA math
Began Participating
in pre-K through 4th
grade
1 year (N=221)
Began Participating in
5th through 8th grade
2 to 3 years (N=30)
1 year (N=58)
• More likely to be proficient/advanced on MSA ELA
and math
• Higher rates of attendance
• No differences detected
(A copy of the full BERC study may be found on our website at orchkids.org/…)