Expanding and enriching learning opportunities for underserved children and youth that prepares them for academic achievement and career success.
Learning Initiatives
Funding priorities:
- Broadening access and improving opportunities for high-quality infant, early care and learning.
- Creating and supporting innovative programs for students to learn more effectively and boost their overall achievement.
- Supporting creative pathways to college and career success.
Center for Success Network Builds Strong Readers and Bright Futures
"We aim to not only improve literacy skills, but also to spark a lifelong love of learning in every student."
– Andrea Meyer, Executive Director, Center for Success Network
Detroit, MI (April 2025) — Every morning used to be a struggle for one Detroit father. His son, resistant to school, dreaded the idea of learning. But everything changed when the boy joined the Center for Success Network, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through literacy. Before long, he was so excited about attending that he’d grab his backpack even on weekends, forgetting the Center wasn’t open. Stories like this are exactly why the Center for Success Network exists: to make literacy a fun, life-changing experience for youth in Detroit and Pontiac.
The reality is, in some metro Detroit neighborhoods, only 3% of kids are reading at grade level. This leaves most of them far behind in a skill that's closely linked to their future success. The Center is tackling this challenge head-on, pairing students with mentors who offer tutoring, encouragement, and a little extra belief in their potential. These one-on-one tutoring sessions don’t just improve reading skills – they build confidence, ignite a passion for learning, and help kids feel a sense of belonging. As Andrea Meyer, the Center's Executive Director, says, "Literacy is liberation." It’s the key to unlocking opportunities and changing lives.
Thanks to the generous support of the Walters Family Foundation, the Center for Success Network is expanding its impact. The number of mentors is increasing from 500 to 650, allowing the program to reach 115 more students. This funding is crucial for outreach, mentor recruitment, training and engagement. “The need is real,” Meyer explains. “We have students right now waiting for a mentor. Every new mentor means another child gets the support they deserve.”
Mentors receive essential literacy tools and equity-focused training that help them connect with students through empathy, understanding, and science-based literacy instruction. This approach strengthens the bond between mentors and kids while addressing systemic inequities. The goal? To ensure every child has the skills they need to thrive.
And the results speak for themselves. At the Center, on average, students increase their literacy by four Developmental Reading Assessment levels after working through the program with their tutoring mentor. In addition, 95% of students report feeling more confident and excited about learning. Families are equally enthusiastic – 100% would recommend the program to others year after year. “It’s incredible to see both students and parents light up about learning,” Meyer shares. “That’s the kind of magic we see every day.”