A Tucson nonprofit has shifted its focus to middle schoolers, a group its research found has inadequate access to educational programs and resources.

Tucson Thrives was previously called Community Extension Programs and provided educational opportunities for children and adults for more than 50 years, including driver's education, before- and after-school childcare, summer school, and more.

The programs served more than 35,000 local families, but in 2023, CEP rebranded as Tucson Thrives and shifted its focus.

The organization called the shift data-driven, with Executive Director Victoria Cook saying the gap in education initiatives often hits middle schoolers the hardest.

“When we started in the nonprofit business, we did some overlay research, looking for what is available out there for students and parents of students who are struggling. We saw there was not a lot of funding for the middle group,” she said. “You have a lot of support in elementary school, but then middle school hits, and it’s sort of like these lost years.”

Many students lose their way in middle school, especially those who face financial challenges or other barriers, Cook said.

“I think they need a lot more guidance and a lot more attention than they get,” she said.

Tucson Thrives is working in collaboration with local nonprofit Higher Ground to support students at Doolen Middle School, where 67% of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, according to U.S. News & World Report.

When the nonprofits were narrowing down their list of potential partner schools, they met with several principals throughout Tucson Unified School District. Cook said Doolen’s administration was responsive and excited about the possibility of working with Tucson Thrives.

Higher Ground, which has been operating for nearly 20 years, provides community-based support to students, families, and schools. The groups began their partnership last year, with Higher Ground working from Doolen to address students’ needs, like clothing or hygiene products, which are mostly received through donations.

This year, Cook and art teacher Luz Martinez have been working with students on a project that will allow them to showcase their work at exhibits at Doolen and the Tucson Botanical Gardens.

Acknowledging that transportation may be an issue, Cook emphasized the importance of ensuring every student has an opportunity to show off their work to their families and friends.

“This project allows our students to have a safe and creative space to explore and express who they are at a very crucial point in their development,” Martinez said in an email.

The project aims to help students access the idea of self-identity and cultural identity and show that through their work.

It’s the same assignment Cook gave to college students when she previously worked in higher education, so she worried it might not translate well for middle schoolers. But her concern was unwarranted.

“There have been no issues at all,” she said. “They’re not buried with layers and layers of who they think they should be, and they can access that idea of self-identity and cultural identity more than university students can.”

Cook said the art project has even helped some students become more engaged. She said some  start off more closed off, but throughout the progression of the class, they have opened up.

“Art is just a vehicle,” she said. “I want them to see themselves in new lights and new possibilities for them. I think that can make a difference no matter what they are doing.”

For many students, the art project has been a chance to explore their creativity and express themselves in unique ways.

“I like that we can do art with any kind of art supplies we want,” said one Doolen seventh grader. “I like to draw, and that’s what I did for the project.”

Tucson Thrives’ approach to arts education mirrors other successful programs in the United States and beyond, including Yollocalli Arts Reach in Chicago.

As an arts and cultural project of the National Museum of Mexican Art, the program empowers students by giving them the freedom to direct their creativity while learning from teaching artists who provide the skills and resources needed to bring their visions to life.

Like Yollocalli, Tucson Thrives offers students their own space and supports them along the way to explore their creativity with the idea that, as they go along, they will gain confidence and a sense of identity that they will carry with them throughout their lives.

In December, Tucson Thrives partnered with the Elf Project, a program that supports foster youth during the winter holidays. Every year, the community comes together with new clothes for children in need and relies on donations from volunteers and donors across the community.

The project raised nearly $15,000 in cash and gift cards, which were distributed to 112 kids in Arizona’s foster care system. To date, the group has raised more than $35,000, thanks to Tucson Thrives.

Tucson Thrives hopes to expand its programming to support other middle schools and bring more attention to this often-forgotten population of students.

“You can tell when there is something missing, and there is something missing, and I think in Tucson, this population is overbooked,” Cook said. “I really want them to get the attention that they deserve. I don’t want to see students fall through the cracks before they even get to high school.”

McKenna Manzo is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at mckennamanzo@arizona.edu.

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