Golden Oppportunity (GO), Inc

Mission:

We believe:  

  • Every child needs a champion.  
  • Every student deserves access to fair and equitable educational support.  
  • Every student needs hope and consistency during uncertain times. 

GO's team of experienced educators provides free one-on-one tutoring and mentorship to students in need in grades 2 through 8 in the Ithaca City School District. GO Tutors integrate themselves into all facets of their student's academic experience and serve as advocates, helping students develop the necessary skills to succeed. The professional tutoring service and social-emotional support ensure that the road is smoother for students needing a helping hand along the way.

Program Description:

Students are referred to GO based on academic and financial needs. Students are paired with a private tutor at no cost and begin a journey together that will last through middle school. Every student receives two, one-hour sessions per week over 30 weeks— resulting in 60 additional hours of individualized academic support and care in a safe and nurturing after-school environment. Tutoring takes place on-site, at the child's school, allowing a smooth end-of-day transition for students. The consistency and support provided change a child's academic trajectory in profound ways. 

Additional academic and social-emotional support from a safe, stable, and reliable role model is critical for the future of our most vulnerable students. 

GO Tutors meet with classroom teachers at the start of the year to set learning goals for their students. They observe students in the classroom and attend curriculum nights and parent-teacher conferences. This individualized system of support ensures the child's academic needs are met. 

In addition to one-on-one tutoring, GO tutors serve as mentors. They are a bridge between home and school, partnering with parents and caregivers to provide enrichment opportunities for the family. Whether tickets to a play, a sporting event, visiting a museum, or receiving sponsorship for swimming or music lessons, this added level of trust, support, and opportunity transform students' feelings about school, their community, and life. 

GO worked in partnership with the Ithaca City School District Bus Department until 2019, when the pandemic turned our world inside out. For 14 years, GO students were transported home at the end of their tutoring session, providing a smooth end-of-day transition for students whose families have little to no access to transportation. When ICSD suspended bus service, GO found creative ways to ensure students could continue tutoring after school and on-site, including membership with a local nonprofit organization, Ithaca Carshare. GO received emergency grant funds to cover the cost of transportation, and many tutors drove students home following their tutoring sessions. 

Three years into the pandemic, GO continues to face transportation challenges. This year, several ICSD after-school programs have agreed to accept GO students into their programs at no cost, and many students will participate in a brand new initiative called The GO Club. Centrally located at BJM Elementary, The GO Club will be home to children from six elementary schools, allowing them to broaden their peer groups while building social skills in a cooperative learning environment. The ICSD bus department will once again provide the necessary transportation for GO students.

Type of service
Tutoring Program,
Technology Platform,
Academic Intervention
Year Started
2005
Headquarter Location (City, State)
Ithaca, New York
States of Operation
New York
Operation Locations
Ithaca, NY
Most recent number of students served
50-99
Subject Offered
Early Literacy,
English Language Arts (ELA),
Math,
Reading,
Science,
Social Studies
Grade Levels
2nd Grade,
3rd Grade,
4th Grade,
5th Grade,
6th Grade,
7th Grade,
8th Grade
Languages Offered
English
Race/Ethnicity breakdown of tutors
1% American Indian or Alaska Native; 1% Asian; 24% Black or African American; 4% Hispanic or Latino; 70% White
Setting
During School
Out of School
Delivery Mode
In-Person
Tutor-Student Ratio
1:1
Number of Sessions Per Week
2 days per week
Number of Minutes Per Session
61-90 minutes
Number of Weeks Per Program
> 38 weeks
Does your program engage with parents?
Yes
Family Engagement Description
  • To support scheduling
  • Sharing tutoring session content
  • Reporting attendance
  • Sharing academic progress
  • Sharing social or emotional progress
  • Accessing student information
  • Sharing at-home support suggestions
  • Family/Caregiver survey
  • Goal setting and monitoring progress toward goals
  • For families without access to transportation, tutors pick them up and bring them to parent/teacher conferences, extracurricular school-related activities, and out for special celebratory meals, a movie, or local sporting event
Organization Type
Nonprofit
Customer Type
District; Nonprofit; Parent; School; Student
Cost to District/ School/ Non-Profit
$2,000-$2,400
Type of Tutor
Certified Teacher; Retired teachers
Contact

Marne Honigbaum (director@gotutors.org)


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The inclusion of an organization's information in the Tutoring Database does not indicate that Stanford University, Systems Change for Advancing Learning and Equity (SCALE) at Stanford University, the National Student Support Accelerator, or any individual associated with these entities endorse or support that organization. The National Student Support Accelerator includes all tutoring programs it is aware of in the Tutoring Database. In contrast, the Accelerator uses the following inclusion criteria for academic intervention materials. To be included, interventions must: 1) have a randomized control trial or quasi-experimental study, 2) that produced an effect size of +0.20 or greater OR 3) have particularly high-quality instructional materials but do not yet have RCT or QES research.