Webb Elementary is located in Trinidad, a neighborhood near Gallaudet University. The annual income in this area is less than half the citywide average, according to the most recent census data. The majority of adults do not have high school diplomas, and 98% of students live with single parents.

In the school, high absentee rates and low test scores have been the norm. As a first step in supporting academic improvement, the Foundation has focused on providing incentives for regular attendance. Academic research has shown that regular attendance is a critical prerequisite to academic success.

The Foundation began sponsoring Webb’s Perfect Attendance/Uniform Program in October, 2002, with incentives ranging from pizza parties and ski trips to an insiders’ tour and lunch at the Maryland State House in Annapolis.

Since inception, monthly attendance has improved year-to-year. During the 2004-05 school year, “perfect attendance” topped 200 for more than half the school year, a record.

The kids are discovering the power of giving and sharing through Foundation-sponsored visits to Children’s Hospital or giving 500 kids the joy of giving their mothers and grandmothers teddy bears on Mother’s Day. Working to replant and repaint, the Foundation is coordinating students, volunteers, and other community partners to create a more supportive learning environment.