Model Innovative Practice Toolkit

SBCSS and GSB - Model Innovative Practice (MIP) HERO's TOOLKIT: Hope, Empowerment, Resilience and Opportunity!

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS), Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program offer a unique approach to supporting McKinney-Vento (MKV) students through the San Bernardino County Hope, Empowerment, Resilience, Opportunity (HERO) Project.

Partnering together for change, SBCSS and Give Back Academy (GBA) were one of 20 awardees recognized by the California Department of Education as a Model Innovative Practice (MIP). GBA was asked to create a MIP toolkit that could be accessed, shared and implemented nationwide to empower youth and educators to bring about systematic change.

The San Bernardino County HERO’s Toolkit is made possible by a two-year Homeless Innovation Programs (HIP) grant through the California Department of Education, Homeless Education program.

The purpose of the HIP grant is to identify innovative practices aligned with the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to improve the educational stability, access, support, and academic achievement of children and youth experiencing homelessness.

The goal is to offer replicable material and provide starting points, inspiration, ideas, and tangible tools to enhance support for MKV students to increase educational outcomes.

Give Something Back (Give Back) is a national nonprofit that empowers students to build resilience, overcome challenges and develop pathways to become self-reliant adults and leaders of their communities. In partnership with SBCSS, Give Back created GBA, a school-based mentoring program for youth experiencing adversity.

GiveBack Academy

San Bernardino County HERO’s Toolkit

GBA San Bernardino County HERO’s Toolkit is currently organized as a club offered during the school day on middle school and high school campuses in five school districts throughout San Bernardino County. GBA Coaches provide monthly workshops on topics including community connections, life skills, character building, and career exploration to help youth prepare for their unique post-secondary path. The HERO's Toolkit has been identified as an MIP that can be replicated and delivered to a group of students in a variety of settings using the resources on this website.

This site is a free toolkit designed to serve as a collaborative curriculum hub for community members and educators serving as consistent, nurturing mentors in the lives of youth nationwide. It is developed to serve students in grades 8th through 12th but can be adjusted depending on grade level.

Data shows this curriculum-based toolkit has positively affected students as well as educators. It expands the support available to MKV youth.

The goal is to provide new innovative ways to provide supportive services for McKinney-Vento students through self-enrichment, hope, empowerment, resilience, opportunity, and self-advocacy through youth voice at the county, state, and national levels.

This free accessible toolkit is a model curriculum to reconnect and reengage students experiencing homelessness and adversity. The curriculum will have an impact on your MKV students’ educational outcomes, relationships with educators, and the community.

Together, we are proud to introduce our MIP, a SBC HERO's Toolkit to inspire Hope, Empowerment, Resilience and Opportunity!