UW-Madison

The award-winning UW-Madison Odyssey Project takes a whole family approach to breaking the cycle of generational poverty through access to education, giving adult and youth learners a voice, and increasing confidence through reading, writing, and speaking. Now in its 23rd year, this inspirational project has empowered more than 600 low-income adults to find their voices and get a jump start at earning college degrees they never thought possible. Some graduates of the program have journeyed from homelessness to UW-Madison degrees, or from incarceration to meaningful work in the community. While their parents are in class, over 50 children of Odyssey students, ages 6 weeks through high school, participate in one of our five Odyssey Junior classrooms. Recognizing that breaking the cycle of generational poverty involves whole families, we support children in self-discovery, literacy, and expression through a variety of forms, including reading, writing, speaking, visual arts, music, and movement.