PROVIDENCE – Robert C. DeBlois, who founded Urban Collaborative Accelerated Program School to offer at-risk students an educational opportunity and help them avoid dropping out of school, died Jan. 31 at his Seekonk home at the age of 65, according to his obituary from Manning-Heffern Funeral Home.
DeBlois established the Providence-based school in 1989, and it partners with the Providence, Cranston and Central Falls school districts to help more than 1,600 middle school students through “personalized, enriched journeys,” the school’s website states. It is the only middle school in the state to partner with other districts for this kind of initiative.
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DeBlois’ death comes seven months after he retired from UCAP – which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. Prior to his retirement, DeBlois was honored by the school at a fundraising event in May, hosted by the Fund for UCAP, which raised $90,000 to support UCAP’s programming.
DeBlois was also the recipient of the inaugural Murray Family Prize for Enrichment from the Rhode Island Foundation for his commitment to educate Rhode Island’s vulnerable youths. He told PBN at the time that UCAP staff and faculty tries to build a “sense of community” where all the school’s members respect one another and are responsible for their own actions.
“We place great importance on the value of building positive relationships with students, and we make this intentional rather than just leave it up to chance,” DeBlois said in 2018.
Calling hours will be held Friday from 4-7 p.m. at Manning-Heffern Funeral Home in Pawtucket and a memorial service will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Seekonk Congregational Church in Seekonk.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com.
