Exelon Stay in School Initiative FY10 Annual Report

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2 Exelon Stay in School Initiative FY10 Annual Report Stay in School Initiative Overview: United Way and Exelon have partnered for five years now to deliver critical after-school services to 10 CPS grammar and high schools that are keeping students on track for graduation, improving their course grades, and building their leadership and pro-social behaviors. The program collaborates with three community-based agencies (B.U.I.L.D., Centers for New Horizons, and Youth Guidance). Together, the partners have served nearly 10,000 students to date. Exelon and United Way created the Stay in School Initiative to bring new resources into communities that experienced some of the highest drop out rates in the city. Say in School delivers a holistic menu of wrap-around services that draws in the students families, builds students academic and career skills with corporate mentors, and focuses on keeping them on track for graduation and college. In addition to yielding higher graduation rates, the Stay in School Initiative improves students grades, attendance rates and pro-social behaviors. This year s report card findings reinforce the idea that at-risk students can achieve academic success with the right mix of attention and activities. The report card captures data from 330 students who participated most intensively in the Stay in School Initiative s programs and services. One of the strongest assets to the Stay in School Initiative is the Saturday Mentoring Workshops Program. Immersing students in the corporate culture, Saturday Mentoring Workshops give students an understanding of business basics, the secrets of networking, presentation and interviewing skills. Exelon employees teach seven workshop-style classes at Exelon offices in Chicago and mentor students as they gain confidence and explore their professional strengths for future internship positions. Now reaching the fifth year milestone, the Stay in School Initiative is following its first group of students into college illustrating the strong, long-term relationships this successful program achieves. The Stay in School Initiative has served more than 9,000 students, ages 13-20, since its inception. During this school year, another 2,000 students will be served. 2

3 Stay in School Initiative agencies: Youth Guidance BUILD, Inc. Centers for New Horizons Stay in School Initiative schools: Clemente Community Academy High School Frederick Douglass Academy High School Kelvyn Park High School Manley Career Academy High School North-Grand High School Orr Academy High School Pritzker College Prep Wells Community Academy High School Wells College Preparatory Elementary Wendell Phillips High School Stay in School Initiative services: Students receive a range of services from tutoring, after-school services, counseling, substance abuse intervention, college prep training, leadership and personal development, career planning and parental-engagement workshops. Students who receive services most intensively are called Core Youth and are tracked and monitored extensively. 3

4 DEMOGRAPHICS Throughout the past year, 2,101 unique youth, including Core Youth, participated in one or more Stay in School Initiative activities. Of the total, 330 were Core Youth. Participation breakdown Agency Total Youth Core Youth Parents/ Caregivers Saturday Workshop (of total) Other Exelon Events (of total) Dropout Students (of total) BUILD Centers for New Horizons Youth Guidance Total Participation Gender of core youth served Male 163 Female 167 Racial/ethnic background of core youth served African American 244 Caucasian 9 Hispanic or Latino 72 Other/Not Identified 5 Ages of youth served years old years old years and older 83 4

5 MEASUREMENT (for Core Youth only) The Stay in School Initiative is built on a unique shared measurement system driven by youth needs in our community. After a six month process, our three participating agencies identified Academic Achievement, Leadership and Social Engagement as the priority areas driving youth success and achievement. Academic Achievement Outcome- Youth improve academically and stay in school We measured the number of youth who had an attendance rate of at least 90%, improved a grade in a core course, and is on track to graduate seniors, or 98% graduated in the academic year In addition, 223 non-seniors, or 94% were promoted to the next grade students, or 78% had at least a 90% school attendance rate Attendance measured from beginning of school year to date of the report students, or 70% improved a grade in a core course (ex. B B+) Core courses are reading/language arts, math, science, social studies or foreign language. Leadership Outcome Youth develop necessary life skills We tracked the number of youth who demonstrated leadership skills and worked toward a post-secondary education throughout the past year youth, or 83% participated in leadership-based activity Activities included in the count include: peer mentoring, peer homework help, facilitating meetings and holding leadership positions in out-of-school activities, such as a Team Captain youth, or 79% are working towards postsecondary education Postsecondary education activities include, but are not restricted to, preparing for or taking qualifying exams (ex. ACT), and/or participating in pre-employment activities (ex. Resume building). Social Engagement Outcome Youth understand healthy family and social roles This measurement category represents the number of youth who increased participation in their community and/or school, and who sought support from parents or guardians to meet their goals youth, or 82% increased participation in the community Community participation is defined as any formal, unpaid interaction in the community youth, or 83% increased participation at school School participation activities include sports, student council or other extra curricular programs in school. Regular participation is required youth, or 25% engaged with parents or guardians to meet goals Engagement opportunities include school, agency or Exelon-sponsored events, or community activities verified by participating parent. Events must be studentfocused. 5

6 SATURDAY WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS Youth Guidance Exelon s Saturday Workshops are well-known extracurricular activities in Douglass High School. Students inquire about the program a lot because they are aware of the sessions that take place downtown. The program gives them an opportunity to venture into the city and engage with adult mentors that are invested in seeing our young students succeed. Meg Amato, Corporate Citizenship Manager with Exelon, plays a major role in consistency and care for the youth. Many of the youth continually repeat how much they enjoy her dedication and sincerity. The program provides an opportunity for the students to learn skills they would not have the opportunity to learn otherwise. The program provides a sense of confidence. Interacting with the professionals breaks down stereotypes, as well as the barrier that the students may feel exists between the white collar and blue collar career path. The opportunities that Exelon provides for students, such as sporting event tickets, business community luncheons, plays, college tours, Habitat for Humanity volunteer experiences and others, bring the partnership greater value because the students would not have been exposed to such a variety of experiences outside their neighborhoods without Exelon. BUILD, Inc. The Exelon Stay in School Initiative s Saturday Mentoring sessions facilitate positive youth and adult learning interactions that increase participants opportunity to practice and perform their strengths and skills in workplace, educational, and community settings. Saturday session topics range from team building, goal setting, event planning, community service learning, time management, business basics, networking, and interview skills. BUILD, Inc. participants have shared that they feel more prepared for success in educational and career settings because they feel an increase of self esteem and awareness, and as a result, learned about themselves and their ability to perform positively in various settings, whether it is in school, in search of a scholarship, or on an interview for a job. In addition, participants involvement in community building events in partnership with caring adult volunteers and mentors has enhanced their desire to take initiative in their community. Centers for New Horizons Our participants get to meet with other adults outside of the Bronzeville community and build relationships with people other than those inside of Phillips High School or Centers for New Horizons. Also, with the current culture of violence, to meet youth from other neighborhoods, realize that they have more in common than differences allows them to challenge the thinking that is common in our community. 6

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8 SUCCESS STORIES Youth Guidance Porcha Stewart is an individual who portrays many outstanding personality traits. Determination and perseverance are two that shine strong in this young woman. A high school graduate of Frederick Douglass Academy, Porcha earned a 3.94 GPA, ranking 3 rd in her class. As of September 2010, Porcha is enrolled a top-tier four year college out-of-state. Through her high school years, she not only faced the normal teenage challenges but problems of much more serious nature. At age 16, Porcha was forced to leave home due to difficult family tensions. Finding herself homeless, she bounced from residence to residence, not knowing at times where she was going to sleep. Despite her situation, Porcha utilized her determination and perseverance, and was able to stay focused and dedicated to her high school career. She found herself involved in many extracurricular activities, such as cheerleading, track, jazz ensemble, student development, and being 2 nd in command in the ROTC program, just to name a few. At the end of her junior year, she became involved in the Exelon Stay in School Initiative and expressed interest in becoming more involved the following year. Porcha felt that the program would allow her to become more advanced in the professional world and she liked the idea of having mentors that were professionals. At the start of her senior year, she took the initiative to come to every Stay in School session, missing only one. Most individuals would have given up at age 16, but Porcha embraces the future with hope. BUILD, Inc. Jonathan Suarez has two younger brothers and belongs to a low-income family of six. He has lived in the heart of Humboldt Park and, unfortunately, feels the shockwaves of community violence that erupt in his neighborhood. While witnessing community violence and experiencing limited access to resources, Jonathan became involved in his church where he heard an announcement about BUILD's Leadership Development Workshops. When Jonathan first joined BUILD, he witnessed the negative behavior of gangs and other peer groups, without a positive outlet to enhance his personal and community interests. Through his work with BUILD, he quickly learned the benefits of re-directing his energy toward developing strong healthy relationships with a different set of peers. It was critical for Jonathan to experience being part of a strong peer group, with a positive orientation, in a safe surrounding, as his peers challenged him to find opportunities for personal and collective benefit. As Jonathan continued to develop his competitive traits for successful collaboration, forming stronger peer bonds at school and in BUILD's after-school program, he was recruited to participate in the Stay in School Initiative on Saturdays through United Way and Exelon. With the support and positive reinforcement he received through activities, such as the Saturday Stay in School workshops, Jonathan steadily established a wider and more secure pathway toward success. Jonathan will enter 12 th grade in the fall. In addition to being hired to work as one of the Stay in School Initiative internships at ComEd, we was also nominated by BUILD to become a Posse Scholar. He is preparing for a future in accounting and uses his leadership skills as the captain of his soccer team! BUILD's partnership with Exelon and United Way has provided an additional layer of necessary support and quality interactions. The crucial resources and opportunities of the summer internship help alleviate household expenses and pay for school fees for upcoming academic years. 8

9 Centers for New Horizons Shakira Lewis has always been a hard-working, good student. Still, she has had to work hard to achieve her success. Unlike most students, Shakira didn t have one high school experience, she had several. In her four years of high school, Shakira attended just as many schools four! During her senior year, Shakira found a connection that clicked Wendell Phillips Academy and Exelon and United Way s Stay in School Initiative. When Shakira arrived at Wendell Phillips in her senior year, she didn t know much about Centers for New Horizons, the Stay in School Initiative, or any other support program in the community. In fact, many of the students and neighbors warned her about a negative environment in the school, attempting to discourage her from attending. Shakira kept her focus, doing her best and becoming prepared for life after high school. When Shakira was invited to go on a college tour to Illinois State University with Centers for New Horizons, she went, even though she wasn t really aware of what assistance the organization might offer her. It was just something to do. Later, she was invited to be a part of the career development workshops of Stay in School. Initially, Shakira wasn t very serious about it, but when she started gaining achievements and acknowledgments because of her work, she doubled her efforts. It became clear to her that the Stay in School Initiative could offer the preparation necessary for a successful career and life. In just one full year of participation, Shakira learned a great deal about career development and success strategies for college and life in general. Now, a freshman student at Lincoln College, Shakira is earning all A s (and just one B)! She had a really great senior year at Wendell Phillips and, because of her participation in Stay in School, she capped off that year with a summer internship at Exelon! Shakira learned even more about professional careers and success strategies for life, as she pursues her higher education. 9