EDUCATION RECONNECTION

1. EDUCATION RECONNECTION

2. Colin Andrews, Case Manager Youth Opportunities Unlimited 422 East South Street Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007 Phone: 269-488-0994 Email:candrews@kresa.org Norma Sullivan-Thornton, Navigator Coordinator Big Brothers Big Sisters 3501 Covington Rd Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001 Phone: 269-382-6800, x 123 Email: normathornton@bbbsmi.org Presenters

3. What Is Education Reconnection ♦Education ReConnection is based on the beliefs that everyone can learn, that everyone is born with a desire to learn that can be nurtured, that a high school education is within the reach of virtually all and is the basis for life-long learning that will ensure that people have the skills required for employment and for citizenship.”

4. ♦ An initiative designed to positively impact the high school graduation rate of Kalamazoo area youths and expose them to education opportunities beyond high school, so that all of Kalamazoo's youths will have the skills and education needed to lead successful lives.

5. ♦ A pilot program seeking with the assistance of local Kalamazoo County Schools, to identify twenty-five fully disengaged or “At Risk students to reconnect with education.

6. Education ReConnection Target Population Goals and Outcomes

7. Educationally Disconnected YouthAge 16-19years

8. Goals • Assist area agencies and organizations in identifying relevant data and using factual information about youth achievement and programs to develop effective interventions. •  Identify and/or establish school and community-based programs that help disengaged youths successfully reconnect to educational opportunities that enable them to finish high school.

9. Identify institutional and organizational policies and practices that impede or improve educational outcomes, and develop appropriate recommendations. • Identify why youth drop out of high school and improving the solutions to reconnect these youth to education by involving local businesses, build bonds of trust between families, communities and schools as well as provide information on job training and support services.

10. Outcomes • Mobilize community support for policies, practices and programs that improve educational results for Kalamazoo County. • Use alternative learning and other education options by involving local businesses, building bonds of trust between families, communities and schools as well as provide information on job training and support services.

11. A Collaborative Effort For decades educators in all communities have labored to help kids remain connected to school and education to no avail, thus community-wide problems need community-wide solutions.  Through the collaborative efforts of Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) and Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), fully disconnected students as well as potential drop-outs or at-risk students will beprovided opportunities to re-engage in the educational process.

12. Youth Opportunities Unlimited will • Offer Credit Recovery thru computer generated NovaNet classes • Assist in re-entry into last high school attended • GED Program • GED prep courses if needed • Job placement for those who qualify

13. WorkKeys and Keytrain classes • Tutoring • Assistance with other transition services related to education • Adult Education Referrals • Transportation services

14. Connect youth with positive role models Promote close relationships with adults Enhance the connection between school and work Instill or enhance a sense of self worth Offer educational options  Providing youth with positive adult role models and the building of relationships with adults can promote a positive learning environment. Statistics show that approximately 62% of students who disengage have no adult mentor or role model with whom they can discuss their problems, concerns or desires. Mentors and Navigators can fill that void.

15. Every year, 1.2 million students ages 16-19 years drop out of high school Dropouts earn $9,200 less per year than high school graduates and more than $1 million less over a lifetime than college graduates In the last 20 years, the earnings level of dropouts doubled, while it nearly tripled for college graduates High school dropouts commit about 75% of all crimes comitted in the United States Dropouts are more than eight times as likely to be in jail or prison as high school graduates More than a quarter of high school freshmen fail to graduate from high school on time. The dropout problem is likely to increase substantially through 2020 unless significant improvements are made. Did You Know

16. Education ReConnection Through the efforts of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation on behalf of the Kalamazoo County Multi- Purpose Collaborative Body and the Charles S. Mott Foundation funding provider, the sincere desire is that every young person in Kalamazoo County receives the necessary tools to be successful and well equipped for the future. With the cooperation of agencies such as yours and others within the community we will be able to accomplish this mission. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to share this initiative with you.