Graduation Pathway
This pilot program is a collaborative effort between Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club, the Hillsborough Education Foundation, SERVE, Hillsborough County Public Schools, Junior Achievement, the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, and United Way. It works with one cluster of schools surrounding Leto High School, serving student populations in both the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County. Leto, and the middle and elementary schools that feed into it, is targeted for this initiative due to the prevelance of school dropout risk factors impacting the student population.
The National Dropout Prevention Center has identified risk factors significantly impacting a child's propensity to drop out of school, such as:
- High-risk peer groups
- Low achievement
- Retention/over-age for grade
- Poor attendance
- Low socioeconomic status
- Misbehavior
Graduation Pathway will serve students within the Leto cluster, students attending: Leto High School; Pierce and Webb Middle Schools; and Cannella, Crestwood, Tampa Bay Blvd, Alexander, Morgan Woods, and Woodbridge Elementary Schools. It aims to target 75 elementary school students, 50 middle school students, and 25 high school students impacted by at least three dropout risk factors.
A 1,700-hour, full-time AmeriCorps Graduation Coach will assess the present risk factors in the life of each student and develop a case management plan that will combat those risk factors in the life of each student through the delivery of wraparound services that will meet the individual needs of each student. The Coach will meet with each student once per week, at minimum, to ascertain the effectiveness of services as well as the potential introduction of new risk factors. The student will continue in the program the entire school year unless he/she transitions out of the Leto cluster area, at which point staff at the new school will be informed of the student's needs and recommendations for subsequent services. Upon conclusion of the school year, a recommendation will be made as to whether the student will remain in the program the following school year or exit the program based upon successful mitigation of dropout risk factors.
Twenty-five students at Leto High School who have displayed leadership skills and shown the ability to serve as a positive peer role model will be selected to mentor students at the lower grade levels.
The structure of this program is modeled in such a way that students participating at an early age may have the opportunity to eventually serve as a peer mentor and ultimately an AmeriCorps member. By providing students with personal assets and skill building opportunities, academic support, and family outreach they will be given the opportunity to bond to their school, family, and community. The creation of these bonds will motivate students to stay in school and contribute to the wellbeing of their community.
For more information contact Jessica Blinkey at (813) 574-0290 or Lindsay Ortega at (813) 574-0268.