High School Drop Out
New Madrid County
Caring Communities Partnership
Core Result: Youth Entering Productive Adulthood
Benchmark: High School Dropout Rate
February 2002
Objective
To decrease the average rate of high school dropouts in New Madrid County from 3% to 2% or below by year-end 2004 and maintain this average continually.
Target Population: New Madrid County School Districts
Strategies
Five successful strategies focus on teens to promote education in high school and beyond. Although New Madrid County has maintained a lower rate than the State of Missouri, there is a continued effort to sustain a low high school drop out rate, which contributes to preparing youth for a productive adulthood.
Job Readiness Training ~ Implemented 1999
This pre-employment training prepares youth for employment and its goal is to aid in their success on the job. The training includes, but is not limited to: Self-assessment, Career Exploration, and Resume Writing/Job Application Completion. After completion of training, youth are eligible for services and support to assist them in finding employment.
**Currently there are 71 youth enrolled in this program
PARENT Classes ~ Implemented 1999
A parenting education class is offered to pregnant/parenting youth to address issues relevant to parenting, such as health and wellness, safety, and proper child development. Area providers are asked to attend so that they may offer more information about their services.
Mentor Support ~ Implemented 1999
The mentor theory is the paradigm of a caring individual who volunteers to serve as a role model in the worksite/community for the purpose of promoting achievement of professional or personal goals.
**28 mentors have committed to be a role model
Monthly Support Meetings ~ Implemented 1999
Worksite youth or young parent participants are encouraged to attend monthly support meetings. These meetings are other opportunities to increase knowledge, awareness, and develop positive life skills. Examples are: Career Night, Infant/Child Safety, or College Night/Financial Aid.
Educational Assistance ~ Implemented 1999
A great deal of importance is placed on education. Every youth active in the program is required to be in an educational component such as high school, GED, vocational school, community college, or on-the-job training or a four-year college or university. Youth are encouraged to take the ACT/SAT and apply for scholarships. Missouri Mentoring Partnership assists youth with these costs realizing it may not be feasibly possible and doesn’t want this challenge to be a barrier to reaching success.
Results
Source: Missouri Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Education
Funding/Return on Investment
State/Federal | $156,435.33 |
WIA/Susanna Wesley Funds | $10,250.00 |
Caring Communities | $3300.00 |
In-Kind | $36,700.00 |
Local | $2500.00 |
