Program Description:
Athletes for Education (AFE) in partnership with San Diego Charger players Steve Gregory, Kassim Osgood and Jeromey Clary, will play an integral role in the ninth grade attendance and dropout prevention at each of San Diego Unified School Districts 16 Title I high schools. The program has the full support of the San Diego Unified School District’s Board of Education.
AFE’s Attendance Promotion Program:
- AFE will produce Posters promoting good attendance featuring Steve Gregory, Kassim Osgood and Jeromey Clary have been produced and will be posted at participating schools.
- Students at each school will receive incentives and awards for “Excellent” attendance (98% and above) and “Most Improved” at key grading periods through June 2010. AFE will provide promotional materials such as balls, caps, game tickets and autographed posters as attendance awards. Students will have the opportunity to participate in special events, i.e. Movie days, Holiday Party, Bowling parties, to recognize good attendance, improved academic and citizenship. These promotional materials and special recognition events will in part be funded by the AT&T Foundation Grant.
- Incentives will be given to students on a weekly, quarterly, semester and year-end basis with a potential to grow into larger, more enticing items based on the student’s progress. The athletes and their partners will periodically attend school assemblies as motivational speakers to recognize students with “perfect,” “excellent” and “most improved” attendance and improved academic & citizenship.
AFE’s “Learn to Succeed” Dropout Prevention Program:
- AFE will build on the success of ongoing programs at 4 Title 1 High Schools. At each school ten young men in grade 10 who have a demonstrated need for improvement in attendance, academic performance and student behavior will be invited to become part of a Learn-to-Succeed leadership team. AFE, Steve Gregory, Kassim Osgood and Jeromey Clary’s mentorship programs will officially “sponsor” three schools in the Southeastern communities of San Diego – SG Squad will support Hoover High School, Team KO will support Lincoln High School, and Clary’s Crew will support Madison High School.
- AFE volunteer mentors/community partners commit to meeting with students periodically to discuss career and life goals, coordinate field trips to colleges or places of employment, provide funding for meals and recreational activities, and conduct any other approved and agreed upon activity tailored to meet the needs of the site. Steve, Kassim and Jeromey and will meet with the 10 -12 students on a regular schedule to provide motivational and inspirational support. The athletes will work with teachers & administrators to help the students set attainable goals and will provide motivation for students to reach them. Motivation will include trips to games, special meals or other activities funded through the AT&T Foundation Grant.
AFE’s Young Women’s Leadership Development Program:
- 10-12 young women will be identified and invited to participate based on their need for improvement in academics, attendance and discipline. Prior year grade 9 data will be used to identify grade 10 students most likely to struggle in the first year of high school and thus most likely to benefit from participation. AFE volunteers Roseanne Geraty and Breanna Clary will provide support to the Young Women’s group at each of the partner schools. They will meet with the “10” young women on a regular schedule to provide motivational and inspirational support. The young women’s group will be provided similar incentives and activities as the young men also in part funded by the AT&T Foundation Grant.
WHY NINTH GRADE – WHY ATTENDANCE INCENTIVES
Research shows that a student’s success in the ninth grade is directly linked to the likelihood the student will successfully graduate high school with a diploma by the twelfth grade. According to a recent study, in a typical large urban school district, out of 100 entering 9th graders, 45 will drop out before the 12th grade, only 36 will be enrolled in the 12th grade and will be eligible to graduate, while 64% of 9th graders who reach 10th grade will be enrolled in 12th grade three years later, only 25% of students who repeat 9th grade will be in 12th grade three years later. (Quint 2006)
Regular, daily school attendance strengthens academic progress and helps students build strong school connections with other students and adults. In addition to providing student in the pilot program with tangible and privilege awards this pilot engages parents and adults to help motivate students to come to school and stay in school.
* Title 1 is the nation’s oldest and largest federally funded program. Annually, it provides over $7 billion to school systems across the country for students at risk of failure and living at or near poverty. Schools with large concentrations of low-income students receive supplemental funds to assist in meeting student’s educational goals. Low-income students are determined by the number of students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program. For an entire school to qualify for Title 1 funds, at least 40% of students must enroll in the free and reduced lunch program. 16 out of the 18 San Diego Unified High Schools/Complexes are designated as Title I schools.
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