Simon Youth Foundation Finds Success with ERC’s
Every 29 seconds, a student drops out of high school. That’s 7,000 students a day and almost 1.3 million per year. Across Indiana, in urban and rural districts alike, schools are facing this challenge head on. For students who are on the verge of dropping out, the only hope is to give them a fresh start away from the barriers and distractions, with a schedule that works for them and one-on-one teacher involvement. Simon Youth Foundation’s Education Resource Centers (ERCs) provide just that.
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Simon Youth Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Indianapolis, has been working for more than 11 years to help at-risk youth graduate high school and receive a quality education. The ERC program is unique because it helps public school districts develop alternative schools primarily located in Simon malls, including five in Central Indiana. These schools maintain a cumulative graduation rate of 90%, higher than most public school districts nationwide,
and accomplish it with a population of at-risk students. Simon Youth Foundation’s five Central Indiana ERCs have served 1,292 since their inceptions.
Tania Slater, an Indianapolis student, had all but given up on school when she came to an ERC. Having only earned five credits in her first two years of high school, Tania needed something new. At the ERC, she started to get back on track but two days after returning from winter break last year, Tania’s mother was killed in a tragic car accident. The thought of dropping out crossed her mind, but thanks to the support of her fellow ERC students and teachers, all of whom showed up to the funeral to support her, Tania still found the strength to return to school and earn 17 credits in one semester.
According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, the dropouts from the class of 2008 will cost the United States almost $319 billion dollars in lost wages over their lifetimes. Our 25 Education Resource Centers, located in 12 states throughout the country, are working to reduce the damaging effects of the national dropout rate, and give students second chances to lead successful lives.
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29 - number of seconds before another high school student drops out
7,000 - number of high school drop outs per day
1.3 million - number of high school drop outs per year
11 - number of years SYF has helped at-risk youth graduate high school
5 - number of Simon malls in Central Indiana
1,292 - number of students served by SYF ERC since inception
25 - number of Simon Youth Foundation ERC’s
12 - number of states housing Simon Youth Foundation ERC’s
$319 billion - amount the U.S. will pay in lost wages for 2008 drop outs
90% - the cumulative graduation rate for SYF ERC’s [higher than most public school districts nation-wide]
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