Project Blueprint
This is a little out of the ordinary from my typical blog, but it is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. I received a phone call earlier this year from the United Way of Coastal Georgia requesting that I be part of a marketing team for the Graduation Blueprint program. This is a program that identifies Glynn County public school students who are at risk for dropping out of school and helping them on a path to academic success and graduation through a program of family support, tutoring and mentoring. I immediately accepted because I personally know how successful a program like this can be. As the 5th child of a single working mother in inner-city Lansing, Michigan, my ex-husband was placed in a similar program as a student. He not only became the first in his family to go to college, he graduated from Michigan State University, became a US ARMY Ranger, and turned around to serve as an instructor and mentor in the same program that had helped him. Now, he is a highly respected Senior Instructor at F.L.E.T.C. with a long career of training both students and other instructors in various different agencies. I know it works. I've seen it. Accordingly, I extend the United Way's call for mentors and tutors and request that if you can volunteer your time and talents you do. You CAN change a life.
Calling All Volunteers!
The United Way of Coastal Georgia needs your help! Graduation Blueprint, a program designed to improve the greater good by making positive changes within our own community, is looking for tutors and mentors.
With only 74% of Glynn County students expected to graduate high school, the United Way needs community support to help increase this number! Studies show that the failure to graduate can have lasting, detrimental effects on both the students who never earn a diploma and the communities where they live and work. A high school graduate will earn an average of 74% more money over a lifetime and is 15% more likely to be employed than a high school dropout. Graduation Blueprint and community volunteers have the power to make a positive impact on both students and families in Glynn Country, so let’s get started!
Be a Tutor.
Do you want to help a sixth-grade, at-risk student excel academically? Whether you are a retired teacher, active tutor, college student, or someone with a passion for helping today’s youth, Graduation Blueprint needs you! By dedicating your time and commitment in any capacity, Monday-Thursday (from January 8, 2014, through May 21, 2014), you will have the opportunity to positively influence the performance of numerous students in remedial language arts and/or math. For more information and to sign up, contact Angela Robb at 912-265-1850 or angela@uwcga.org.
Be a Mentor.
Do you want to have a positive impact on a 6th grader who is at-risk of dropping out of school? Whether you have been a mentor in the past or not, Graduation Blueprint needs you! This is the United Way's first formal, one-on-one mentoring program in Glynn County, and they hope you will join them in making a difference in young people’s lives. By dedicating at least one hour – either during lunchtime or after school – two times a month (from November 2013 through May 2014), you will have the opportunity to become a role model for a child who will be specifically matched to you. For more information and to sign up, contact Angela Robb at 912-265-1850 or angela@uwcga.org.
Make a Difference.
With help from the community, we can help students succeed in school and empower them to want to succeed in the other areas of their lives, as well. Every day we fail to act, we are risking the futures of our children and our communities. Help the United Way make a difference!
