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Issue Statement
  In order to prepare youth to become productive citizens and enter the work force we must educate our youth and give them something to look forward to, with opportunities to grow. We must enhance their self-esteem and their feelings of self-worth. In Jonathan Kozol's book Savage Inequalities, a young female student points out the irony of attending the Martin Luther King, Jr. High School where students are expected to learn without proper texts, educational tools or instruction. She, intuitively, knew that her school received less because the public and funders thought little of her or the rest of her classmates' worth as potential leaders and productive citizens. We and we owe it to the youth of FPSE to provide a proper education, provide adequate support services and create an economically viable community to provide the best opportunity to become productive adults in the community.

Benchmark

• Graduation rates
  
• High school dropout rates

Baseline Analysis
  Project Respond reports an annual high school drop out rate of 24.9 for St. Louis City, while the comparative norm is 5.3% (1994) and an annual four-year graduation rate of 39.0, while the comparative norm is 79.4% (1994). The statistics suggest that the majority of youth in the city of St. Louis are poorly motivated to stay in school. The reasons are likely quite complex and may range from issues of self-esteem, failures in their early educational experiences, non-supportive educational environments, limited expectations, few immediate role models, to family concerns and the need to make money. Although it is clear that one can get by without a high school diploma it is also clear that it limits your income opportunities, not necessarily in the short term when you are sixteen, but in the future.

   The strategies also attempt to address the obstacles that hinder parents' interest/ability to participate in their child's education. The strategies also attempt to address the problem with the inability of parents to participate in their child's education. Often times, youth programs, school and other mentors in a child's life serve as a second parent. Strong programs staffed with strong role models provides mentoring and guidance for youth that may not find those needs at home.

   It is also clear that more baseline analysis is needed regarding test scores and academic achievement levels that can not be retrieved at this time.

Strategies

• Employ within the first year a Youth Education and Employment Supervisor.
  • Responsibilities include coordinating, with two youth employment organizers, an employment program for youth involving mentoring, team activities and peer counseling.
  • Responsible for connecting with employment and educational opportunities for youth and linking youth support services, eliminating as many barriers as possible for youth employment and training.
  • Organizing team activities around recreation and developing social skills.
  • Given the responsibility of the Youth Education and Employment Supervisor, we are looking for an individual with a minimum of a Master's level degree or equivalent experience working with youth on issues regarding education and employment.
  • Responsible for retrieving the baseline data.
  • Will report to the Human Service Program Manager and on a quarterly basis to the FPSE Community Council and other stakeholders.
• Hire within the first year two Youth Education and Employment Organizers.
  • Responsibilities include working with the supervisor on youth activities regarding education and employment.
  • Provide employment skills counseling to youth.
  • Will report to the Youth Education and Employment Supervisor.
  • Organizers must have a minimum of a Bachelor's level degree or equivalent experience.

Performance Measures
  The youth employment supervisor and organizers will be responsible for reporting graduation rates and program enrollment numbers on a quarterly basis to the FPSE Community Council and the Human Service Project Manager.

Budget

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