An Urgent Appeal for a (ge)N(er)ation At Risk Presented by Jeremy Del Rio, Esq. |

An Urgent Appeal for a (ge)N(er)ation “At Risk”

Presented by Jeremy Del Rio, Esq. | www.JeremyDelRio.com

“At Risk” Has a Face and a Name

- Abandoned by dad

- Drug addicted mother

- Crack houses

- Abandoned buildings

- Prostitution- Poverty- Foster care- Orphaned

by AIDS

So Does Compassion+ The social worker

... who intervened

+ The foster family ... who took her in

+ The teachers ... who instilled a love of learning

+ The pastor ... who loved unconditionally

+ The rehab center ... that helped with sobriety

+ The AIDS group ... that reunited her family

+ The youth group ... that welcomed her

+ The church ... that empowered her

+ The family ... who adopted her

+ The scholarship ... that paid for college

+ The opportunity ... for a career

Alone We Can Not

But Together We Can

“At Risk” is Not Alone

In her success ...

"When spiders unite they can tie up a lion.”

- Ethiopian proverb

Everyday in New York City 526,083 children live

in poverty. 171 babies are born

into poor families. 23 babies are born to

teen parents. 12,597 children are

homeless. 174 children are reported

abused or neglected. Every 6 days a young

person under 20 is murdered.

(Source: Citizen’s Committee for Children of NYC)

We promise them:

“Stay in school and you’ll get the skills you need to achieve in life.”

Promises Kept?

60-70% of public school students cannot read or do

math at grade level

60% of students will not graduate on time

60% of boys will not graduate at all

Yet in New York City

The average high school graduate from low-income urban areas will read at an 8th grade level. (Source: Teach for America)

That means average low-income NYC graduates lack fundamental skills to:

complete college compete in an

information economy conduct job

applications calculate budgets or coordinate household

finances.

Translation

Nationwide, the likelihood that a ninth-grader in a big city will graduate on-time:

A 50-50 Coin Toss.

That is, if they graduate ...

52% of Blacks graduate57% of Hispanics

In the suburbs, the odds improve. In 12 cities the gap exceeds 25%.

(Source: USA Today)

A Culture of Reform?Sept 2007: NYC receives the Broad Prize

$1,000,000 grant Top prize for reducing

achievement gaps in urban education.

June 2008: NYC graduated 44% of students on-time

As of 2006, only 32% of black males graduate on-time

Nationally ... 40% of high schools offer NO

college prep classes. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce

gives most states a C, D, or F in preparing kids for the workplace.

In 1970, the average college graduate earned around 45% more than a high school graduate. Today, the gap is 84%.

(Source: PBS, “Where We Stand: America’s Schools in the 21st Century,” Sept. 2008)

The Opportunity in NYC 2 million youth 18 and younger

+ 25% of NYC’s overall population+ the 5th largest city in America

1.2 million attend 1,400 public schools + just the 10th largest US city

470,000 15-19 year olds + the 35th largest US city

Disproportionate global influence

+ Media and cultural significance

The Class of 2020Students who begin first grade in Fall 2008 are

the high school Class of 2020.

Can this be the generation for whom we keep our promise?

The Great Injustice

“Educational inequity is our

nation’s greatest injustice.”

- Wendy KoppTeach for America

“I don’t want to send another generation of American children to failing schools. I don’t want that future for my daughters. I don’t want that future for your sons. I do not want that future for America.”

- Barack Obama

Even Rivals Agree ...

“Education is the civil rights issue of this century. Equal access to public education has been gained. But what is the value of access to a failing school?”

- John McCain

Changing the Odds

Overcome de facto educational apartheid:

E.g. 96th Street

When “Against the Odds” is the only pathway to success,

we must change the odds.

Together We Can

Requires:

A web of support Holistic and across sectors From cradle through college

On Education Reform“This is neither a Democratic nor a Republican issue. This is an American issue.

“No one has taken real accountability and said: ‘I’m going to fix this problem. I’m going to put politics aside and I’m going to do what’s right for America’s children.’

“That’s the kind of leadership... this nation needs.”

- Geoffrey Canada Harlem Children’s Zone

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

“The world’s best businesses are realizing that no matter what industry they are in, their real business is developing leaders.”

– Fortune (10/01/07)

A Strategy for Engaging Public Schools

20/20 Elements

Vocational Calling

School Engagement

Student Leadership

Credits

Photos courtesy: MichaelMowery.com, JeremyDelRio.com, and GenerationXcel.com

This workshop may be reproduced in whole or in part with appropriate attribution, but photos may not be used without permission except in this presentation. Online references must include hyperlinks to http://2020schools.net and http://JeremyDelRio.com.

Copyright 2008 Jeremy Del Rio. Some Rights Reserved.

About 20/20 Vision for Schools20/20 Vision for Schools was conceived by the

Coalition of Urban Youth Workers in New York City and operates locally as a partnership between the Coalition and the New York City Leadership Center. 20/20 Vision remains committed to open-sourcing education reform. Join the movement to transform public education nationwide, and feel free to adapt 20/20 Vision experiences and strategy to your city. All we ask is that you freely give to others what you have received from us, and let us know if and how the strategy unfolds for you.

More information: www.2020Schools.net.

CreditsWorkshop prepared by: Jeremy Del Rio (www.JeremyDelRio.com)

Originally written for 2020 Vision for Schools.

Photos courtesy: MichaelMowery.com, JeremyDelRio.com, and GenerationXcel.com

This workshop may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes with appropriate attribution, but photos may not be used without permission except in this presentation. Online references must include hyperlinks to http://2020schools.net and http://JeremyDelRio.com.

Copyright 2008 Jeremy Del Rio. Some Rights Reserved.