Links to Success Coming To Nine Schools

Innovative Programs for At-Risk Youth
Continue at St. Stephen Middle School

July 2007

After a successful pilot project at St. Stephen Middle School, Trident United Way’s Links to Success initiative for at-risk youth will be expanded to eight other are schools in the Fall.

Starting with the new school year, Links to Success comes to:

Cainhoy Elementary/Middle School
St. Stephen Elementary School
St. Stephen Middle School
Alston Middle School (Summerville)
Frierson Elementary School (Johns Island)
Haut Gap Middle School (Johns Island)
North Charleston Elementary School
Memminger Elementary School (Charleston)

Links to Success is a partnership among TUW, the schools, Communities in Schools of the Charleston Area, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Trident Area, Communities in Schools of Dorchester County and other non-profit providers. It is designed to help school-age kids acquire the academic and life skills to graduate high school and be successful in life.

South Carolina has the highest dropout rate in the country, at roughly 40%. “This problem is so pressing we have committed significant resources to making a significant, long-term impact,” said Bonnie Bella, vice president of children and youth services at Trident United Way.

The effort at St. Stephen Middle School is funded by a $50,000 grant from Alcoa. TUW is providing more than half a million dollars for Links to Success programs in the nine schools throughout the Lowcountry.

Trident United Way will regularly measure and report to the community the progress made in affecting academic performance.

Among the other partners providing specific services within the Links to Success program are the Boy Scouts, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Outward Bound.

Links to Success is based on outcome-driven models established around the country. It employs techniques and strategies with proven success elsewhere in increasing high school graduation.

The National Dropout Prevention Center identifies several effective dropout prevention strategies that present opportunities for involvement by collaborative partnerships of community-based organizations:

• improving school-community collaboration
• increasing parental involvement/family engagement
• offering high quality programs providing mentoring, tutoring, service learning, and after-school or extended day programs
• providing support through alternative education environments