A once-a-week adult-student mentoring meeting does not an after-school program make, according to this brief from the Forum for Youth Investment. But perhaps, with a little help, it could. The question is not which makes more sense, mentoring or after-school, but how can we utilize both strategies to increase the likelihood that young people have the supports they need to thrive. The 8-page brief offers some ideas.

The Destination Future National Youth Leadership Conference will be held in Chevy Chase, Maryland. This conference brings together youth from across the country to learn what others are doing in the areas of independent living and transitional living programs.

In this, the final report of the Transitions to College Project, researchers examine why disparities in access to higher education persist, despite decades of public and private initiatives to narrow gaps based on race, economic status, family background, disability, and other factors. To get to the bottom of this will take more research, particularly on programs to reach underserved students. The Social Science Research Council recommends researchers, practitioners, and policymakers work together to articulate and achieve goals for the postsecondary education system.

The mission of Community Association of Progressive Dominicans (ACDP) is to promote and develop the physical, emotional, social and economic well-being of the residents of Upper Manhattan, the Bronx, and New York City by facilitating community empowerment through education, provision of human services, and the development of individual skills and community leadership.

The mission of the Inland Empire United Way is to to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. Through the KidSmart initiative, our goal is to help all kids achieve success in school. We believe all children deserve the tools that will inspire and prepare them for a better future. Our top priority is the success of disadvantaged children. Every kid can succeed. We are working to ensure that they do.

WAVE's mission is to motivate youth to complete school, lead productive lives, and make a valuable contribution to their communities. WAVE provides teachers and youth development professionals in schools and community organizations with adaptable teaching strategies and tools that ensure both youth professionals and young people succeed. Our programs use comprehensive methods that include training, experiential curriculum, community service initiatives, and on-site support.

Girls Incorporated® is a nonprofit organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. With local roots dating to 1864 and national status since 1945, Girls Inc. has responded to the changing needs of girls through research-based programs and public education efforts that empower girls to understand, value, and assert their rights. In 2003, Girls Inc. reached 840,000 girls through Girls Inc.

Does keeping struggling students back a grade help them catch up, or discourage them and set them on a pathway to drop out? A study by the Manhattan Institute finds that Florida third-graders who were held back after failing to pass a standardized test improved their reading and math scores compared to their counterparts who were promoted to fourth grade.

CFK reports from: “The Road from Foster Care to Adulthood: Experiences and Insights of Former Foster Care Youth” & “Solving America's Child Welfare Crisis: Former Foster Youth Speak Out”
Events: Informational briefing, panel discussion, dinner discussion
Organized by: Orphan Foundation of America, Freddie Mac Foundation, New America Foundation
Where/When: Washington, D.C., June 22 & 23, 2004
Report by: Diana Strumbos

Children in foster care face long educational odds: Only about 50 percent graduate from high school, only 11 percent of those high school graduates pursue post-secondary education and only 4 to 7 percent finish college or vocational school nationally.

For many kids, the transition to adulthood is tumultuous. For others, it's downright dangerous - teens in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, teens with children, and those who don't finish high school. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual "Kids Count" data book looks how these kids are faring.