Dedicated to empowering the kids in our community
A multitude of sources, including Education Week, Reading Horizons, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) and more, indicate students who are unable to read at grade level by the end of third grade are more likely to become high school drop-outs. Factors such as poverty – as found in many areas of Darke County – increase this likelihood.
According to ODE, students who read at their grade level by the third grade are five times as likely to be college-bound or ready for their career employment choices. Put another way, that means those who can’t read at their grade level are five times LESS likely to reach their goals. Assuming they have any at that point. ODE further notes a full one-third of all students entering college require remedial courses in order to meet the demands of college work. This lack of basics for college-bound students does not translate well for those just trying to get through high school.
In Darke County, as many as one out of 10 students either don’t graduate on time, or end up dropping out of school. Considerable focus is now being placed on these at-risk high school students. These programs are immensely important. There also needs to be a focus, however, for intervention BEFORE a student reaches that point. A significant area of a child’s learning, self-worth and development is gained in the primary grades of kindergarten through four. This is also a time when a child who, for a variety of reasons, may not get the mentoring and support needed outside of school.
As one teacher recently put it… “If a child is having difficulty in kindergarten and isn’t helped at that point, the lack of success will build each year as the child struggles through his or her grade levels. Eventually it will become engrained. It is easier to address those needs in a child’s early years.” This teacher – and her fellow teachers – are talented and dedicated. I have substituted in the classrooms of most of them. It is literally impossible to give the one-on-one dedication some children might require in a class of 25 or more students. Schools do the best they can with limited resources. An additional support system of some kind is needed for these “at-risk” children.
As a result, Empowering Darke County Youth was formed.
The After School Program was established to provide a place where kids could come for tutoring, mentoring, shared reading and writing, indoor games and activities and more.
It is a tremendous undertaking and will require significant resources for state-approved paid adults, volunteers, supplies, reading and writing materials and more. Empowering Darke County Youth is a United Way community service organization. We have seated a Board of Directors to help guide the implementation of this program. Empowering Darke County Youth was designated a 501c3 non-profit organization by the Internal Revenue Service in September, 2016.
For a variety of reasons the needs of Darke County’s young people are tremendous. This undertaking will only be scratching the surface, but it is a start. We want – and need – your help.
The Empowering Mission: Empowering Darke County Youth is a United Way Partner Agency providing After School and Summer Tutoring programs to assist students in the areas of language arts and math with the goal of Strong Students for a Strong Community.
For more information or to ask how you can help, contact us at president@empowerdarkecounty.com or message us on our Facebook page, Empowering Darke County Youth.