Critical Focus #2

Intervention When It Counts: Helping Students Achieve

When students achieve their potential, everyone in the community benefits. Quick, targeted action can mean the difference between failure and long-term success for students whose academic progress is complicated by abuse, hunger, homelessness, and mental and behavioral problems. United Way sponsors programs that provide mentoring, counseling, case management, teen parenting prevention and support, after-school activities, tutoring, and enrichment activities to help students succeed in spite of obstacles.

Success Story: Linda

Linda struggled to keep her grades up, only earning a 1.4 grade point average in the first semester of school. Through United Way’s Achievers For Life initiative, a dropout prevention strategy, she was matched with a mentor, who met with her faithfully. During their meetings, Linda completed unfinished homework and improved her study skills. By the end of the school year, Linda’s GPA had increased to a 2.35 and her confidence in her schoolwork had grown. United Way is focused on helping students achieve and stay on track for high school graduation.