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Achievers For Life Earns National Honor
United Way of Northeast Florida received top honors at the national United Way of America Staff Leaders Conference in Detroit, Michigan on May 12, for its dropout prevention initiative, Achievers For Life (AFL). Achievers For Life was one of only three programs nationwide selected out of hundreds of entries submitted from United Ways across the country.
United Way of Northeast Florida responded to a national call to showcase the best work happening in the field in the areas of education, income, health. Entitled Knowledge Café "Best Practices That Advance the Common Good" Award, this recognition is presented to strategies that reflect innovation and promising practices. The Knowledge Café is a centralized online resource of more than 1200 best practices gathered from United Ways across the system.
Achievers For Life addresses the challenges students experience at the critical transition point of grade school to middle school.
Connie Hodges, United Way of Northeast Florida President, said, “This recognition wouldn’t be possible without our community partners, and especially the students, families and school communities. Together, we’re helping students stay on track to graduate.”
First-year accomplishments of Achievers For Life included higher GPAs (grade point average) and promotion rates and increased parent engagement. Achievers For Life was piloted at Ft. Caroline and Arlington Middle Schools in the 2007-08 school year and expanded to Matthew Gilbert and Northwestern Middle Schools in its second year, 2008-09.
United Way of America CEO Brian Gallagher stated, “United Way of Northeast Florida’s Achievers For Life is an innovative model for keeping students in school and on track for success.”
In a separate competition, at the national conference, United Way of Northeast Florida was awarded the Best of Live United Action Hero Award for its Day of Action Mentor Recruitment Drive. The Day of Action generated more than 1,200 prospective mentor volunteers for school based mentoring programs in Duval, Clay, and Nassau counties for the 2008 school year. Local United Ways submitted more than 130 entries in six categories.
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