Recognizing the Excellent Work of Four GradNation Communities in Minnesota
July 18, 2017
In May of 2017, GradMinnesota offered stipends of $1000 to support community-specific programming and activities that aim to increase student engagement, success in school, high school graduation and postsecondary success – especially for young people at risk of not completing school. As of June 2017, GradMinnesota awarded 4 stipends to GradNation Communities in Duluth, Minneapolis, and Northfield.
The GradNation Community in Duluth – a coalition of teachers, administrators, and community liaisons from Duluth Public Schools – will use their awarded stipend toward additional transportation, meals, and materials for the summer “Shoot for the Stars” STEM Camp. The camp is offered at no cost to participants and their families, and is designed to increase young people’s exposure, interest, and skills in the STEM fields. The added funds will allow the program to serve an additional 10 young people.
Stipends have been awarded to two coalitions in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Public Schools credit recovery program We Want You Back’s Project GrAD (Graduation Achieves Dreams) will use the stipend for additional materials to continue to support the recovery and re-engagement of young people that have stopped-out of school. The program will purchase laptop computers for offsite credit recovery, 100 Metro Transit passes for students with transportation obstacles, and healthy snacks for students attending credit recovery onsite.
The MPS Multilingual Department will use the funds to provide four scholarships of $250 to 2017 English Language Learner high school graduates. Students are to be selected based on academic achievement and their plans for postsecondary studies. The scholarship is to be used to support the young person as they pay for postsecondary education and materials.
The GradNation Community in Northfield will use their awarded funds as a financial boost to pilot Riverland’s College English Prep II at the ALC, a free-of-charge course for Northfield TORCH and ALC students who missed the Accuplacer. The program aims to ensure that students receive relevant and effective supports, and 10-15 ALC young people are anticipated to participate in the 2017-18 school year.
GradMinnesota and Minnesota Alliance With Youth are thrilled to support effective and innovative strategies that address the barriers young people face on their path to success! In each and every community, there exist unique strengths and challenges in ensuring the continued success of all young people. These GradNation Communities in Minnesota also received support from GradMinnesota AmeriCorps VISTA members this year, who assisted with local projects designed to meet the needs of young people.
To learn more about the efforts of the GradNation Communities in Minnesota, visit https://mnyouth.net/work/gradminnesota/communities/
