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Dropout Prevention Grant Awarded to Futures for Kids (F4K)
Raleigh,
NC—February 1, 2008-
The NC Department
of Public Instruction (DPI) and the General Assembly have announced that
Futures for Kids (F4K) is one of 60 groups across North Carolina that
will receive state grants to help reduce the number of dropouts in the
state.
F4K will receive
$150,000 to develop and strengthen partnerships in Durham, Edgecombe,
Hertford and Richmond Counties. A total of $7 million in Dropout
prevention grants ranging in size from $25,000 to $150,000 were awarded
to school systems, schools, agencies and nonprofits in regions across
North Carolina.
With this grant,
F4K will offer its online career exploration program to students in
middle and high schools and evaluate its effectiveness in showing
students the relevance of high school graduation as the first step
toward a rewarding future. F4K will conduct in-person and web training
for school and community organization staff and enroll local businesses
to provide online Career Coaches and career information.
“Our
students especially like talking with F4K’s Career Coaches,” said Tomma
Jenkins, Career and Technical Education Director for Hertford County
Schools. “It helps level the playing field for students to be able to
talk to someone in a career they may not see here in Hertford County.”
This grant enables
F4K to further expand and confirm the effectiveness of its program.
A May 2006 evaluation by Duke University’s Child and Family Policy
Center noted that, “After using F4K, 88% of students were more excited
about graduating from high school.”
“We
are very grateful for this grant, because it will help us develop best
practices,” said Susan Milliken, Executive Director of Futures for Kids.
“The lessons we learn from partnering with these schools and chambers of
commerce will help extend F4K to students across the state.”
About Futures for
Kids (F4K)
Futures
for Kids bridges the gap between the hopes and dreams of our students
and the workforce development needs of our communities. F4K uses
technology to create a community of support around our kids, encouraging
them to explore careers by connecting with Career Coaches and companies
across North Carolina.
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For more
information, contact:
Rebecca Cooper
Communications Manager
(919) 875-8885 ext200
rebeccac@f4k.org
Futures for Kids—www.f4k.org |
