South Park High School and Buffalo Public Schools Announce Exciting New Endeavor
Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection Partnership Will Help Continue to Improve Graduation Rates at South Park High School
BUFFALO, N.Y., – Today, Theresa Schuta, principal of South Park High School together with Dr. James A. Williams, superintendent of the Buffalo Public Schools announced an exciting partnership for the school. The innovative collaboration with Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection (HW-SC) will address some of the most important issues facing Buffalo Public Schools, with the goal to dramatically improve graduation rates for South Park youth who are at risk of dropping out.
The collaboration will help South Park students stay in school, achieve academic success and graduate high school with the skills and confidence they need to be successful at home, at college, and at the workplace. The new program will connect South Park students to a full-time school-based Youth Advocate, employment training, college preparation support and tutoring services, while helping youth stay engaged in the classroom earning their high school diplomas.
“Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection will provide additional support for our students through the involvement of community partners and mentors. It will give at-risk students their initial step into the working world and incentivize staying in school, graduating, and in many cases, going on to college,” Dr. Williams explains. “The insight students will gain through this mentoring program is sure to inspire their future success.”
“We are excited to partner with Buffalo Public Schools and South Park High School,” said Roderick Green executive director of Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection. “Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection’s model relies on community collaboration. We partner with school districts, local businesses and a host of other area partners to tackle some of the most difficult challenges that students face outside the classroom, working to ensure students come to school ready to learn.”Founded in Rochester, N.Y., nearly 25 years ago, HW-SC last year enrolled more than 4,000 middle and high school students in Rochester, N.Y., Syracuse, N.Y., and Prince George’s County, M.D. In 2009, the Youth Policy Forum recognized the program as one of the nation’s most effective youth development programs to “Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond.”
Program Model for Success
The cornerstone of HW-SC’s model are the school-based Youth Advocates, who serve as long-term mentors and liaisons to students and their families, linking students to individualized support services, employment training and on-the-job mentoring, academic tutoring and year-round enrichment programs. HW-SC provides a network of support connecting students to the individualized resources they need to overcome barriers to learning.
HW-SC also helps students explore career opportunities and provides youth employment training, which includes mock interviews and skill building in the areas of computer, customer service and basic office. Students who demonstrate a positive attitude, good attendance, and good grades in core subjects are eligible for part-time employment with area businesses. Employment exposes students to career opportunities and enables them to develop marketable job skills as well as earn money toward college tuition.
Enrollment Criteria
HW-SC and South Park High School are partnering to enroll 60 students by June 2011. Students must meet at least two research-based risk factors (out of the six qualifiers) that significantly increase the probability of dropping out of school. The risk factors include: low socio-economic status, failing grades in core subjects, multiple school suspensions, low standardized test scores, over age for grade level and high absenteeism.
Program History
HW-SC was created by Wegmans Food Markets in 1987 in response to a call to action from the Urban League of Rochester and the Council for Educational Development to reduce the area’s high dropout rate. The program became an affiliate of Hillside Family of Agencies in 1996 to expand opportunities for collaboration within the business community.
Hillside Family of Agencies, a family and youth services organization has been a cornerstone in the Rochester community for almost 175 years. The organization provides more than 120 services to nearly 12,000 children and families at more than 45 locations across Western and Central New York and in Prince George’s County, M.D.
Hillside Family of Agencies has been providing services to Erie County since 1990 and in 2010 the program served 184 Erie County youth and families. Hillside Family of Agencies has 5 facilities and offices in Eire County, providing foster care and adoption support services, community and home-based services, long-term and short-term residential services and day treatment.
About Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection
Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, founded in 1987 by Robert and Danny Wegman, is an affiliate of Hillside Family of Agencies. The program serves at-risk youth in Rochester, N.Y., Syracuse, N.Y., Buffalo N.Y., and in Prince George’s County, M.D.
About Hillside Family of Agencies
Hillside Family of Agencies is a family and children services organization that provides child welfare, mental health, youth development, juvenile justice, special education, and developmental disabilities services across central and western New York. Hillside Family of Agencies is comprised of affiliates Crestwood Children’s Center, Crestwood Children’s Foundation, Hillside Children’s Center, Hillside Children’s Foundation, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, and Snell Farm Children’s Center.