It's all about walking the stage. If a teenager never does it, his or her's chance at a successful life greatly diminishes. "Walking the stage" is the phrase that describes graduating from high school. The Syracuse School District has struggled for years to graduate more than fifty percent of its students. But, there's a program that's on the verge of briskly moving forward the number of graduates.
At the Palace Theatre in Eastwood tonight the stage lights lit up the stars of the show. The 30 or so graduates who have enjoyed the benefits of extensive mentoring and vigilance since shortly before entering high school. These teens come from a pool of students most at risk of dropping out or failing. The Hillside Work Scholarship Connection has a formula to turn failure into success. It begins with simple elements like making sure the students attend school and do their homework.
Executive Director Wayne O'Connor credits his staff of youth advocates for reaching the teens and motivating them to learn. There is tutoring and conversation. There is an after school study session. There is test preparation and even college application assistance. The money comes from a split of private and public dollars. More and more funding is coming from the Syracuse City Schools as the district recognizes the critical value of intense personal interaction with the students.
Here is where the magic will start to happen and turn the Syracuse graduation rates in the right direction in the next few years. There were 30 graduates honored tonight. Next year the number moves over 100. The year after well past 200. There are 900 students in the program over various grades right now. They rate of students advancing to the next grade under Hillside's tutelage is 94%. Those same students have a 95% attendance rate.
Congratulations to this year's crop of Hillside graduates, but also to the program's staff and leadership. This is a shining light that deserves to be recognized every bit as much as each of those students who walked the stage tonight.
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