University News
AT&T Awards Retention Program Nearly $375,000 to Help QC Students
November 18, 2008
MOLINE, IL -- Thanks to AT&T, Rock Island (IL) High School PACERS (Positive Achievement and Creativity Equals Righteous Success) -- an intensive mentoring, academic and volunteer-based program developed through school and community efforts and Western Illinois University -- will benefit from a nearly $375,000 infusion to help at-risk ninth grade students in the Rock Island School District (RISD).
PACERS will receive the funds as part of a $48 million competitive grant program through the AT&T Aspire program, the company's signature initiative, which addresses high school success and workforce readiness.
According to Holly Nikels, associate professor in WIU's counselor education department who works with the program, PACERS was started a few years ago to help at-risk freshmen at Rock Island High School (RIHS). PACERS operated for four years through the volunteer efforts of a small group of individuals from the Rock Island community, RIHS and WIU, Nikels explained.
"I am proud to say that every one of those students who started with PACERS can be accounted for today as having completed their high school education in some way," she said. "Some graduated from RIHS or other schools, some went on to the Job Corps and some obtained their general education development (GED) certificates; they all succeeded."
Nikels noted the AT&T grant is a tremendous gift to PACERS, because prior to the award, the program was run solely through volunteer efforts.
"We did not have any external funding, except what the volunteers were able to give. The standing joke was 'If we could get $100 to buy pizza for the kids, we would be happy!' So the generosity of AT&T is amazing to all of us," she said.
According to Nikels, the funding allows for the purchase of school supplies for each student, the addition of 10 paid mentors to work with two students weekly at the high school for each school year, transportation to and from monthly community-service projects, school/work site visits and leadership-training opportunities.
"The grant will also pay for two WIU graduate assistants, who are school counselors in training, at RIHS for the next four years. The graduate assistants will function as two part-time school counselors at no cost to the district," Nikels added.
Although RIHS currently employs a group of school counselors, who Nikels describes as "amazing and incredibly dedicated," the additional graduate student counselors will provide much needed help to the overextended counseling staff.
"The American School Counseling Association recommends a ratio of one school counselor per every 250 students. Most schools far exceed this recommendation, and Rock Island is no different. The addition of these graduate assistants will help carry some of the load for the district, which will be invaluable," Nikels said.
"AT&T's generous contribution means we will be able to touch many more lives in meaningful ways," noted Bonnie Smith-Skripps, Dean of the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS) at Western.
"The PACERS program gives our students an opportunity to develop skills they'll use for the rest of their lives," added RIHS Principal Robert Mason.
Through the AT&T Aspire initiative, announced in April of this year, the company has committed $100 million in philanthropy through 2011 to schools and nonprofit organizations focused on high school retention and better preparing students for college and the workforce. It provides grant awards of up to $100,000 to support existing high school retention programs for up to four years and one-year grants, ranging from $25,000 to $35,000, to support capacity building for organizations that need additional time and resources to launch retention programs.
"Investing in a well-educated workforce may be the single most important thing we can do to help America remain the leader in a digital, global economy," said Paul La Schiazza, president, AT&T Illinois. "The AT&T Aspire program supports educators -- whose passion and commitment help students succeed day in and day out. Working together, we will help students make the connection between the importance of education and achieving all of their goals -- in and out of the classroom."
"AT&T and I understand this is a problem where everyone must play a role in the solution. By reaching our young people in a variety of ways, including the impressive PACERS learning program, we're helping our students make the connection between their education and a much brighter future," said Illinois Sen. Mike Jacobs.
"Thanks to AT&T's strong support, we're going to be able to help even more Quad Cities' students graduate from high school and gain the skills they'll need to be successful in the workforce," State Rep. Pat Verschoore added.
For more information about the PACERS program, contact Dana Moon, assistant to the dean in the College of Education and Human Services, at (309) 298-1690 or DM-Moon@wiu.edu. Learn more about the AT&T Aspire initiative at www.att.com/education-news.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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