Sep 15, 2010
Albuquerque Project Among America's Promise Alliance and AT&T My Idea Grants Program Winners:
Grant focuses on a collaborative effort to increase high school graduation rates
America’s Promise Alliance and AT&T recently announced the winners of the My Idea grants program, an initiative to engage young people in an effort to keep their peers in school. National grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 were awarded to 36 youth to fund community-wide projects to take place over the 2010-2011 school year. “Dropping In -Theater as Voice,” a project submitted by Sandia High School senior Calle Treppiedi, was awarded $15,000.
Adult grant partners include the Center for Philanthropic Partnerships, Lieutenant Governor’s Office, New Mexico Children’s Cabinet, New Mexico Commission on Community Volunteerism and the New Mexico Youth Alliance.
“We believe that this project will have a positive impact on high school graduation rates by raising awareness and sparking discussion about the many reasons kids drop out of school,” said Moneka Stevens-Cordova, Project Director, NM Youth Alliance. “While adults have supported this project, this is a youth-led initiative which is so important because peers tend to have a lot of influence over youth their same age.”
“Dropping In” uses theater to give a voice and face to the complex issues teens in New Mexico face in order to complete high school. The play stems from state-wide focus groups where youth identified barriers to graduation such as alcohol/drug use teen pregnancy, gangs, family issues, homelessness, and poverty. The New Mexico high school graduation rate is approximately 66 percent.
“We know that without a high school diploma, young people are less likely to succeed in the workforce,” said New Mexico Lt. Governor Diane Denish. “It's time for all of us to come together - parents and students, principals and teachers, business leaders and elected officials - to improve high school graduation rates to ensure New Mexico has a qualified workforce. This grant represents another step forward and shows that New Mexico youth are stepping up to the plate by taking up this challenge.”
“The Commission applauds the work of these young leaders for getting involved in our communities, providing solutions to some of the challenges young people face, and for truly making a difference on a daily basis,” said Greg Webb, Executive Director, NM Commission for Community Volunteerism. This grant not only gives youth in New Mexico an opportunity to have their voices heard, but to learn how to work with their communities and translate ideas into action.”
“Dropping In” was developed, written and produced by youth. Through the My Idea grant, students will be able to perform the play across New Mexico, produce DVD copies for distribution and offer a Spanish translation. Audience feedback will be gathered and reported to share with state officials, the Children’s Cabinet, school boards and administrators with recommendations to improve graduation rates. Recipients of My Idea grants will be paired with skilled America’s Promise Alliance partners in their community to help carry out their proposals.
“AT&T’s contribution to America’s Promise Alliance to fund the re-granting initiative has enabled young people nationwide with the opportunity to develop and implement their own ideas for increasing the nation’s graduation rate,” said Director of Center for Philanthropic Partnerships Robin Brule. “This is a great example of engaging all the critical stakeholders in the fight to help end the high school dropout crisis. Through these types of public/private partnerships, we can address high school success and workforce readiness by holistically identifying and addressing barriers to graduation.”
The first performance of “Dropping In” will be held on December 3, 2010 at the New Mexico Forum for Youth in Community, Youth Practitioners Summit.
More info: Debra Hammer
(505) 883-3660
[email protected]