America's Promise Alliance Honors New Jersey After 3
New Jersey After 3 Recognized for Efforts to Improve High School Graduation Rates
New Brunswick, NJ – May 6, 2010 – New Jersey After 3, a private, nonprofit organization that expands learning time in New Jersey’s public schools, was selected by America’s Promise Alliance as an official “Promise Place” earlier this month. The “Promise Place” designation recognizes New Jersey After 3 for its commitment to the Alliance's Five Promises – Access to caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, an effective education, and opportunities to help others. Founded in 1997 by General Colin Powell, America’s Promise Alliance is committed to seeing that children receive the fundamental resources they need to succeed – at home, in school, and in the community.
“Being designated as a Promise Place is something that every afterschool educator in our network should be proud of, and it strengthens the validity of the work that we do throughout the State to empower students and working families to succeed,” declared Mark Valli, President & CEO of New Jersey After 3. “Our mission has been aligned with the goals of America’s Promise Alliance since we were created six years ago. This honor could not have come at a better time – as we apply for highly competitive Federal grants, campaign to be included in New Jersey’s Race to the Top application, and continue our appeal for private sector investments in our work.”
On March 1, 2010, President Barack Obama, together with General Colin Powell, Alma Powell, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, launched the 10-year “Grad Nation” campaign. The campaign aims to achieve two goals: (1) ensure that 90 percent of today’s fourth-graders graduate high school on time; and (2) help fulfill the President’s pledge to be the world’s leader in the proportion of college graduates by 2020. Since 2004, New Jersey After 3 has worked to ensure that students advance with the skills they need to graduate high school on-time, and the get the tools that will ensure their success as they move on to college and the 21st century workforce.
An independent evaluation of New Jersey After 3, published in April 2009 by Policy Studies Associates, documents statistically significant gains in the language arts skills of students who participated in New Jersey After 3 programs for two years or more; as well as gains in the math skills, study skills, and computer skills of participants. The study also revealed that students felt that they completed their homework more often, felt better about their schoolwork, and achieved better grades because of their participation in New Jersey After 3 programs. New Jersey After 3 is unique in that it is the only statewide nonprofit organization of its kind with independent data documenting its positive impact on variables that have been linked to high school drop-out rates in various studies.
According to national statistics, every 26 seconds another student drops out of school – totaling more than 1.3 million students per year. Studies show that young people who drop out of school are twice as likely as graduates to be unemployed; three times as likely to live in poverty; eight times more likely to wind up in prison; and twice as likely to become the parent of a child who drops out. Each year, due to more than 20 million high school drop outs, ages 20-67, the United States loses more than $50 billion in potential state and federal income tax revenues. The selection of New Jersey After 3 as a “Promise Place” underscores the value of evidence-based programs that expand learning time as a cost-effective strategy to improve student achievement, allowing schools and families to succeed.
Capital One Bank, which provides volunteer board leadership and financial support to both New Jersey After 3 and America’s Promise Alliance, is particularly vested in solutions that improve the nation’s high school graduation rate.
"At Capital One we recognize that one of the most important investments we can make in the future is an investment in the education of our youth," said Carolyn Berkowitz, President of Capital One Foundation and Vice President for Community Affairs at Capital One Bank. "We are proud to support organizations like New Jersey After 3 that make a measurable impact on student achievement. Our goal is to strengthen the communities where we do business, and New Jersey After 3 helps us achieve that goal in urban, rural and suburban communities throughout the State of New Jersey."
For more information on America’s Promise Alliance, please visit: www.americaspromise.org, or for more information on New Jersey After 3, please visit: www.njafter3.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 6, 2010
CONTACT:
Shannon Boehmer
New Jersey After 3
(267) 241-5824
sboehmer@njafter3.org
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