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I Can Do It! ... Si Se Puede!
An Excel-in-School Program for children of Neighborhood Ministries

(Some kind of picture here)

The Need

Failure in school and the exceedingly high dropout rate are of local and national concern. Thousands of children, especially in inner-cities, are dropping out of school at alarming rates, with Arizona ranking highest in high school dropout rates (“Children in Arizona,” 2002). According to the Arizona Minority Education Policy Analysis Center, roughly half of all Hispanic and Native American children do not complete high school. “Yet, those who are involved with youth in inner-cities know that dropout rates measured only in high school are only the tip of the iceberg. A high number of children actually stop going to school or develop the patterns of failure while they are between the 5th and 8th grades. Thousands of youth are on the streets before they even dream about high school. These children fall between the cracks of our system, and outside of measurable data. They live in a world where citations and threat of incarceration are not deterrents. They have learned to live outside of the consequences and the protection of the system. To complicate matters, nothing in their environment tells them to go to school. Their families have rarely completed school and are often in crisis. School is nothing but failure and fighting. Their peer group ridicules their school attendance. Few positive role models are evident.” Yet, these very children want to make it! They just don’t know how. It is these children that Neighborhood Ministries' I CAN DO IT! Program is helping. 


The Goal

The goal of I CAN DO IT! is to assist students who come from economically deprived environments and who have a history of truancy and academic failure excel in school, complete the requirements for graduation, and be prepared for their future, whether it be advanced training, college, or employment.


Program Design

I CAN DO IT! consists of six components: Accountability, Assistance, A Positive Peer Group, Incentives, Job and College Readiness, and College Scholarships.

1. Accountability: The schools of each student are contacted weekly regarding attendance and academic progress. Communication with the principals and teachers keeps mentors, small group leaders and case managers abreast of the student’s needs and progress.

2. Assistance: Each child is given a tutor/mentor who meets weekly to help encourage and assist the student as well as advocating in the student’s behalf if necessary. 

Pictures of kids with tutors

3. A Positive Peer Group: At this age, the peer group has incredible influence. Each student is placed in a small group of 5-8 students with an adult leader. This group interacts together, problem solves, plays, and travels together. In this environment, children find a place to belong, where they’re not being asked to change their life-styles in isolation and without support. These peer groups participate in activities such as horseback riding, ice skating, and hiking adventures that broaden and develop the child. A hands-on, activity oriented curriculum that coordinates with the school curriculum gives direction to the time spent in the small groups and their activities. Also, each small group has an adult leader. This leader spends one-on-one time with each student in his/her group as well as planning for events, case managing the students needs, keeping up on school issues and going on all trips. It is an environment where education is valued – a positive place to belong.

Pictures of kids doing activities

4. Incentives: Receiving incentives is dependent upon the student’s successful completion of goals in academics and attendance. Upon evaluation at the end of each quarter, the students are able to earn monetary rewards for success in school and attendance. Each student is encouraged to open a checking account and is instructed in the basics of saving, finance, and planned spending.

Pictures of kids on trips – labeled with the place and date of trip

5. Job and College Readiness: Each year, students participate in the Job Shadowing Program in which they spend a day in a job of their interest and spend time learning about what it takes to become a professional in that field. Some students, as they get older actually do internships with different professionals, giving them even more exposure. The students also participate in college visits and a college readiness curriculum.

6. College Scholarships: In partnership with Arizona Quest for Kids, I CAN DO IT! students can qualify for a full tuition scholarship, equivalent to Arizona in-state tuition rates, to any college or accredited post-high school training institution of their choice.

Graduation pictures of Blanca, one we have of Tanya from 8th grade, Veronica will be coming up.


Program Impact

The results of the students enrolled in I CAN DO IT! have been outstanding. I CAN DO IT! began during the 2000-2001 school year as a pilot program with 10 students. At the end of that school year, these were some of the academic results:
  • 4 students on the honor roll
  • 1 student on the “A” honor roll
  • 1 student won Student of the Month
  • 3 students won Student of the Week
  • 1 student won Most Improved Grades
  • 1 student won Best Social Studies Student
  • 1 Student was honored in the newspaper for being the first in her family to go through 8th grade graduation exercises

In the 2001-2002 school year, the program grew from 10 students in the program to 46, ranging from 5th through 12th grade. 

  • Every student has a tutor who meets weekly to help with school. These tutors come from all over Phoenix and every walk of life.
  • The program works in 10 different school districts and 27 schools.
  • 98% of the participating students completed the school year and are moving on to the next grade.
  • 81% of the students met all the goals of the program, including high academic and attendance standards.
  • 10 students had perfect attendance for the entire first semester.
  • Several students won Student of the Week and Student of the Month awards.
  • Three students had perfect attendance for the entire school year.
  • 15 students were on the honor roll, most of them making it several times throughout the year.
  • Most importantly, each child was honored, loved, encouraged and believed in by their mentor and the NM staff.

In the 2002- 2003 school year, the results were as follows:

  • Students were served in 11 school districts and 32 schools.
  • 98 % of the students completed the school year and moved on to the next year.
  • 86% of the students met all academic and attendance requirements.
  • 31 percent earned a place on their school honor rolls. 
  • One student entered the ACE (Accelerated College Education) program, participating in college classes during her junior year.
  • Several students won Student of the Month and Student of the Week Awards.
  • One student won the school Citizenship Award.
  • Two students got straight ‘A’s the entire year.
  • Three students had perfect attendance the entire year. 
  • Our oldest high school student completed high school this year and enrolled in college within the first week of graduation.