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Economic Development and Quality of Life for People and Communities
Project SOAR: Mentoring At-Risk Youth and Families
Issue
Youth who fall behind in school are often the ones who drop out, abuse
drugs, get involved in criminal activity, and are teen parents. Children
are at risk when two or more risk factors interact; these include poverty,
substance abuse, teen pregnancy, truancy, illiteracy, and others. Limited
resource families are especially vulnerable. In Arizona, Hispanics have
one of the highest drop- out rates. Enhancement of early schooling and
the prevention of school failure can significantly impact the drop out
rate and future success and vitality of families and communities. Researchers
agree that enhancing academic success and preventing school failure
leads to decreasing at-risk behaviors and contributes to strengthening
youth, families, and communities. Mentoring programs have proven successful
in improving school attendance, school performance, increasing protective
factors and decreasing risk factors such as substance abuse, truancy,
and juvenile delinquency.
What has been done?
Project SOAR is an extensive mentoring program targeting at-risk youth
and families. It includes the Children, Youth and Families At Risk (CYFAR)
Project, the City of Chandler/United Way Psroject and the JUMP Program.
Project SOAR recruits university and community college students to work
with students at risk of academic failure and with their families to
promote personal and academic success. Mentors, mentees and parents
work together in a comprehensive program that includes mentor training,
academic support, skill building, leadership development, parent education,
and social and personal interaction. Project SOAR is a collaborative
effort among local public schools, universities, community colleges,
the Office of Juvenile Justice, the City of Chandler, and Cooperative
Extension. In 2002, a total of 147 participants were served by Project
SOAR. The program provided 3,337 hours of mentoring, 23 parent education
series, 14 mentor training sessions, and 19 educational field trips.
Forty-five youth and mentors volunteered monthly in a Reading Buddies
program for Head Start. A total of 96 volunteers contributed 1,759 hours
of service to the community. Project SOAR targets ethnically diverse
families, with primary focus on Hispanic, African American, and Native
American students. The program was conducted at three elementary schools
in the Phoenix/Chandler areas.
Impact
More than 80 percent of the students who participated in the mentoring
program through SOAR's CYFAR Project said they would like a mentor again
next year. Outcome evaluations showed that these students improved in
an average of three subject areas and improved their ratings in study
skills and citizenship. Student survey results showed that they attributed
the positive changes in attitudes to the program. In the City of Chandler/United
Way Project, 70 percent of the mentees reported that their mentor gave
them special attention in helping them with school work and being a
friend. These mentees said SOAR helped improve their grades. In the
JUMP Program, 66 percent of the participants improved their reading
and math grades. Four out of five participants improved or maintained
study skills. Overall, students in all three SOAR programs increased
their knowledge and skills in leadership and generally improved their
academic performance, and parents increased their involvement with their
children.
Funding
USDA,CSREES
Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention
City of Chandler
Valley of the Sun United Way
National 4-H Council
Contact
Juanita O'Campo Waits
Maricopa Cooperative Extension
The University of Arizona
4341 E. Broadway
Phoenix, AZ 85040-8807
Tel: (602) 470-8086 ext 331, FAX: (602) 470-8082
Email: jwaits@ag.arizona.edu
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