Success Project to Benefit Chicago Middle School Students

Lee Edwards | As of Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Rebecca Stinson, Claremont Academy Elementary school Principal, speaks during a press conference held within the school, 2300 W. 64th St. in Chicago, announcing the new Success Project, an initiative that will assist Chicago Public School middle school students select the "right fit" high school and college.
Rebecca Stinson, Claremont Academy Elementary school Principal, speaks during a press conference held within the school, 2300 W. 64th St. in Chicago, announcing the new Success Project, an initiative that will assist Chicago Public School middle school students select the "right fit" high school and college. Photo by Lee Edwards.

The Success Project, an initiative that provides academic preparation, social support and college counseling for Chicago Public School (CPS) middle school students, was announced on Nov. 6 during a press conference at Claremont Academy Elementary School, 2300 W. 64th St. in Chicago.

“For a long time, graduation from high school was the drive,” said Mayor Emanuel. “That is a significant milestone in a child and at that point an adult’s life but it is a milestone and not the destination. We want to be a city [that’s] 100% college ready and 100% college bound and when we get there we’ll have done everything that we’re supposed to do as adults for our children.”

The Success project is a unique partnership between the Urban Education Institute’s UChicago Impact, the Lefkofsky Family Foundation, CPS and the Academy for Urban School Leadership. The partnership will embed a proven high school and college success curriculum into middle grades and provide staff support, training and analytic support to participating schools.

“In our city, there’s a wide assortment of high school options and we want all middle school students to take the time to find the best fit,” said Liz Lefkofsky, co-founder of the Lefkofsky Family Foundation. “High school is a critical step in every student’s future… The decision on which high school to attend can be the difference between total success and total failure when it comes to being prepared for college and or the work force.”

The Success Project is designed to help thousands of students in schools located in diverse, high-needs communities across Chicago. All 34 schools in the Success Project will implement UEI’s proven college readiness curriculum, called 6to16. A team of highly trained Success Coordinators–all with past teaching or counseling experience–will work full-time in 10 of the 34 schools beginning in January.

“The Success Project in short form is a $3.8 million dollar effort designed to help thousands of students in schools located in diverse high needs communities across Chicago,” said Dr. Timothy Knowles, John Dewey Director of the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute (UEI). “All of the 34 neighborhood schools in the Success Project will implement UEI’s college readiness program that we call 6 to16, sixth grade through college.”

Every 6th, 7th and 8th grader will receive weekly classes that will provide the academic preparation and know-how required to transition into a “right fit” high school, help them stay on track through high school and prepare them for success in college and beyond.

In addition, 23 CPS turnaround schools managed by AUSL will receive training and professional development to implement the Success Project. Over time, the project will provide insights into the culture, staffing and practices necessary to dramatically increase the number of middle school students who are high school ready.

“We’re so excited to have the Success Project at school, we have been focusing on children making good choices in their lives to propel them to the next step so we’re excited to have some support and some additional help in that area and allowing kids to see what the possibilities in life are that are beyond the walls of their neighborhood and school,” Claremont Academy Elementary Principal Rebecca Stinson. Claremont Academy Elementary is a CPS school with an enrollment of over 500 students.

For more information about the Success Project visit http://uchicagoimpact.org/6to16/theSUCCESSproject

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