GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay says their BE GREAT: Graduate program helping local students graduate high school is now expanding to surrounding areas.
Interim executive director Eric VandenHeuvel says “other clubs have paid attention to this and said ‘we want this for our kids as well.’”
Since 2010 the program has paired students at risk of dropping out with mentors. Over the last nine years, the program averaged 92% of students receiving diplomas.
VandenHeuvel says the mentors are there for more than just homework.
“Oftentimes kids who are at risk of dropping out are just looking for that advocate. That person who is going to be there for them day in and day out and just help eliminate any barriers that exist in their life.”
The program can currently serve more than 200 students at a number of schools in the following districts: Green Bay Area Public School District, Howard-Suamico School District, Denmark School District and Ashwaubenon School District.
“Anywhere between 50-100 kids in the City of Green Bay, specifically. So with increased investment by the state of Wisconsin, we’re able to expand the program to 17 communities across the state,” says VandenHeuvel, “we estimate about 1,000 students across the state of Wisconsin will be paired up with a mentor who helps with graduation rates and helps kids find a path. So we’re taking kids who are at risk and help them graduate high school with a plan for afterward.”
Now, as the program is set to expand, VandenHeuvel says more students will be getting the help and guidance they need. He also believes the state’s investment in these students will be a reinvestment in the economy later down the line.
“We’re able to proactively provide intervention for kids, help them turn that path over, and then have a plan for their future. It not only impacts those individual students, it impacts each community and our state as a whole just to have more high school graduates,” says VandenHeuvel.
The Boys and Girls Club reports that more than 15,000 adults in Brown County alone are expected to have less than a high school education.
