Hundreds of at-risk students in Pitt County are on track to graduate with high goals, and they’re only in middle school.
Now, thanks to a $1.27 federal grant from the 21st Century Community Learning Center Program, 150 more students can experience it too.
Just 8 years ago, only about half the students in Pitt County were graduating. Yet, now that rate is up to 82 percent.
Part of that success is because of the Student Success Academy, which is a partnership between Pitt County Schools and The United Way of Pitt County.
The first group of kids who experienced the program graduated this past year and paved the way for other young learners.
“I want to go to Yale, and I want to be a lawyer,” said Imari Allen.
“I want to graduate high school and go to college and when I get out of college, I want to be a pediatrician,” said Ian’Dya Cox.
These young kids are setting big goals.
“Playing football as I get older and helping me make my middle school team and high school team and college team so I can go to the professionals,” said Javante Mayo.
The Student Success Academy is leading students to set goals.
“It’s about beginning with the end in mind,” said Mayo. “It helps me set goals and talk about how I can achieve my goals.”
Mayo knows if he gets good enough grades, he can play football in high school and college. Whether he goes to the NFL or not, he’s setting goals and that’s all that matters. And with the help of the United Way of Pitt County, this program is expanding to help more kids set goals.
“On a daily basis, these children will have support in the afternoons from the time they get out of school until 6pm or 7pm,” said Robin Dailey.
Dailey is the director of the Student Success Academy and says students spend time on activities focusing around science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. She says 6th grade is the best time to do it.
“If students do well during that time, then their work in middle grades and high school will be much more on track.”
These kids say before the Student Success Academy, they weren’t all that excited about school.
“I didn’t really know a lot about math and I used to hate math,” admitted Cox.
Yet that all changed when Cox got involved in the success program this summer. She’s proof the program increases kids interest in learning, community activism and school engagement.
“I think it helped me a lot. I’m looking forward to going to college now,” said Cox.
The grant will be dispersed over the next four years.
Pitt County Schools expects the graduation rate to keep increasing as more students who were once part of this program successfully complete their senior year.
