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To make lasting change, investing in education is key

Making progress on social challenges can be tough. Let us stop for a moment and celebrate some success. Currently, a higher percentage of students is graduating from high school than was 15 years ago. Yahoo!

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 1998, about 71 percent of freshmen who started high school went on to graduate. Last year, data was released that showed the rate had increased to 80 percent in 2012 (most recent data available).

This did not happen by luck. This came about through concerted efforts and partnerships between students, teachers, parents, school districts, nonprofits, higher education, foundations, businesses and other community members. In 2008, United Way Worldwide announced a bold goal to increase the graduation rate nationally to 87 percent by 2018 through collaboration – this most recent data suggests we might achieve that.

Why do we have such a strong focus on education when there are so many other pressing needs out there (e.g., housing and food insecurity)? In so many ways, education is the most effective prevention and intervention program that exists. It is well-documented that higher-educational attainment strongly is correlated with higher income levels and greater health outcomes throughout life. Therefore, if we want to make lasting change for individuals and our communities, investing in education makes great sense.

When you invest in United Way, you support education in Southwest Colorado. Currently, we work with eight community nonprofit partners that support kids in their earliest education (where research shows we can probably make the biggest difference), 10 partners that help support academic success for elementary and middle school students, 10 partners that help at-risk teens stay in high school through various support programs and two partners that help those who want or need an alternate route to completion through General Equivalency Diploma programs.

After we celebrate this increase in the graduation rate, we will get back to work and focus on the 20 percent who still are not earning a high school diploma or receiving the lifetime benefits that come along with it. We will refocus on the disparities in graduation rates between the genders, students from different socioeconomic levels, races, disabilities and English language proficiency.

Some encouraging clues have emerged to help us all in this work. We have learned that language-rich environments for infants and toddlers lead to greater success during the school-age years. We have learned that proficient reading by third grade is a tremendous predictor of high school graduation. Finally, we have learned that when a parents works to increase their own education level, they can lift their family out of poverty.

What can you do today to help with this local and nationwide effort? Volunteer – contact us, and we will connect you with an organization that is helping students succeed. Advocate – speak out about programs that are effective and are making a difference – see our website to view those we support. Give – all of these programs rely on community support to operate! Give at unitedway-swco.org to make the difference!

Thank you for Living United.

Lynn Urban is CEO and president of United Way of Southwest Colorado.



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