Education
United Way Works to End America’s Education Crisis
Our Goal
Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes.1 These trends are reversible, but only when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together.
Our Strategy and Programs
We can’t focus on high school alone. High school dropouts are 12 years in the making, usually starting early childhood education behind schedule. United Way's model focuses on supportive communities, effective schools and strong families — strategies and approaches rooted in research. Tackling the education challenge requires reframing education on a birth to 21 continuum.
Big Brothers Big Sisters will be providing mentors in Clay, Marshall, Pottawatomie, Riley and Washington Counties. Boys and Girls Club provides before and after school programs as well as a summer program for area youth.
The Youth Volunteer Corps teaches youth about the importance of volunteer practices and leadership skills. Oak Grove Preschool engages children in discovery-oriented learning based on individual ability rather than age.
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Other partners include Kansas Honor Flight , which works to educate the youth and communities throughout Kansas about the impact of these historic wars and the freedoms our nation enjoys because of the service of our veterans.
We need your help! The strategies proven to work are those that connect communities to their schools: parent involvement; literacy volunteers in the classroom; mentors for disadvantaged students; business leaders engaged in early childhood advocacy.