Joining the chorus of those concerned about the 49-percent dropout rate of Denver public high schools, the communications giant AT&T today gave $500,000 to two organizations focused on getting kids through high school.
Denver Kids Inc. received a 4-year commitment from AT&T of $100,000 per year to track and counsel 100 ninth-grade kids thought to be at risk for dropping out.
The Denver Scholarship Foundation, started by Tim and Bernadette Marquez’ $50 million challenge grant for DPS graduates, received $100,000 from AT&T, which will be matched by the Marquez trust. Executive director Cindy Abramson said the $200,000 will be used not just for scholarships but also for resource centers that have been established in 10 DPS high schools.
The centers teach students about colleges, about life in college or other secondary schools, about getting into them and how to apply for scholarships.
They’ve had terrific results in just three years. Lincoln High School, where Gov. Bill Ritter announced the grants this morning, put 114 graduates into college in 2005. A resource center was established there the following year,and the 2008 graduating class had 184 go on to college, a 61 percent increase, she said, giving equal credit to programs instituted by Principal Antonio Esquibel.
Denver Kids, a 63-year-old non-profit, targets 1,000 kids in DPS who are at-risk for dropping out, from kindergartners through seniors. This money will be used to work with 100 students in ninth grade, which research shows is the most critical year for drop-out intervention. Lincoln has 15inth graders in the program.
“Each student costs us $1,000 for a year,” said Vickie Pucchi, vice-president for development. “Because this grant is for four years, it will enable us to work with these 100 kids all the way through high school.
“To have sustained, four-year funding is very unique, particularly in this economy,” she said.
The grants are part of AT&T’s commitment to give $100 million over the next two years to schools and non-profits focused on getting kids out of high school and ready to work.
Ritter, who announced the awards as part of his focus on education, said, “My goal is to cut the dropout rate in half in the next 10 years. This partnership with AT&T is a great example of how a community can come together to support our schools and our students.”
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
