National nonprofit America's Promise Alliance has hosted more than 100 GradNation summits across the United States. During the summits, each community addresses its unique barriers to student success.
In Greater Detroit, the issues are plentiful and complex. Legislative battles, poverty and other social factors, quality of facilities, and safety of neighborhoods and schools affect many schools.
America's Promise Senior Director of Community Engagement Chrystal Morris Murphy recalled that in 2012, when Detroit's first GradNation summit was held, the primary focus in Greater Detroit was on graduating more kids from high school. That's still the organization's primary goal — specifically, to reach a national graduation rate of 90 percent by the year 2020.
Students at GradNation agreed, stating that mentoring programs are crucial to their success after high school.
But Ladell Watson, a junior at River Rouge High School, said great programs in schools only work if students take advantage.
United Way for Southeastern Michigan and its partners have worked for years on education issues in Greater Detroit. Since 2008, the focus has been on improving graduation rates – especially in a network of 15 schools that were identified as struggling to graduate students.
Looking forward, that work will center not just on graduating more students, but ensuring their success after graduation.
Education Achievement Authority of Michigan Chancellor Veronica Conforme agreed. She said schools need to show kids all of their options and guide them to the path best for them.
Educator and scholar Dr. Robert Simmons III, who was the keynote speaker for Detroit's GradNation Summit, drove that point home. He said adults need to help youth in whatever ways they can, whether they work in education or not.
Herman acknowledged that work done by United Way and its partners is about more than what happens in schools.
The work is crucial to making sure an entire generation of students is prepared to lead our world, Robert said.