Collective seeks to ensure teens' success in county

Representatives from a group of local agencies have been meeting to figure out how they can improve youths' futures in Cape Girardeau County.

Melissa Stickel, director of community development at United Way of Southeast Missouri, told the Success By 6 Leadership Team on Tuesday that the group, with a working title of Collective Impact in Education, has met for six months. Facilitated by United Way, it includes large and small youth-service organizations.

About 12 partners have attended the gatherings, held at 3:30 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month at the United Way office in downtown Cape Girardeau. The group's mission is shaping the community to provide an environment that encourages young people to reach their full potential.

"We want for all of us to be able to do greater work by working together," Stickel said.

The group's goals include:

* Every child will be prepared for school.

* Every child will be supported in and out of school.

* Every child will succeed academically.

* Every child will be safe, healthy and be able to cope with crises.

* Every child will graduate high school prepared for postsecondary education with career and life skills.

* All children will have the opportunity to enroll and complete postsecondary education, including career, technical or vocational training, college or military.

The five key transition markers the collective will track are kindergarten readiness, third-grade reading level, middle school transitions, high school graduation with college/career/life skills and enrollment in and completion of college and career training.

Critical mediators -- what youngsters need to make it through those transitions -- have been identified as physical, social and emotional health; parent engagement; and connectedness to people and resources, according to information from Stickel.

Program surveys also have been sent out to see which agencies are offering what services. Stickel said the survey is program-specific. Part of the mapping process is to identify any gaps.

"This is communitywide. This is not a United Way program. Right now, we're focused on Cape [Girardeau] County," she said.

The next step is to look at indicators and how to measure the collective's success, she added.

In other business, the Success By 6 Leadership Team heard that:

* Safe House for Women has started a summer reading program for children at the shelter called "Blast Off into Reading."

* The Homeless Connect event is set for Oct. 3 at the Osage Centre. The event's concept is to organize, for one day, a one-stop shop of services for people who need them most.

* A GrandFamily conference is set for Oct. 7 at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. The free event is for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Planned hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call the University of Missouri Extension Office, 243-3581.

* Youth Mental Health First Aid Training is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 7 at the University of Missouri Extension Office, 684 W. Jackson Trail, Jackson. The training is for adults working with young people.

* Kay Azuma, community coordinator of the Community Caring Council, said a May garage sale made $1,260, the most it has made. Proceeds go toward helping families referred to the Community Caring Council who have needs other agencies may not be able to meet.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

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