Exelon, ComEd and United Way of Metropolitan Chicago will kick off the eighth year of their Stay in School Initiative on Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Museum of Science and Industry. The kickoff event will highlight the program’s success with the unveiling of the 2013 Report Card, which will report students’ graduation and promotion rates during the last school year. NBC-5 anchor/reporter Rob Elgas will address participating students about the importance of education and preparing for life after high school.
A sneak peek at this year’s Report Card:
- 92 percent of Stay in School seniors graduated from high school, compared to the CPS graduation rate of 65 percent in 2013.
- 85 percent of Stay in School students were promoted to the next grade.
- 90 percent of Stay in School students improved at least one letter grade in core courses, such as math, science and English.
- 78 percent of Stay in School students participated in postsecondary education activities, such as college and ACT prep activities.
Exelon and ComEd collaborated with United Way and local community partners to create the Stay in School Initiative in 2004. The program, which has served students from the Austin and Humboldt Park/West Town neighborhoods, is expanding this year to include students from Bridgeport, Chinatown, Cicero, Greater Grand Crossing and North Lawndale. Stay in School Initiative offers students and their families a holistic menu of programs, including tutoring, social services, leadership and social engagement, parental workshops and one-on-one mentoring by employee volunteers from Exelon and its subsidiary, ComEd, in a seven-month workshop series.
