Editor’s note: This commentary is by Mike Loner, a resident of Hinesburg and the CEO (Chief Empowerment Officer) of the DREAM Program. He is also a board member of Mobius, Vermont’s Mentoring Partnership.
[A]ccording to the Department of Education, “students who are chronically absent — meaning they miss at least 15 days of school in a year — are at serious risk of falling behind in school.” Quality education has been called the great equalizer. It is a force that can overcome differences in privilege and background. Yet, many youth from low-income backgrounds face adversities such as living in poverty, health challenges, community violence and family turmoil that make going to school every day a challenge. Chronic absenteeism is crippling their educational progress.
September is Attendance Awareness Month. This is a call for everyone — community members, parents, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses and politicians alike — to recognize the important roles that we all play in supporting youth in our communities. We must work together to raise awareness and promote ways to reduce absenteeism in schools.
The Vermont Agency of Education recently released the results of Vermont’s 2016 Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium test and for low-income youth, the data is stark. In the words of Rebecca Holcombe, the Vermont secretary of education: “Our most vulnerable youth — those living in poverty, with disabilities, from marginalized populations and who speak English as a second language — continue to have test scores that are on average lower than our general population.” This year’s results show that students from low-income backgrounds are far behind their peers. In fact, as a group, the majority of low-income youth did not achieve proficiency in any grade or subject. It is unfortunately not surprising that less than 75 percent of Vermont’s low-income youth will graduate from high school and only 9 percent of all youth living in poverty will obtain a four-year college degree.
It is unfortunately not surprising that less than 75 percent of Vermont’s low-income youth will graduate from high school and only 9 percent of all youth living in poverty will obtain a four-year college degree.
There is of course hope. Since 2005, I have served as the director of the DREAM Program, a mentoring organization that matches college student mentors with youth living in affordable housing communities throughout Vermont. I also serve as a board member for Mobius, a nonprofit that provides support for youth mentoring programs in schools and other youth development organizations across the state. I have seen firsthand the impact that mentors can have in helping youth become more engaged in their education and develop as productive students.
Research demonstrates that mentors can play a direct role in encouraging their mentees to attend school daily, to stay in school, and to explore post-secondary options after they graduate. According to national research from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and MENTOR (The National Mentoring Partnership), youth with mentors are 52 percent less likely to skip a day of school, and 55 percent more likely to enroll in college. In Vermont, the results of the 2016 Vermont Mentoring Surveys (administered annually by Mobius and mentoring programs) indicate that nearly 75 percent of active mentors are playing a direct role in their mentee’s education through tutoring, homework assistance and other means of encouraging a positive attitude toward education.
While mentoring programs in Vermont are working to support youth from all backgrounds, their focus is on serving those who are most in need of support. More than 90 percent of the 2,300 youth served by mentoring programs in the state are known to be living in poverty. At DREAM, we know how important it is for youth to have caring adults around them who have a positive attitude toward education and know how important a quality education is for youth to reach their full potential. This is one of the reasons we engage college student volunteers to be mentors. The youthful energy and positive attitudes of college students can change how a child views school. Moreover, our weekly programs mostly occur on the college campus, thus introducing DREAM youth to a college-going culture, and allowing them to envision themselves as college students. These youth are encouraged to talk about school and their future aspirations with their mentors, peers, and DREAM staff members.
There are many ways to get involved with the collective effort to help students stay engaged in school, and one of the most impactful roles you can play is volunteering as a mentor for a young person. I encourage anyone reading this to consider becoming a mentor. And doing so is easy. Please visit the Mobius website mobiusmentors.org and find a program in a school or youth development agency near you. Being a positive influence on a young person is easy and will have a huge impact on their future.
