CHOICES Champion
The CHOICES Champion brings you news and information about the CHOICES program, management tips, case studies and more. We welcome your suggestions, submissions and comments, which can be sent to info@choices.org or to your primary CHOICES contact.
CHOICES NEWS:
CHOICES Renews Partnership with Marcus Trufant Family Foundation
Marcus Trufant, Seattle Seahawks and NFL Pro Bowl cornerback, has renewed the partnership between his family foundation and CHOICES. Once again individual fans and businesses are invited to make a pledge for every tackle Marcus makes during the 2008 NFL football season and playoffs. Your contribution helps CHOICES keep more teens in school and supports the Trufant Family Foundation’s mission. Thank-you gifts are available based on your pledge level, so make a pledge today and cheer for Marcus as he tackles opposing players...and the high school dropout epidemic! Learn more at www.TacklesForTeens.org.
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CHOICES MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE MONTH
Contact Your Schools Now to Schedule Presentations
In most states school is just around the corner (and for some it has already started!) so now is the time to contact your schools to schedule fall CHOICES presentations. Call the principal and the grade level counselor (calling both increases your chances of connecting) and let them know it’s time to plan for CHOICES. Tell them you will call back in 2-3 weeks to nail down the dates…and then make that next call happen! If the school is new to CHOICES, ask for a 30-minute meeting after school one day to introduce yourself, go over the workshop and set dates for delivery. Make it easy for the schools to say yes, and you’ll be on your way! If you have any questions about scheduling workshops, contact your CHOICES representative.
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CHOICES FIELD REPORT
Santee Cooper Puts the “Power” in Youth Empowerment
Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility based in Moncks Corner, provides empowerment in the literal sense. They directly provide power to 163,000 residential customers in Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties. And because their mission is to be the state’s leading resource for improving the quality of life for the people of South Carolina, their empowerment doesn’t stop there. Since 2000, Santee Cooper has sponsored CHOICES throughout the three county area, sending their employees into the schools to empower students with the CHOICES message. They’ve done it 638 times so far, and just signed up to deliver another 120 classes beginning this fall - that’s over 19,000 students in seven years! How does a company make this kind of commitment to the community? READ MORE
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The Dropout Epidemic
- 7,000 teens become high school dropouts every school day
- High correlation with being jobless, homeless & in prison
- Earn $260,000 less than H.S. graduates over lifetime
- Cost nation $209,000 each for healthcare, welfare and crime
- We incur $1.5 billion in future losses every school day
The CHOICES Response
- Personal empowerment & personal responsibility
- Connect school to the future
- Nearly 1,000 teens served every school day
- 1,800 community volunteers in 46 states
- Cost of less than $5 per teen
The CHOICES Impact
- Over 5 million served since 1985
- 88% approval rating from students
- 97% approval rating from teachers
- 9% increase in positive engagement coincident with CHOICES
- 9% decrease in negative or non-engagement
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