Many parents don't understand the ingredients for success and they groom their children for failure. Some don't recognize what they have done until the child's behavior is beyond what they can correct on their own. We also have professionals in positions that could offer support to these parents but they often choose not to intervene. Some of the professionals don't seem to grasp the ingredients for success or they assume that parents already understand. Bright Hopes has chosen one of the simple ingredients to success (responsible school attendance) with a plan to raise awareness of one way that we can build positive character and increase the success rate for our youth.
Parent Power This project encourages parents to stay connected to their child's school progress by using Charlotte Mecklenburg School's tool called Power School. Power School allows parents to view school attendance, grades and so much more. Students do better when they know that their parent is watching. This project also assists with food support and community resources.
Bright Hopes Connect IV provides information to youth about employment guidelines for 14- and 15-year-olders. Many youths are unaware that they can get a work permit as young as age 14 and gain employment. Youth need responsible ways to earn money and to set financial goals. We encourage responsible school and work attendance.
Bright Hopes Connect III We provided snack incentives to Billingsville Elementary, Cotswold Elementary, Rama Road Elementary and McClintock Middle school to support them with encouraging responsible behavior, good attendance and or student success activities. We also provided food support to families during school winter break. School meals are not available during winter break. Many of our community’s working poor struggle to provide food to their family when school is not in session. No child should go to bed hungry.
Choices, Mental Health, Loving You and Substance Abuse Prevention. This project provides youth sessions that encourage youth to set responsible goals and to make wise decisions.
Clean clothes, running water, responsible school attendance. This project supports students in families referred by teachers or other school staff who miss school due to family situations that cause them to be unable to wash clothes. Support provided once per semester to encourage responsible school attendance when funding is available.
Nurturing students and parents into making responsible school attendance a priority.