Photo Courtesy: Summit Education Initiative
Recent event helps visualize Cradle to Career Continuum
— Simply put, three “P’s” describe the individual we want our children to grow up to be: “Prepared, Passionate and Persistent.”
Thanks to the work of Summit Education Initiative (SEI), we know it takes a lot of prepared, passionate and persistent adults to help make that reality for more of the 77,000 school-age students in Summit County.
SEI recently hosted its fifth annual “Their Success Is Our Success” event, titled “Climbing Toward 48,000 Degrees.” Presented by Huntington Bank, SEI launched the Cradle to Career Experience – a program designed to demonstrate the impact of educational attainment. Staff members asked volunteers to simulate the full program by moving up and down a staircase representing the Cradle to Career Continuum and the six critical transition points students encounter during their academic career.
“The goal of the experience is to get into the prosperity zone – or to get as close as you can – after we move through all six transition points,” said Derran Wimer, SEI executive director. “The prosperity zone represents greater access to health care, career advancement, safe neighborhood living and leisure activities.”
Photo Courtesy: Summit Education Initiative
Based on the student data SEI analyzes, the organization knows how student performance in early transition points affects future student performance and how educational attainment eventually affects quality of life.
“We know students who are ready for success in kindergarten are more than twice as likely to read on grade level in the coming years than students who are not kindergarten ready,” Wimer said. “Roughly two-thirds of children in Summit County enter kindergarten ready for success.”
Moving on to third grade, only about 56 percent of Summit County students scored proficient or higher on Ohio’s new, more challenging third grade reading assessments in spring 2016.
While it is difficult to define an “on track for success” score at this time, SEI has found that students who exceed minimum standards before the end of third grade will meet with success for years to come.
Although SEI’s work involves efforts to improve student outcomes for all six transition points, the organization encourages community members to step up and provide interventions for students who need the most help.
From tutoring young students in reading or mentoring high school juniors and seniors, to joining SEI’s Rubber City Math Teachers’ Circle or offering an internship to an underprivileged yet successful student, there are so many ways to help move the needle.
To sign-up your team for the full 90-minute Cradle to Career Experience, contact Lindsay Ridinger at [email protected].
Visit www.seisummit.org/scorecard for more Summit County student data on each transition point along SEI’s Cradle to Career Continuum. Individuals may also learn more about SEI’s work and ways to get involved at www.seisummit.org.
