Latest 'City Year' Target: Philadelphia's High School Dropout Rate
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Mayor Nutter led the "oath of service" today in a high-energy event at Drexel University, during which 230 young leaders took a pledge to do a full year of service to help change the world.
That's the mission of "City Year" corps members.
The mayor was wearing team colors -- no, not a Phillies jacket, but rather the trademark red City Year Corps gear.
One of the missions this year, according to the mayor, is making further inroads into cutting Philadelphia's high school dropout rate.
"I said we needed to cut in half the high school dropout rate in this city on my first day in office," Nutter said today. "We've changed our language and now talk about an 80-plus percent graduation rate."
He says they're working on it with the help of the 17-to-24 year olds in the program who are fanning out to schools to serve as tutors, mentors, and role models, often in neighborhoods in which schools are underperforming.
"I wanted to stay in the city and give back in some way," says Sarah Sterling, 22, a University of Pennsylvania graduate who is putting in her time at Fels High School in the Northeast.
"Our data shows that our students are improving, and teachers and principals believe in partnering with us to give Philadelphia students their best chance for success," said Wyneshia Foxworth, co-executive director of City Year.
Reported by Steve Tawa, KYW Newsradio 1060
