Money Available to Help Increase Northfield Graduation Rates

Is there anything better than kids helping kids to help kids?

The Mayor's Youth Council, a group of mayor-appointed Northfield juniors and seniors, is handing out $2,000 in grants to fund projects that promote graduation and increase graduation rates.

The money comes from the Council's successful campaign to have Northfield named one of America’s Promise Alliance’s 100 Best Communities for Young People, the third time Northfield has received the honor.

“It was nice to hear that all of our efforts was making a difference and moving forward with our community and building a great place for kids to grow up,” said Katie Bull, a senior and member of the MYC.

Bull says the Council plans to hand out three $500 grants.

The other $500 will likely be given to Tackling Obstacles and Raising College Hopes, better known as TORCH, a program that works to improve graduation rates and post-secondary participation of Northfield’s minority and low-income students and those who would be first-generation college attendees.

Advocates say the program has been the catalyst behind the increase in graduation rates for Northfield Latino high school students, which went from 36 percent in 2001-2004 to more than 90 percent last school year, according to . Overall, the district usually has a graduation rate greater than 96 percent, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Bull says TORCH's mission reflects what the MYC is tasked with supporting, but said there are myriad programs in Northfield that are worthy of the money, including Growing Up Healthy, the and , among others.

“We have tons and tons of other programs in this town, so we’re really blessed,” she said.

The application is designed to be short and easy to complete and focuses on long-term efforts and sustainability toward increasing graduation rates as this grant money is a one-time payment. Applications are due Jan. 27.

A decision on grant recipients is expected by early February with the money to be used by the beginning of August, Bull said. 

Applying to be considered a top youth community again and disbursing the grants were just a way for the MYC to get the ball rolling on what they hope to be strong advocacy years to come.

Last year, Bull said, the group did good things, “but I don’t think we did as much as we could have.”

This year, notes America’s Promise Alliance, appears to be different.

“In a nation where 7,000 students drop out of high school every day, we hope Northfield’s initiatives inspire other communities across the nation to take action to solve the challenges facing their young people,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, America’s Promise Alliance president and CEO. “Northfield refuses to let the challenges they face determine the future for their young people. Instead, they are helping their youth prosper and become contributing members of society.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit the MYC website at northfieldyouth.org