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Middle School as Preparation for Success With their flexible structure and strong adult-youth relationships, afterschool programs are uniquely suited to motivate and prepare at-risk youth for college success. In partnership with Time Warner, Inc., PASE recently completed the first year of its College Prep Capacity Building Initiative, which increased the capacity of New York City afterschool programs to offer high-quality college preparation programs for underserved and diverse youth. The first year was a great success, but based on feedback from the programs involved and outside experts in college preparation , PASE has come to recognize the need to shift its college prep focus. In order to ensure that disadvantaged youth have the motivation and support they need to pursue and gain access to higher education, they must be reached and engaged in this process early, before they enter high school. Last minute test-preparation or assistance in assembling and submitting applications is helpful, but cannot have the impact that is needed to put these young people on the path toward college success. In order to allow afterschool programs to make this early connection, PASE has refined the College Prep Capacity Building Initiative and is relaunching it as Middle School as Preparation for Success (MAPS). While still focusing on the best practices developed in the first year of the initiative, MAPS will work with afterschool programs to enable them to motivate middle school youth and help them understand that decisions they make today will have a large impact when it comes time to apply to college. Through organizational consultations, the placement of college-age mentors, a series of workshops, and a citywide forum, MAPS will communicate information, strategies, tools, and resources on effective college preparatory program practices, while offering opportunities for networking and peer-to-peer support. These activities will build the capacity of New York’s afterschool programs to provide effective college prep activities and work to ensure that underserved young people have access to high-quality, no-cost programs that will position them to have the educational opportunities they deserve. College Prep Capacity Building In 2007-2008, in partnership with Time Warner, PASE worked intensively with 14 community-based organizations to build their capacity to offer high-quality college preparation programs for underserved and diverse youth. Through the initiative, PASE utilized a variety of modalities including workshops, best practices panels, reflections on practice, lunch and learn sessions, an in-depth institute, a citywide forum, and intensive individualized technical assistance. All of these events served to communicate information, strategies, tools, and resources on effective college preparatory program practices to the 14 pilot sites selected by PASE and Time Warner and to the field at large while also offering opportunities for networking and peer-to-peer support. These activities built the capacity of afterschool programs to provide high quality college prep programs for young people, helping them to pursue and gain access to higher education. In order to provide the most effective and comprehensive professional development possible, PASE leveraged the expertise that exists within the field, including model Time Warner grantees and other experienced college prep programs, as well as outside experts in specific topic areas and fields that support college preparation for middle and high school youth. PASE also created a College Prep Advisory Committee to guide the initiative’s development and implementation, enabling practitioners to access the knowledge and experiences of organizations with expertise in afterschool college preparation activities. To capture and disseminate all best practices in an organized way, PASE is currently completing the Guide to Effective Afterschool College Prep Programs, which will include strategies and resources for integrating key college preparation elements into existing programs. |
 
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