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National Dropout Prevention Network Recognizes Nine Graduates of Its National Dropout Prevention Specialist Certification Program

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National Dropout Prevention Network Recognizes Nine Graduates of Its National Dropout Prevention Specialist Certification Program

Four Graduates Presented Certificates at the 2016 At Risk Youth FORUM in Myrtle Beach, SC

Clemson, SC (February 16, 2016)—The National Dropout Prevention Network (NDPN) recognized the nine graduates of its National Dropout Prevention Specialist (NDPS) certification program during its 2016 national conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Four graduates were present at the conference to accept plaque certificates: Marina Leonidas, Truancy Court Specialist for Charlotte-Mecklinburg Schools in North Carolina; Dr. Patrick O’Connor, Associate Professor at Kent State (Ohio) School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies; LeAnn Stewart, Vice President of Curriculum and Instruction for AdvancePath Academics; and Dr. C. Wayne Lovell, Superintendent of Mountain Education Charter High School in Georgia.

Five additional graduates are Dr. Emily Freeland, Regional Support Coordinator for the Alabama State Department of Education; Sonja Bens Harrison, Director, Administrative Services for McKinney ISD, Texas; Randal Ellison, Coordinator of Student Discipline and Educational Opportunities for Illinois School District U-46; Dr. Tamera L. Foley, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, Clayton County Public Schools in GA; and Seith M. Bedard, Director, Simon Youth Foundation’s Peabody Learning Academy, Massachusetts.

Implemented in 2014, the National Dropout Prevention Specialist (NDPS) certification program verifies participant knowledge and expertise in at-risk youth issues and strategies for increasing graduation rates. The certification program is open to all professionals who work with or on behalf of students, including educators, counselors, school https://dropoutprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/C.W.-Gardenhire-pic.jpgistrators, at-risk youth workers, and board of education members.

“We are honored to recognize the nine graduates of the National Dropout Prevention Specialist Certification Program at the 2016 At Risk Youth National FORUM and to present four of the graduates their certificates in person along with our congratulations” said Dr. Sandy Addis, Director of the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N). “The certification program is growing quickly based on the positive responses from participants, applicability to dropout prevention strategies, and a connection to the most effective, research-based strategies for decreasing the nation’s dropout rates.”

All NDPS certification program participants attend professional development workshops at the At-Risk Youth National FORUM and other conferences. Workshops required for the certification are based on the NDPC/N’s 15 Effective Strategies for Dropout Prevention framework, which is comprised of fifteen recommendations in the categories of School and Community Perspective; Early Interventions; Basic Core Strategies; and Making the Most of Instruction.

Participants also submit to the NDPC/N Model Program Database or provide a field project report detailing an effective dropout prevention initiative they designed or in which they are involved.

“Currently, we have close to 300 practitioners enrolled in our National Dropout Prevention Specialist Certification Program, with more enrolling every month,” said Dr. Addis. “It is our goal and mission to continue to increase the number of program graduates who are engaged in providing students, districts, and agencies with up-to-date, effective interventions that support students.”

For additional information on the NDPS certification program or to enroll, visit the NDPC/N Web site at www.dropoutprevention.org and look for the National Dropout Prevention Specialist certification program link on the “Services and Certifications” dropdown menu.

About the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N)

Established in 1986 with a mission to reduce dropout rates, the NDPC/N shares solutions for student success and dropout prevention through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and a variety of professional development activities and conferences. The organization’s Web site—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging and supporting students to reduce dropout rates and increase high school graduation rates. The NDPC/N is housed in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education at Clemson University, Clemson, SC.

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Graduates of the National Dropout Prevention Specialists Certification Program receive their certificates from Dr. Sandy Addis at the 2016 At Risk Youth National FORUM in Myrtle Beach, SC. Pictured are (L to R) Dr. Sandy Addis, Director, National Dropout Prevention Center/Network; Marina Leonidas, Charlotte-Mecklinburg Schools; Dr. C. Wayne Lovell, Mountain Education Charter High School; Dr. Patrick O’Connor, Kent State University; and LeAnn Stewart, AdvancePath Academics.
Graduates of the National Dropout Prevention Specialists Certification Program receive their certificates from Dr. Sandy Addis at the 2016 At Risk Youth National FORUM in Myrtle Beach, SC. Pictured are (L to R) Dr. Sandy Addis, Director, National Dropout Prevention Center/Network; Marina Leonidas, Charlotte-Mecklinburg Schools; Dr. C. Wayne Lovell, Mountain Education Charter High School; Dr. Patrick O’Connor, Kent State University; and LeAnn Stewart, AdvancePath Academics.

Rev. James Davis Receives the Governor and Mrs. Richard W Riley Award For Excellence in Dropout Prevention

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REV. JAMES DAVIS RECEIVES THE GOVERNOR AND MRS. RICHARD W. RILEY AWARD of EXCELLENCE IN DROPOUT PREVENTION

Clemson, S.C. (February 16, 2016) – Rev. James F. Davis of Ware Shoals, South Carolina, is the 2016 recipient of the Governor and Mrs. Richard W. Riley Award of Excellence in Dropout Prevention. Each year, at the At-Risk Youth National FORUM in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University presents the Riley Award to a South Carolinian who has made a significant contribution to improving high school graduation rates. The award is given in honor of Governor and Mrs. Richard W. Riley because of their many years of service and contributions to the school success of South Carolina’s youth. As Governor and First Lady of South Carolina, the Rileys led the state through an era of successful school improvement. Governor Riley later served as Secretary of Education in the Clinton https://dropoutprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/C.W.-Gardenhire-pic.jpgistration and was instrumental in founding the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University.

The Riley Award was presented to Rev. James Davis because of his aggressive and creative leadership of dropout prevention initiatives in the Ware Shoals community. Rev. Davis currently serves as the pastor of Dunn Creek Baptist Church in Ware Shoals, South Carolina. Rev. Davis also works as a school bus driver and substitute teacher for Ware Shoals School District 51. Rev. Davis was born in Dillon, South Carolina, and graduated from Butler High School in Hartsville, South Carolina. He is a 1977 graduate of South Carolina State University. After college, Rev. Davis served as Lieutenant in the United States Army for 11 years. Following his military service, Rev. Davis worked as an addictions counselor for the Greenville County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse for 11 years.

While Rev. Davis’ work as a minister, counselor and community servant has always provided valuable assistance to at-risk youth, he became aggressively involved in dropout prevention after attending a district-wide meeting of educators and community leaders on the issue in 2013. Rev. Davis made school success and high school graduation the theme his church’s youth ministry. He invited school and community leaders to church youth events to encourage school success. He made parents, grandparents and family support figures in his church aware of the dropout problem and taught them strategies for supporting their children to succeed in school and to graduate. Under the leadership of Rev. Davis, Dunn Creek Baptist Church has hosted numerous youth events that communicate the stay-in-school message and support the school success of children in the Ware Shoals community.

Rev. Davis creatively spreads the message of school success beyond his ministry at Dunn Creek Baptist Church. He leads a group of church and community members who regularly attend local school board meetings and offer support and assistance to school system leadership to improve graduation rates. As a school bus driver, Rev. Davis drives “Bus #8” and all his young passengers know and share the bus motto, “You ride Bus Eight, be Good, be Great and you will graduate!!!” A student said of Rev. Davis, “I don’t know where my life would be headed without his example and guidance.” The graduation rate of Ware Shoals School District 51 is showing significant improvement as a result of the schools and community working together. Rev. James Davis, as a leader in the faith community, has guided adults to assist students in school success and to support the school system’s graduation rate improvement efforts. In Ware Shoals, the community sends a loud message of school success and expectation of graduation to its children. That message is in large part due to the dedication and creativity of Rev. James F. Davis.

Sandy Addis, Director of The National Dropout Prevention Center, said, “Rev. Davis shows us how the faith community can be mobilized to support student success and high school graduation. We know that schools alone can’t solve the dropout problem. The whole community must communicate high expectations to our youth. Determined and creative community members like Rev. Davis are critical in this effort. Every community needs a James Davis to support higher graduation outcomes for students.”

“Rev. Davis is an ideal choice for the Gov. and Mrs. Richard W. Riley Award of Excellence in Dropout Prevention,” said George J. Petersen, founding dean of Clemson’s Eugene T. Moore School of Education. “His work illustrates the importance of schools and communities working together to improve life outcomes for students, and we are pleased to honor his work, which is consistent with the School of Education’s mission to meet and address the needs of underserved communities and schools.”

About the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N)

Established in 1986 with a mission to reduce dropout rates, the NDPC/N shares solutions for student success and dropout prevention through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and a variety of professional development activities and conferences. The organization’s website—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. The NDPC/N is housed in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina.

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WebRevJames
Rev. James F. Davis, of Ware Shoals, SC, accepts the National Dropout Prevention Center’s 2016 Governor and Mrs. Richard W. Riley Award of Excellence in Dropout Prevention from Center Director Dr. Sandy Addis. (Pictured L to R) Dr. Sandy Addis; Rev. and Mrs. James F. Davis; Rev. Davis’ sister; and Dr. Fay Sprouse, Superintendent, Ware Shoals School District 51.

Huffington Post Blog Post on the Importance of Mentoring

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“Research has shown that young adults at-risk for dropping out of high school, but with a mentor, are 55 percent more likely to enroll in college and 78 percent more likely to give back to their communities than their peers who didn’t have a mentor.”

TOYOTA USA Grant and NDPN Grant in Kentucky

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“Two Franklin County schools will share in a $1.5 million grant from the National Dropout Prevention Network to increase student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and manufacturing (STEAM) careers, Superintendent Chrissy Jones reported late Wednesday.”

Clemson initiatives aim to transform education in the Palmetto State

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From Clemson Newsstand: “Like literacy, a high school level education is a critical asset that enables citizens to positively influence their communities. Housed in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education, the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N) helps keep students in the classroom by developing and sharing strategies, resources and research with educators in South Carolina and across the U.S.”

Kentucky Career Education to Receive Grant from Toyota USA Foundation

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Clemson, S.C. (January 26, 2016) – Kentucky is one of three states that will share a $1.5 million grant recently awarded to the National Dropout Prevention Network to increase student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and manufacturing careers. The three-year-long project is designed to engage students underrepresented in STEM and manufacturing, with a long-term goal of higher graduation rates and a more educated, skilled, diverse and motivated workforce.

Kentucky students are among thousands of students in three states that were selected for the program, which also includes schools in urban New York City and rural Mississippi. Three organizations—The National Dropout Prevention Network, WIN Learning, and LightSwitch Learning—are partnering with the Toyota USA Foundation to implement the project.

“One of the National Dropout Prevention Network’s goals for the project is ensuring that every student graduates high school and is ready for college and career, and this program fits perfectly into that goal. We greatly appreciate Toyota USA Foundation’s commitment to providing career and educational opportunities to Kentucky students,” said Dr. Sandy Addis, National Dropout Prevention Center/Network Director.

The schools will use an online, Web-based career exploration and discovery of pathways system that will develop students’ college and career readiness skills and will assist them in obtaining certificates. Content, aligned with the 16 nationally recognized career clusters and other standards, will focus on manufacturing-related careers and STEM.

The program responds to a national crisis of under-skilled workers and mismatched skills between workers and 21st century workplaces. Strategies to increase graduation rates will also be a focus of the project.

“The Toyota USA Foundation is proud to support the National Dropout Prevention Network’s work to help students discover and explore their interests in manufacturing and STEM fields. By helping students cultivate these 21st century skills, we can help set them up for success in college and careers as well as strengthen the American manufacturing field overall.” said Michael Rouse, Toyota USA Foundation President.

Student participants will benefit from skills development, nationally recognized credentials and development of career plans. Teachers also will be trained to better understand real-world applications of what they teach, to serve as career mentors, to use educational technology, and to continue in those roles after the project period.

The project’s goal is to improve the graduation rates of participating schools by introducing middle school and freshman and sophomore high school students to the world of STEM and manufacturing, using online resources that can be used with existing individual graduation plans.

The following Kentucky schools have been selected for the Toyota grant project:

  • Bryan Station High School in the Fayette County School District
  • Scott County High School in the Scott County School District
  • Cardinal Academy in the Scott County School District
  • Scott County 9th Grade School in the Scott County School District
  • Franklin County High School in the Franklin County School District
  • The Academy in the Franklin County School District

 

About the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N)

Established in 1986 with a mission to reduce dropout rates, the NDPC/N shares solutions for student success and dropout prevention through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and a variety of professional development activities and conferences. The organization’s website—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. The NDPC/N is housed in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina.

 

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For Additional Information Contact:

Lynn Dunlap
Public Information Director
National Dropout Prevention Center/Network
Phone: 864-656-2678
Email: ldunlap@clemson.edu

U.S. High School Graduation Rate Hits New Record High

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From the U.S. Department of Education: “U.S. students are graduating from high school at a higher rate than ever before, according to data released today by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. The nation’s high school graduation rate hit 82 percent in 2013-14, the highest level since states adopted a new uniform way of calculating graduation rates five years ago.”

Orange Bowl Rivals Join Forces on Native American Education

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Clemson University and the University of Oklahoma may be intense rivals in college football, particularly this year with the Capital One Orange Bowl at stake. But they are partners in what arguably is a more important arena: reducing the dropout rate of Native American high school students. Clemson’s National Dropout Prevention Center will be in Oklahoma City March 6-9, 2016, working with local partners to host the “National Forum on Dropout Prevention: Serving Native Students and Tribal Communities.” Read Pearl Stewart’s story about the partnership in Diverse Issues in Higher Education at http://diverseeducation.com/article/79792/. For more information about the conference, see https://dropoutprevention.org/conferences/2016-national-forum-dropout-prevention-native-tribal-communities/

National Dropout Prevention Network Celebrates First Graduates of Its National Dropout Prevention Specialist Certification Program

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National Dropout Prevention Network Celebrates First Graduates of Its National Dropout Prevention Specialist Certification Program

Two Middle Georgia Educators Continue Efforts in Combatting Dropout

Clemson, SC—The National Dropout Prevention Network (NDPN) recognized the first two graduates of its National Dropout Prevention Specialist (NDPS) certification program during its recent national conference in San Antonio, TX. These first two program completers are Dr. Charlene Hampton, GEAR Project Director for Jones County Schools in Gray, GA; and Ms. Melinda Faye Williams, Director of the Upson-Lee Learning Academy in Thomaston, GA.

The NDPS certification program was announced in November 2014 at NDPN’s national conference in Louisville, KY, and inaugurated at NDPN’s February 2015 At-Risk Youth National Forum in Myrtle Beach, SC. The NDPS certification verifies participant knowledge and expertise in at-risk youth issues and strategies for increasing graduation rates. The certification program is open to all professionals who work with or on behalf of students, including educators, counselors, school https://dropoutprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/C.W.-Gardenhire-pic.jpgistrators, at-risk youth workers, and board of education members.

“It was our honor to recognize Dr. Hampton and Ms. Williams as the first of our certified dropout prevention specialists, and to personally present them with their certificates,” said Dr. Sandy Addis, Director of the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N). “The certification program is among the most important initiatives our organization provides, and helps to ensure that those who are engaged in educating students are informed, current, and connected to the most effective, research-based strategies for decreasing the nation’s dropout rates.”

As NDPS certification program participants, Dr. Hampton and Ms. Williams attended professional development workshops at the 2015 At-Risk Youth National Forum and the organization’s September 2015 Diploma Planning Institute in Biloxi, MS. All workshops required for the certification are based on the NDPC/N’s 15 Effective Strategies for Dropout Prevention framework, which is comprised of fifteen recommendations in the categories of School and Community Perspective; Early Interventions; Basic Core Strategies; and Making the Most of Instruction.

To secure their certification, participants are also required to submit to the NDPC/N Model Program Database or provide a field project report detailing an effective dropout prevention initiative in which they are involved or which they designed. Dr. Hampton and Ms. Williams both work with Upson-Lee Learning Academy’s GEAR (Gateway to Education Achievement and Reengagement) program and thus submitted a joint field project report on dropout prevention and intervention efforts through that program. GEAR is the local title of a program funded through the U.S. Department of Education’s High School Graduation Initiative operating in Jones, Greene, and Upson (GA) counties.

“It is my calling to assist students in improving their lives academically,” said Ms. Williams. “The NDPS certification will enhance my ability to intervene on behalf of students who are in danger of, or considering, dropping out. Many of our students need encouragement, direction, and information on the alternatives available to them so that they can earn their high school diploma.”

Dr. Hampton stated, “The certification program validates the work I’ve done over the past two decades with at-risk students. I enrolled so that I could benefit from the valuable strategies provided that will help struggling students, as well as parents and fellow teachers who want educational success for their children and students.”

Both graduates will add their NDPS certification to impressive educational backgrounds. Ms. Williams holds an EdS degree in educational leadership and an MS in education, both from Troy State University in Phoenix City, AL; and a BA in human services from Mercer University, in Macon, GA. Dr. Hampton earned her EdS and EdD in educational leadership from Argosy University in Sarasota, FL; an MS in education https://dropoutprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/C.W.-Gardenhire-pic.jpgistration and supervision from Albany State University in Albany, GA; and a BS in home economics education from Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, GA.

“Currently, we have close to 200 practitioners enrolled in our National Dropout Prevention Specialist certification program, with more enrolling every month,” said Dr. Addis. “It is our goal and mission to continue to increase the number of foot soldiers nationwide who are engaged in providing students, districts, and agencies with up-to-date, effective interventions that support students as they work to obtain their high school diplomas.”

For additional information on the NDPS certification program or to enroll, visit the NDPC/N Web site at www.dropoutprevention.org and look for the National Dropout Prevention Specialist certification program link on the “Services and Certifications” dropdown menu.

About the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N)

Established in 1986 with a mission to reduce dropout rates, the NDPC/N shares solutions for student success and dropout prevention through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and a variety of professional development activities and conferences. The organization’s Web site—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging and supporting students to reduce dropout rates and increase high school graduation rates. The NDPC/N is housed in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education at Clemson University, Clemson, SC.

WilliamsAddisHamptonNDPSgrad
Dr. Sandy Addis (center) Director of the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N), is pictured with Ms. Melinda Faye Williams (left) and Dr. Charlene Hampton (right), the first recipients of NDPC/N’s National Dropout Prevention Specialist certification.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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