CHICAGO, July 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Several hundred public school students from Chicago's Austin and Humboldt Park communities are being honored by ComEd today at U.S. Cellular Field for their commitment to staying in school.
Stay in School is a partnership between ComEd, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, Youth Guidance and BUILD. The latter two organizations are leading youth agencies that provide after school programs for African-American and Latino students in at-risk communities, where dropout rates are among the highest in the city. Since the partnership's inception in 2004, more than 1,900 students have participated in Stay in School programs and not one of those students have dropped out of school.
"Nearly one-half of ninth graders in Chicago drop out of school before graduation," said Fidel Marquez, vice president of external affairs at ComEd. "Through the Stay in School program, ComEd has committed to equipping at-risk students with the critical tools needed to successfully graduate."
Students enrolled in the Stay in School initiative participate in a number of activities designed to help them successfully complete each school year, including completing personal education plans, receiving assistance with transitioning to high school and attending educational workshops. Additionally, many of the students' parents participate in sessions to learn how to support their children's educational development.
"I am so grateful to BUILD and to ComEd, who sponsors our Stay in School program," said Israel Valez, a recent eighth grade graduate of Burr Elementary School. "Because of them, I plan to go to college and take a business class. I'm glad there are people who give back to the community and don't forget about kids in need."
About 400 teachers, parents and students will participate in today's celebration at "The Cell," which will kick off with a pre-game infield parade. Students will receive special recognition on the stadium's center field video board and words of encouragement from Marquez. Students also will receive "goodie bags" filled with school supplies to prepare them for school this fall.
As part of its commitment to "education in the community," ComEd contributed $200,000 to launch the Stay in School initiative. Employees of ComEd and Exelon, its parent company, also volunteer their time to host career days and conduct tutoring and mentoring with the students. ComEd has plans to expand the Stay in School program to Chicago's Southside and Rockford when the 2006-2007 school year begins.
Schools Participating in "Stay in School"
Austin
-- Austin High School
-- Douglass Middle School
-- Tilton Elementary School
Humboldt Park
-- Wells High School
-- Kelvyn Park High School
-- Clemente High School
-- Noble Street Charter High School
-- Ames Elementary School
-- Burr Elementary School
-- Chopin Elementary School
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation , one of the nation's largest electric utilities with approximately 5.2 million customers and more than $15 billion in annual revenues. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.7 million customers across Northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population.
