Get Involved

Collective Impact in Indy

Collective impact has been defined as "the commitment of a group of important actors from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem." American Graduate, through its community-based dialogue, collaboration, and problem solving, is an experiment in collective impact. As community members work together to transform the educational experience and keep students in school, the community will strengthen and become more effective. Here are some ways that the Indianapolis and Marion County community can be engaged in the dropout crisis:

Think about the issues facing the young people in your community.
Talk to other community members, students, teachers, and parents about what is going on, and what needs to be done.
Become a mentor! Indianapolis has more than 75 mentoring organizations dedicated to helping youth reach success.
Volunteer in your neighborhood school or youth-serving organization.
Get informed about the climate for education reform, the dropout crisis, and the Indianapolis educational system.

Resources

For Parents and Guardians

Studies have shown that every student needs at least three caring adults in their lives in order to be successful, and parents and guardians are often in the best position to fill this role.

So what can parents and guardians do to ensure that their student graduates?

Enroll your child in out of school programming.
Connect your child with a mentor or tutor. Indianapolis has many mentoring organizations dedicated to helping youth succeed. Search for a mentoring program near you.
Demonstrate the importance of attendance. The first step to getting a diploma is showing up!
Ask them about school – one of the leading reasons for dropping out in Indiana is that students feel that no one cares. Show them that this isn't true.
Check out the national organizations leading the movement to address the dropout crisis, including America's Promise Alliance's Grad Nation campaign, the Alliance for Excellent Education, and the work being done by other American Graduate communities.

For Students and Current Dropouts

Students: you have the power to choose your own future. Make your own success. Here are some ways to tell the world that you're not just a statistic:

Join an out of school program – whether it's choir, art club, a local community center, or a sports team, it's been proven that extracurricular activities keep you in school!
Find a tutor or mentor. Indy has many mentoring programs, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, United Way of Central Indiana, and Starfish Initiative, and there are many more that can be found through your school, church, or neighborhood.
Already dropped out? It's not too late to get your diploma – check out Indy's dropout recovery schools, including Christel House DORS and The Excel Center, both schools for adults ages 18+ who want to get a high school diploma.
If you're under 18 and you've dropped out, there's a chance you can still re-enroll. All it takes is a phone call or email to your school district or local charter schools.

For Community Members

The Indianapolis community showed its strength in collaboration with the success of the Super Bowl – and that cooperative power can be used to address the dropout crisis, too. Check out these local organizations that are dedicated to Indy's students!