Translate to Spanish/Español, Mongolian or other language
PROJECT AIM
Increase the economic, social, and cultural capital of disadvantaged communities in Central Oregon through increasing high school graduation rates and college enrollment rates of Native American and Afrocentric students.
 
Central Oregon Community College (COCC) operates culturally-specific college preparation programs focused on Latinx, Native American, and Afrocentric students. These programs are composed of 1) summer symposiums and 2) culturally-specific college preparation courses taught by coordinators at local high schools. The programs focus on high schools with a high proportion of low-income students. While these programs have a strong record of drastically improving high school graduation rates, they are mostly funded through grants, and funding is currently needed for several of the programs. COCC seeks funding from COHC for 1) a Native American college preparation program coordinator to provide culturally-specific assistance to targeted Central Oregon high schools, and 2) a summer symposium at COCC for Afrocentric high school students. Without funding, these proven programs will not occur or be severely limited for the 2021/2022 school year and will leave students without the support they need.

2020-2024 Regional Health Improvement Plan Priority Area

Address Poverty and Enhance
Self-Sufficiency

Future State Measure

Increase graduation rates among youth experiencing economic disadvantage.

Project Details

Priority Area and Organizations Involved

What We Want to Accomplish

 
Native American and African American students in Central Oregon live in poverty at higher rates than other  members of the community. Additionally, high school graduation and college enrollment rates for Native American and African American students is much lower than the State average. Our existing programs have proven to dramatically increase high school graduation and college enrollment rates, and this project will eventually lead to better economic outcomes and improve high school graduation rates for these communities. The project will focus on high schools where a large percentage of students are low-income (eligible for free or reduced lunch) including Redmond High School, Redmond Proficiency Academy, Madras High School, Bridges Career and Technical High School, and the The Roots campus of Bridges Career and Technical High School in Warm Springs. These programs represent some of the very few culturally-specific educational programs in Central Oregon, especially for Afrocentric and Native American students.
We partner with existing culturally-specific programs such as Juntos and Papalaxsimisha to ensure we are not duplicating services. These programs, for instance, tend to focus on educational attainment for Latinx and Native-American middle school students (respectively), and we complement their work by focusing on high school students and offering college credit for participation.
 

Project Description

 
Funding for the Native American college preparation program (The Good Road) will staff the college preparation  coordinator and associated operational costs of the program through August 2022. The coordinator will conduct two (Fall 2021 and Spring 2022) college-prep courses offered in local high schools that prepare Native American students for success in high school, college and beyond. Through a culturally-relevant curriculum, these courses emphasize academic success strategies, leadership development, and cultural knowledge and pride. They also  introduce students to college resources, scholarship writing and financial literacy. Students earn a college credit for each course completed. The Native American program is currently offered in five high schools and serves approximately 40-60 students annually. The program has led to a 98% high school graduation rate for participating students, a rate that surpasses the State graduation rate for Native American students. Additionally, approximately 76% of the students in the program go on to college.
The project will also fund a summer symposium for Afrocentric high school students that will occur in Summer 2022. The Afrocentric symposium will model the existing Latinx (Ganas) and Native (STRIVE) symposiums. The symposium will be free to students and allow students to live on campus for four days, and work with College faculty, staff, and student mentors. They will learn valuable skills in library research, explore career options in science and technology, engage in cultural exploration, and become familiar with the process of applying to college  and securing financial aid. Family will be invited to a welcome lunch, closing celebration, and are welcome throughout the experience as a means to connect with the college, the students, and the community. The symposiums for Latinx and Native students have shown to increase high school graduation rates and college enrollment rates, and we expect the Afro Centric symposium to have similar results.
These two programs build off a strong record of improving high school graduation rates at schools with large percentages of low-income students. The programs are needed more than ever following the impacts of COVID-19 to ensure at-risk students stay on the path to successful high school completion.
 

Equity and This Project

This project is culturally and linguistically relevant for prioritized youth by including curriculum that features cultural contributions, as well as addressing disparities these communities face. Speakers who identify with the  respective cultures engage with students in an effort to demonstrate that their cultural backgrounds should be  celebrated. By including representation, youth can see themselves as contributing members of the communities they live in. They are encouraged to have pride in who they are and bring their culture into the classroom. The programs meet the needs of economically disadvantaged youth by exposing them to resources they would otherwise not have access to. The programs are at zero cost to the students. They receive all of the materials, college credit, and access to scholarships, mentorships, etc. at no cost. The summer symposium is also free for students to attend. Traditionally, this includes housing, meals, supplies, and transportation.
In planning, adapting and implementing the Native American college preparation program, we work closely with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Education and Culture and Heritage Departments, Warm Springs  Community Action Team, and the Papalaxsimisha Program. For the Afrocentric summer symposium, we work closely with several community-based organizations in developing the program including the Central Oregon Black Leaders Assembly, The Father's Group, Embrace Bend, and Complex(ion) Magazine. These partnerships and  participation in on-going community meetings through these groups helps ensure that our programs are community-led and remain relevant to the students we serve. Additionally, college students representing the communities we serve are used as mentors and guides during campus visits and the summer symposiums. Our programs represent some of very few culturally-specific educational programs in Central Oregon.
 Equity
 
Objectives
Increase enrollment in the Native American college preparation program and high school graduation rates of students enrolled in that program.
 
 
Increase high school graduation rates of students enrolled in the Afrocentric summer symposium.
 
 
 
Reporting Timeline
A progress report will be available February 2022.
Please check back under "What We're Learning" to see the outcomes of this project after the final report is submitted in October 2022.