Career & College Clubs To Launch in Compton Unified School District

Online, January 9, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Career & College Clubs, an initiative that empowers middle grade youth to succeed in high school, college, and life, will launch at Willowbrook Middle School in the Compton Unified School District this month. Willowbrook will be the first school in Compton Unified to offer this program, which motivates students to stay in school, achieve academic success and consider all of their postsecondary options, including college.

Research by ACT, Inc. found that students who completed the Career & College Clubs program are more likely to take college preparatory courses in high school and aspire to a four-year post-secondary degree. The enthusiasm seventh graders have towards college diminishes by the time they reach ninth grade. Thus, Career & College Clubs has aimed its curriculum at the impressionable middle school level to maintain enthusiasm and motivation for academic achievement and college.

"As a key transition point in the lives of young people, middle school is the perfect opportunity for modest investments to have big results," said Quentin Wilson, president and CEO, ALL Management Corporation, the nonprofit organization that developed Career & College Clubs. "We look forward to partnering with Compton Unified and working with Willowbrook students to demonstrate the value of staying in school and achieving academic success."

"Principal Dennis Perry and his team at Willowbrook should be commended for their leadership and commitment to preparing their students for college and career success. A recent survey of our parents revealed strong support for additional college and career preparation at the middle grade level," said Dewayne Davis, Compton Unified's senior director of curriculum and instruction. "Willowbrook's efforts are an important part of the District's overall plans for improving student outcomes."

Established more than five years ago, the Career & College Clubs curriculum has proven to be highly effective in motivating kids to attend college and helping them achieve academic success. The peer-to-peer program is designed to give students leadership roles by letting them lead activities and projects such as creating their own high school course schedule that meets college admissions requirements and going through a simulated college admissions process.

Career & College Clubs is a turnkey solution that can be implemented with minimal effort and maintenance. The organization provides the curriculum, professional development, and ongoing support to ensure the program's success. In most cases, a single staff person can guide a successful club in just two to three hours per week. Career & College Clubs can be implemented during a regular class session, lunch, or before or after school, with the ability to scale up or down depending on student population.

For more information about Career & College clubs, visit www.careerandcollegeclubs.org.

About Career & College Clubs

Career & College Clubs is a peer-to-peer program focused exclusively on empowering middle school students with the knowledge, life skills, and motivation to succeed in high school, college, and life. The curriculum is aligned with Common Core State Standards and the American School Counselor Association National Standards for Students. For more information, visit www.careerandcollegeclubs.org.