THE PEER POWER FOUNDATION INC

PEER POWER FOUNDATION DIRECTLY INVESTS IN MID-SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS. IT RECRUITS, TRAINS, AND PLACES COLLEGE SUCCESS COACHES IN THE CLASSROOM FOR REAL TIME HELP WHEN A STUDENT NEEDS IT. THE COACHES ARE PLACED IN THE MATH, SCIENCE, AND ENGLISH CLASSES WHERE KIDS OFTEN STRUGGLE, BECOME PROBLEMATIC AND WITHDRAW FROM LEARNING AND EVEN DROP OUT OF SCHOOL. SCHOOLS WITH PEER POWER SUCCESS COACHES HAVE 8-10% HIGHER GRADUATION RATES. TO BE A SUCCESS COACH IS TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL JOB WHICH REQUIRES SUBSTANTIVE EXPERTISE IN MATH, SCIENCE, AND ENGLISH. ADDITIONALLY, IT REQUIRES A MINDSET OF SERVICE, HUMILITY AND URGENCY. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)WE PARTNER WITH THE TEACHERS, SCHOOLS, AND PARENTS TO MENTOR, MODEL AND MOTIVATE YOUNG AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN SOCIOECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED NEIGHBORHOODS. THE 75% OF STUDENTS WE SERVE ARE IN FAMILIES AT OR BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. SINCE 2004 WE HAVE TUTORED MORE THAN 1,600,000 HOURS IMPACTING 35,000 CHILDREN. THE SUCCESS COACH IS OFTEN A FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT. PEER POWER'S TRAINING, AND CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND EARNING MODEL PRODUCES OUTSTANDING RESULTS. OUR SUCCESS COACH GRADUATION RATE IS 84%, THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT RATE IS LESS THAN 40%. CORE PROGRAMPEER POWER'S CORE PROGRAM DELIVERS COMPREHENSIVE ACADEMIC SUPPORT THROUGH A DUAL-IMPACT MODEL SERVING BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS. IN FY24, WE PROVIDED:- 49,470 HOURS OF TUTORING AND MENTORING SERVICES- DIRECT SUPPORT TO 7,043 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS- YEAR-ROUND ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE (180 SCHOOL DAYS PLUS SUMMER, FALL, AND SPRING BREAK PERIODS)THE PROGRAM EMPLOYS COLLEGE STUDENTS AS SUCCESS COACHES, PROVIDING COMPETITIVE WAGES STARTING AT $16.50 PER HOUR. OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHILE CREATING MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS.LONG-TERM GOALS INCLUDE INCREASING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES AND ACADEMIC PROFICIENCY, AND COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND/OR CAREER READINESS AMONG PARTICIPANTS. SUCCESS COACHES DEMONSTRATE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER COLLEGE COMPLETION RATES, WITH 85% GRADUATING WITHIN 4-5 YEARS COMPARED TO THE INSTITUTIONAL AVERAGE OF 45% (ESTIMATED BASED ON CURRENT DATA). SUCCESS COACHES GAIN VALUABLE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THROUGH CLASSROOM COLLABORATION WITH TEACHERS, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND DIRECT STUDENT SUPPORT.UM CONNECTPEER POWER'S UM CONNECT PROGRAM CREATES DIRECT PATHWAYS TO HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS. IN FY 24, THE PROGRAM SERVED 417 STUDENTS (350 IN FALL SEMESTER, 67 IN SPRING SEMESTER) THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE COLLEGE READINESS ACTIVITIES INCLUDING:- DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH UNIVERSITY FACULTY ACROSS VARIOUS MAJORS- PERSONALIZED GUIDANCE FROM ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID REPRESENTATIVES- IN-DEPTH FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION SESSIONS- INTERACTIVE SESSIONS WITH STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS- TARGETED SUPPORT ADDRESSING COLLEGE TRANSITION CHALLENGESTHE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVE IS TO INCREASE MEMPHIS STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION BY MAKING COLLEGE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND PROVIDING PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COLLEGE LIFE. LONG-TERM GOALS INCLUDE EXPANDING THE PIPELINE OF MEMPHIS STUDENTS ENTERING HIGHER EDUCATION AND ENSURING STUDENTS ARE WELL-PREPARED FOR THE ACADEMIC, FINANCIAL, AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF UNIVERSITY LIFE.ACT PREP UNIVERSITYACT PREP UNIVERSITY PROVIDES FREE, COMPREHENSIVE ACT PREPARATION SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED STUDENTS, ELIMINATING ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM PREPARATION. IN FY24, THE PROGRAM SERVED NEARLY 200 STUDENTS THROUGH INTENSIVE BOOTCAMP SESSIONS THAT INCLUDED:- SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION IN MATH, READING, SCIENCE, AND ENGLISH SUBJECTS- ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING WITH TRAINED INSTRUCTORS- PRACTICE TESTING SESSIONS- DIGITAL STUDY MATERIALS ACCESSTHE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVE IS TO INCREASE COLLEGE ACCESSIBILITY AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERSERVED STUDENTS THROUGH IMPROVED ACT PERFORMANCE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2016, ACT PREP UNIVERSITY HAS SERVED MORE THAN 4,500 STUDENTS, DEMONSTRATING SUSTAINED IMPACT IN ADDRESSING EDUCATIONAL INEQUITIES IN COLLEGE TEST PREPARATION.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: PEER POWER'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2024, ADDRESSES CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND PROVIDES CAREER PATHWAYS FOR AT-RISK YOUTH IN MEMPHIS. THE PROGRAM SERVES YOUTH AGED 16-24, WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON STUDENTS AT RISK OF OR ALREADY INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.IN ITS PILOT YEAR, THE PROGRAM ACHIEVED REMARKABLE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES ACROSS TWO COHORTS TOTALING 41 PARTICIPANTS.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)ALPHA COHORT (17 PARTICIPANTS):- 100% PROGRAM COMPLETION RATE- 100% HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE- 94% SUCCESS RATE IN AVOIDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT- ALL PARTICIPANTS EARNED OSHA AND FORKLIFT OPERATION CERTIFICATIONSBETA COHORT (24 PARTICIPANTS):- 100% PROGRAM COMPLETION RATE- 100% HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE- 95.8% SUCCESS RATE IN AVOIDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT- ALL PARTICIPANTS EARNED MATERIAL HANDLING CERTIFICATIONSCOMBINED ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE:- 16 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED MOORE TECH TECHNICAL CERTIFICATIONS- 7 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED SPECIALIZED MASON TENDER PROGRAM THROUGH AZTEC MASONRY- 100% OVERALL PROGRAM COMPLETION AND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATESTHE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVE IS TO ADDRESS MEMPHIS'S DISTRICT-WIDE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM RATE OF 29% (COMPARED TO THE STATE AVERAGE OF 20%) BY CONNECTING EDUCATION DIRECTLY TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. LONG-TERM GOALS INCLUDE REDUCING YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, INCREASING WORKFORCE READINESS AMONG AT-RISK YOUTH, AND CREATING SUSTAINABLE CAREER PATHWAYS THROUGH INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS.EARN AND LEARNPEER POWER'S EARN AND LEARN PROGRAM IS A COMPREHENSIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE SERVING YOUTH AGES 14-24 IN MEMPHIS. IN FY24, THE PROGRAM ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT MEASURABLE OUTCOMES:- ENROLLED AND PROVIDED JOB READINESS TRAINING TO 474 YOUTH PARTICIPANTS- SUCCESSFULLY PLACED 195 PARTICIPANTS IN DIRECT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH PEER POWER- FACILITATED PERMANENT JOB PLACEMENTS FOR 165 PARTICIPANTS POST-PROGRAM- GENERATED $1,086,345 IN EMPLOYER WAGE SAVINGS THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS- ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIPS WITH 54 MEMPHIS BUSINESSES ACROSS DIVERSE INDUSTRIESTHE PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY TARGETS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN HIGH-DEMAND SECTORS, WITH SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENTS IN:- EDUCATION (181 YOUTH PLACED, GENERATING $350,378.11 IN WAGE SAVINGS)- SUPPLY CHAIN & LOGISTICS (58 YOUTH PLACED, GENERATING $136,701.92 IN WAGE SAVINGS)- ADVANCED MANUFACTURING (34 YOUTH PLACED, GENERATING $102,752.70 IN WAGE SAVINGS)THE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVE IS TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE CAREER PATHWAYS FOR UNDERSERVED YOUTH, WITH 57% OF PARTICIPANTS COMING FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS AND 41% GAINING THEIR FIRST WORK EXPERIENCE. LONG-TERM GOALS INCLUDE REDUCING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT, INCREASING MINORITY REPRESENTATION IN KEY INDUSTRIES, AND BUILDING A SKILLED LOCAL WORKFORCE PIPELINE.