NJ MED’S PROGRAMS
The 100% Graduation Rate Program is a national evidence-base drop-out prevention model. That is designed to prepare at-risk minority male high school students for high school graduation, and the successful transition from high school to college. From 1996 to 2006, the program’s accomplishments included raising the high school graduation rates of its male participants in the nation’s poorest and most violent city, Camden, New Jersey, from 39% to 89%, college enrollment rates from 25% to 61 percent, and college graduation rates from 8% to 23%. To further illustrate the creative intervention strategies of the program’s collaboration with Rutgers- Camden EOF program and the city’s local business and social-service communities, the participants were followed in a longitudinal study to adulthood, and were documented as exceeding the statistical rate of other Camden adult males in full-time employment by 24%, decreased adult unemployment rates by 10% and lowered incarceration rates by 23%. During the 10-year operation of the 100% Graduation Rate Program it provided services for 285 unduplicated participants. The program targeted the most difficult population but achieved a 75% participation completion rate.
BABY 2000 is an annual toddler management forum for “high risk” teen parents. The purpose of the forum is to reach 30 to 50 new teen parents (both male and female) that are in the juvenile justice system, and provide them with general knowledge and methodology required to establish effective co-parenting skills for their child, as well as, referrals services contact. Two forums have been held, March 24, 2000 and October 20, 2005, with 44 females and 15 social agencies.
The American Reinforces Knowledge (ARK) Project is an after-school academic and structured recreation program for youths between the ages of 5 to 14 years old. The mission of the ARK Project is to use a psychographic analysis format rather than a standard educational approach to resolve the adjustment problems of today’s urban youth’s academic and social development.
Plataforma Para Exito is a national outreach and awareness campaign to ensure more Hispanic Americans will successfully enter the US Workforce with Professional Careers by the year 2040. This project has 5 core values, which include: 1) preparing more Hispanic American males for the workforce; 2) establishing higher college enrollment, retention, and graduation rates for Hispanic American males; 3) increase the national high school graduation rate of Hispanic American Males; 4) unity the Hispanic Bi-Cultural Community via closing the academic achievement and attainment gaps in elementary and middle schools; and 5) developing more early-childhood programs towards preparing Hispanic American children for entrance into the United States educational system.
Community Initiative Project is designed to provide youths with effective job-training skills and summer job placement. Over 200 local businesses and 425 students have participated. Our partners in the project include RESPONSE, Camden County OEO, and the Camden County NAACP.
Community Resource Forums – provides quarterly and annual educational forums for local educators, businesses, and community-based service organizations to gain access to their target markets. Forums on higher education, economic development, early child care, minority male leadership, technology, and housing are the primary issues presented. Since 1996, NJMED has conducted 12 forums with an average attendance of 100 to 200 guests.
Since publishing their first major report in 2009, “Building America’s Minority Workforce for the Challenge of the 21st Century,” NJMED has branched out their organization’s mission to other states, in hope of disseminating their successful programs and services.