Prologue Inc. officials take to the Streets to Make Sure More Dropouts Drop in Chicago Schools Next Week
Estimated 60,00O Students Fail to Go to Class
CHICAGO – (AUGUST 31, 2014) -- While more than 400,000 students are expected to return to Chicago Public Schools next week after Labor Day, an estimated 60,000 students will opt to stay home or hang on city streets where trouble abounds.
Officials from Prologue Inc., one of the nation’s oldest organizations offering alternative education programs for youth and young adults, are on the lookout for those youth, who have been no shows at school. They will stationed at a number of citywide events over the Labor Day weekend hoping to identify high school dropouts and encourage them to re-enroll in school.
Yearly, Prologue helps hundreds of students earn their diplomas and secure jobs. This past June, more than 100 students graduated from Prologue’s four high schools, some rebounding to attend top colleges and universities, such as Spellman College in Atlanta and Chicago State University.
“We are doing a major push to recruit dropout youth who are out there on these streets in danger of being incarcerated and in danger of all the things that randomly happen to youth and young people when they are not in school,” said Dr. Nancy Jackson, the CEO of Prologue Inc., which was founded 40 years ago. “School is a safe place to change the trajectory of their lives. We are making a major push to attract them while there are seats available.”
Prologue Inc. representatives will be on site at the following events and recruiting youth to their schools.
1)25th Anniversary of the African Festival of the Arts at Washington Park, Chicago - Friday through Memorial Day - Green Village Pavilion - Daily Zeitgeist Supper Reception hosted by Prologue Inc. Prologue will be recruiting at the Festival, at the Blacks in Green tent from 11 a.m. until dusk.
2) Back to School Pep Rally at 3 South Laramie Ave, Chicago - Saturday, August 30th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – hosted by Darren Group. Prologue Inc. is an event partner and will have a recruitment table at the event.
3) The 1st annual Project H.O.O.D. Expo Resource event at 6620 S. King Dr., Chicago - Saturday, August 30th from 10 a.m. to 3 p. m.
4) The Black Star Project’s 4th annual 2014 Million Father March Parade at August 30, 2014 at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - the back-to-school parade to start at 44th and Cottage Grove. The parade route will follow Cottage Grove from 45th to 51st Street. Prologue staff will be on a float at the parade.
Earlier this month, Prologue was on site during the celebration for the Jackie Robinson West youth baseball team, whose members from Chicago’s South Side were recently named U.S. champions in little league baseball, and the organization also participated in the Bud Billiken Parade in Bronzeville as well as the back to school parade at Altgeld Gardens and the 9th Ward’s annual back to school parade hosted by Alderman Anthony Beale as well as other events.
Prologue currently operates four high schools – Joshua Johnston Fine Art and Design Charter School (JJFAD) on 1551 W. 95th Street; W.E.B. Dubois Prologue Early College Education High School at 1135 N. Cleaver; Charles H. Houston Alternative Charter High School at 7847 S. Calumet Ave.; and Winnie Mandela Intergenerational Alternative High School at 7847 S. Jeffrey. It also operates several programs scattered throughout the city that address various social ills of the community.
Prologue is scheduled to open a maritime school early next year. The William Tillman Maritime School will be at 13421 S. Vernon Ave. in the city’s Roseland Community and off the banks of the Little Calumet River.
If you are between the ages of 17-24 and out of school, or know someone between those ages not attending school, please call (773) 935-9925, or inquire by email Lillian at lgarcia@prologueschools.org or Doris at dcampbell@prologueschools.org.
To learn more about the recruitment efforts at Prologue and to secure an interview with Prologue staff, please contact Remya Thomas, remya@jerrythomaspr.com, 972-369-5900 or Jerry Thomas, jerry@jerrythomaspr.com, 312.285.5166
Attachment:
Prologue_Dropout_Recruitment_Release_8.29.14.docx
https://theblacklist.net/
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