Bolder Options--Reduce Truancy and Raise Academic Achievement

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

Bolder Options mentoring program will focus on four main elements: (1) healthy lifestyles as a key to personal success in every youth; (2) using an integrated system of delivery that encompasses stakeholders from the entire community; (3) a belief in program quality; and (4) a reliance on evaluation to consistently improve program quality.

Bolder Options will initiate a comprehensive intervention program to coordinate family, community, school, and county resources in a united effort to prevent gang involvement, truancy and juvenile delinquency in 10-14 year old youth. This initiative will implement a structured academic enrichment program at each of its program sites in order to enhance the positive impact of the Bolder Options mentoring program. The goals of the Bolder Options Intervention Program are as follows: 1) 160 youth are matched annually in the Twin Cities Metro Area; 2) add structured activities to its mentoring program to have a direct positive academic impact on the youth that it serves; 3) school attendance rates will increase and truant rates decrease; 3) academic performance levels will improve; 4) on an individual level, youth will attain academic success, learn lifelong healthy habits and exhibit increased positive behaviors; and 5) youth will report increased satisfaction with the program. Subcategories of these goals include the reduction of truancy, recidivism, juvenile delinquency, gang participation, and high risk behaviors by at-risk youth, as well as increased mentor training and parental involvement. Program will be evaluated by an independent researcher. NCA/NCF