Youth Building Green

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers 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 Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

The West End of Alexandria exhibits a high concentration of immigrants, high population turnover, higher than average poverty, and a need for more services for youth. Within this population there are higher than average problems of school dropouts, youth gang involvement, and unskilled youth without future plans. The population served is youth in grades 5-12, under 18, residing in the West End who are deemed at-risk in these problem areas.

The program components, provided as contract services by the Alexandria Seaport Foundation (ASF), include: (i) workshops teaching math through hands-on exercises and projects; (ii) programs helping elementary students transition to secondary school and older youth from school to work; (iii) after school activities for middle school youth, (iv) training teachers to use hands-on math exercises, (v) after school and summer jobs for high school youth, and (vi) mentoring and tutoring opportunities for targeted youth.

Progress will be measured by youth participation level and retention in the activities, pre- and post-program testing for math and workplace skills, and tutoring hours completed. Short term goals include increased academic progress, retention in school, high school graduation, and job attainment. Longer term goals are increased school achievement and graduation rates, declining gang involvement, and increasing employment and earning potential among the targeted population. NCA/NCF