Help youth reach the goal of graduation through AzCA's Work-Scholarship Program.
Click here to sponsor a child for one year.

The AzCA Work-Scholarship Program helps youth stay in school, achieve academic success, and earn their high school diplomas. School-based youth advocates provide 360° support to help students develop good habits, acquire essential skills, and achieve their potential to become contributing, responsible young people at home, in school and at work.

How the Program works:

• Students voluntarily enroll in seventh to ninth grade.
• Long-term, comprehensive support services are provided for home, school and work through high school graduation.
• High school graduates receive continuing services two years post-high school.
• School-based advocates work with youth to:

                        - build strong relationships with school personnel and

                          family members

                        - prepare an Individual Graduation Plan

                        - build a long-term mentoring relationship

                        - model positive behaviors

                        - coordinate support services, program elements, and

                           youth employment preparation and training

• Academic and non-academic enrichment activities are provided, including:

                        - Teen Outreach Program (TOP) evidence- based curriculum

                          proven to help students improve academic performance and

                          reduce teen pregnancy.

                        - Career, planning and placement topic areas, including how

                          to develop homework, study, and test taking skills, career   

                          exploration, college preparation, and social and life skills

                          training.

• Program partners provide part-time employment opportunities.
• Scholarships provided by local individuals, employers, and higher education partners are incentives for students to perform to their full academic potential and conduct themselves responsibly.

The Arizona’s Children Association Work-Scholarship Program’s success relies on strong partnerships with all sectors of the community:

• Parents/ guardians are involved in all aspects of our work with the youth.
• School districts benefit from greater school retention, improved academic performance, and better social skills.
• Local government understands the value of investing in youth.
• The business community helps mentor and develop youth as both an investment in the future of the community and a fiscally prudent staffing strategy.
• Higher education institutions provide tuition scholarships and/or financial aid to make college affordable for Work-Scholarship Program families.
• Pilot project funding provided by Arizona Parents Commission on Drug Education and Prevention, Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families.

Community collaboration helps the Work-Scholarship Program provide the 360° support - at home, in school, and in the workplace - that ensures success.

The AzCA Work-Scholarship program is modeled after the very successful Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection (HW-SC). A 2006 evaluation of the Hillside Work- Scholarship program by an independent research organization concluded that:

• The HW-SC model is conceptually sound and continues to result in graduation rates among program participants which are significantly higher than among at-risk comparison group students.
• Between 75% and 80% of graduates go on to post-secondary education.
• An average of 80% of all graduates reported being employed post graduation.
• HW-SC more than pays for itself through increased earnings for individuals and decreased government expenditures.

To learn more, contact Rosalind Hinton at 602-233-0017 or email her at rhinton@arizonaschildren.org.