Youth Development Institute Underway at UMaine; Experts Discussing Dropout Prevention
Contact: Lauren Sterling, Governor’s Children’s Cabinet and Department of Education (207) 465-5228
ORONO – More than 250 educators, school administrators, afterschool staff and young people are at the University of Maine for the three-day 2010 Youth Development Institute, which runs through Wednesday.
Formerly known as the Dropout Prevention Summit, the institute features a series of afternoon workshops at Wells Conference Center. This year’s institute, “Relationships, Relationships, Relationship (R3): The Key to Success in Schools and Communities,” developed from 2009 Dropout Prevention Summit recommendations. It intends to enable adults who work with youth to gain better understanding of the methods, theory and research that support effective student engagement and overall youth development to effectively reduce dropout rates.
More than 30 workshops will describe exemplary practices and strategies in engaging and educating Maine students, especially those with various challenges and barriers to school success.
The Youth Development Institute comes at the same time that the Maine Department of Education is completing its state application for over $5 million dollars to partner with Maine schools to increase graduation rates.
The institute is co-sponsored by the Maine Governor’s Children’s Cabinet. The Maine Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Maine Afterschool Network, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development.