ENP started the Scholastic Assistance Program in Be’er Sheva in an effort to prevent at-risk Ethiopian-Israeli children from dropping out of school. The program also dissuades participants from engaging in criminal activities, which are often correlated with high dropout and unemployment rates. Additionally, the program provides participants with social support and other outlets for personal development.
ENP Scholastic Assistance in Be’er Sheva:
•Helps approximately 334 students by providing them with tutoring in areas such as: mathematics, Hebrew, and English.
•Enabled 84% of its 10th grade participants from 2010-2011 to improve their scores on scholastic aptitude tests and remain on track for high school graduation.
Some facts:
•From 2010 to 2011, 49% of the 10th graders were placed in the Iyunit class (stronger students), a 15% increase from the 2007-2008 reports (34% placement in lyunit).
•ENP Noted an impressive increase in the number of students achieving a full matriculation certificate: From 2009-2010, 71% of the 12th grade students achieved full matriculation certificates; only 54% of 12th grade students achieved matriculation certificates from 2005-2006.
The renovated Youth Outreach Center provides a warm and welcoming environment that many of the program's participants see as a second home. The center offers a comfortable TV and game room, a library, and a mini-kitchenette stocked with light refreshments. During warmer months students also enjoy spending time in the center’s courtyard.
Several teens have also participated in a series of workshops in which they studied the Holocaust and its meaning for contemporary Israeli society. This activity allowed Ethiopian-Israelis to learn more about the Jewish people's common history, which strengthened their connections to the rest of the Jewish community. The Youth Center also organizes different activities including soccer, driver's education, future career counseling, and photography workshops.
Did you know that...
Teens of the Youth Outreach Center in Be'er Sheva wrote a song entitled “Enough” as a call to action against the violence and substance abuse that they witnessed in their neighborhood. The song expresses the devastation caused by senseless violence as well as the teens' hopes that by joining together, they can put an end to these harmful behaviors.
