Economic Development and Quality of Life for People and Communities
Project SOAR

Issue

Gang activity, drug use and truancy can affect even students in elementary grades. Students who engage in these behaviors may end up with bad grades and early police records. Studies show that youth stand a better chance of avoiding risky behavior and academic failure when they experience strong connections in school. Mentoring programs offer students both academic and emotional support.

What has been done?

Project SOAR is an extensive mentoring program for elementary school youth who are in danger of academic failure and of engaging in high risk behavior. The program is jointly administered by the Arizona Supreme Court, Arizona Cooperative Extension Family Community Leadership/4-H Youth Development, two elementary schools and two community colleges. Students, parents and mentors work together in a comprehensive program that includes mentor training, academic support, skill building, leadership enhancing opportunities, parental involvement, and social and personal interaction. Held at Hamilton and Fry elementary schools in the Phoenix area, it targets ethnically diverse students and families, with primary focus on Hispanic, African American and Native American students.

Impact

Officer referrals decreased by 77% at one school site. Average attendance increased by 5 days at Fry school. Students reported 2.4 on a 3 point scale in knowledge gained in SOAR. Pre/post student behavior scales by teachers showed a significant increase in scores of 3.72 points (using tests). Using a 4-point scale, parents reported that their children exhibited positive behavior changes (3.6), good school work (3.8), positive attitude (3.6), less violence (3.9), less delinquency (3.3) and less gang participation (3.9). About 76 % of the students increased their academic performance.

Funding

Contact

This report is one of 29 impact statements submitted by the University of Arizona College of Agriculture to the USDA's 1999 CSREES Science and Education Impacts database in Washington, D.C. An impact statement is a brief summary, in lay terms, of the economic, environmental and/or social impact of a land-grant program. It states accomplishments and their payoff to society.
Located at http://ag.arizona.edu/impacts/2000/soar.html
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