In many ways, the odds are against BLCI students. The Barrio Logan community has a rich cultural history and strong ties to its Mexican-American heritage, but it also has one of the lowest income and education rates in San Diego.
In addition, 99% of our students are Latino, a population severely underrepresented at the college level in San Diego County (and throughout the nation).
According to recent statistics from the California Department of Education:
- Nearly 42% of San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) students who drop out are Latino students.
- Fewer than 35% of SDUSD Latino students have passed both the English and Math sections of the California High School Exit Exam.
- In 2001, only 23% of 7,592 Latino SDUSD high school graduates completed the "a thru g" requirement necessary for admission to the University of California or California State University systems.
- Among Latino adults who are 25 years of age and older, only 10.9% are college graduates. Among the African American population only 15.4% are college graduates.
Given the low-income levels, lack of English proficiency, and cultural diversity of our target communities, the dropout and college enrollment rates are likely worse in Barrio Logan than those above. In addition, a number of other barriers work against these students preparation for college:
- Many have never visited a college campus.
- Most parents don't know anything about the college application process.
- Many live in small apartments or houses shared between two or even three families with no quiet place to study.
- Children experience chronic illnesses such as asthma due to the unhealthy environment in which they live, and frequently miss school.
This is a tragedy - and not just because college graduates earn $20,000 more per year than people who only graduate from high school! When a child drops out of school, his or her ability to change the future of his or her family for generations grinds to a halt. All that potential is often wasted.
- Graduation from college is the key to transforming families for generations.
- High school graduates make $22,895 per year, and college graduates earn $40,478. College graduates are more likely to have greater fringe benefits, better health, and better working conditions.
- BLCI targets people who need help most.
- First and second generation kids and families with no history of educational success, with annual incomes of only $19,000 per year, and living 2 families to an apartment in a community with terrible pollution, and other health indicators.
- Our programs are comprehensive and community based, and highly focused on the key things needed to prepare kids for college.
- Most after-school programs provide a safe place for homework, maybe tutoring, and maybe computer access. BLCI does all of these but also supports kids as they go from 3rd grade through high school to create a vision for their lives of college and careers, arranges critical mentoring relationships, and most importantly trains parents to be the key decision-makers, advocates, and supporters of their children's education.
- BLCI's sophisticated evaluation system will set the standard for after-school programs.
- Most only measure attendance and maybe use a satisfaction survey and some kind of skills test. BLCI uses these and many other tools, including an initial assessment that helps focus resources to ensure each child gets what they specifically need.
- BLCI's leaders are outspoken advocates of sharing best practices
- between similar non-profit organizations, and active participants in coalitions to do so. We will share our expertise with whoever asks, even if this means strengthening our competitors' programs.
- Our Board of Directors is focused on preserving the long-term viability of the organization through an ambitious fundraising effort
- that will "expand the pie" of potential donors for efforts in underserved communities rather than creating additional competition for limited foundation dollars.
- An investment in BLCI is not just an investment in the futures of the families we serve.
- Your investment also places faith in a new generation of non-profit leaders who are committed to excellence in management, collaboration, new programmatic models for the 21st century, and organizational transparency and accountability to all stakeholders.