Media Contacts

Northern Rivers Family Services AT&T

Darlene Olivieri Raynsford Benjamin Roberts
518.426.2606 (office) 716.262.5883 (cell)
518.396.6799 (cell) Ben.Roberts@att.com
Darlene.Raynsford@northernrivers.org


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2014

YOUTHBUILD SCHENECTADY AND SCCC KICK OFF DROPOUT RECOVERY EFFORT
Schenectady, NY YouthBuild Schenectady and Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) today
began to develop a new curriculum to better prepare high school dropouts for postsecondary education.
YouthBuild Schenectady together with Schenectady County Community College is expanding
opportunities for low-income youth who have previously dropped out of high school to prepare for
college and pursue meaningful careers. YouthBuild Schenectady will receive $25,000 annually in support
from AT&T; $50,000 from New Profit Social Innovation Fund and $150,000 over three years from the
Schenectady Foundation.
YouthBuild Schenectady, sponsored by Northern Rivers Family Services affiliate Northeast Parent &
Child Society, will collaborate with Schenectady County Community College to engage YouthBuild
students to prepare for, enroll in, and complete college and other postsecondary pathways. At
YouthBuild Schenectady, low-income young people ages 18-24 work toward their GEDs while learning
job skills by building affordable, increasingly eco-friendly housing in their communities and preparing for
postsecondary success and employment.
The AT&T contribution is part of a $300,000 two-year commitment to YouthBuild USA. YouthBuild
Schenectady and four other YouthBuild chapters will join 19 existing recipients nationwide in receiving
funds for curriculum revitalization.
These funds are key to building capacity to provide a new level of academic rigor that prepares young
adults for college level courses, provide dual college enrollment at SCCC to YouthBuild Schenectady
students, and the much needed transition support our students need as they enter college, said
Jennifer Lawrence of Career Development Services at Northeast Parent & Child Society, YouthBuild
Schenectadys administrating agency.
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We are grateful that this partnership with YouthBuild was made possible through the generosity and
vision shown by the Schenectady Foundation, AT&T and New Profit, said SCCC Acting President Dr.
Martha Asselin. This complements Schenectady County Community Colleges own mission to provide
access and excellence to all learners; and we look forward to this wonderful project that will help not
only these students, but also the larger community by improving the education and skills of our
emerging workforce.

AT&T is committed to helping more students graduate from high school prepared for their
postsecondary education and future career, said Ed Bergstraesser, director of external affairs, AT&T.
We are thrilled to be working with YouthBuild Schenectady to expand the postsecondary pathways
initiative and prepare the future leaders of New York right here in our community.
Mayor Gary McCarthy of Schenectady asserted the citys support of combined YouthBuild Schenectady
and SCCC events. The City of Schenectady was proud to partner with area businesses, organizations
and the community on the American Made Movie event held earlier this year in January, 2014 at
Proctors. Due to the generosity of all involved, two YouthBuild participants will benefit from a while
attending a Manufacturing Technology program at SCCC, he said.
Sixty-five percent of U.S. jobs will require some form of postsecondary education by 2020. While high
school graduation rates may be on the rise, only one in ten youth from low-income families go on to
graduate from a four-year college (compared with over a quarter of youth from middle-income families
and half of youth from high-income families).
The YouthBuild USA postsecondary pathways initiative has demonstrated enormous success over the
last five years by more than doubling the postsecondary access rate of YouthBuild students at
participating programs. Through this initiative, participating YouthBuild programs partner with
community colleges, technical colleges, and other postsecondary institutions to increase the numbers of
low-income young people going to, staying in, and completing college or other postsecondary training.
The critical elements to YouthBuild Schenectadys postsecondary access and success strategies are
enriched academic preparation through curriculum redesign and dual enrollment, intensive summer
bridge programming to improve transitions into college, and provision of a full-time on campus
Transition Counselor to provide comprehensive social and emotional supports through college
completion.

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About Northern Rivers Family Services
In 2012, Parsons Child and Family Center of Albany and Northeast Parent & Child Society of Schenectady
developed a partnership through affiliation with the establishment of Northern Rivers Family Services
(NRFS). As the parent organization, NRFS empowers its affiliates to enhance the quality of services
provided to the children and families of our region. With 1,250 employees in more than 40 community
locations, the agencies of NRFS improve the lives of more than 12,000 children and families across 45
counties each year. NRFS is leading the way in expanding the services available to our region and
changing the way care is delivered moving forward. For more information, visit
www.northernrivers.org.



About Philanthropy at AT&T
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives.
Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning
opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. In 2013,
more than $130 million was contributed or directed through corporate-, employee-, social investment-
and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T Aspire is AT&Ts signature education initiative that drives
innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology,
employee volunteerism, and mentoring.

About SCCC
One of the 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, the nations largest
comprehensive system of higher education, Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) in upstate
New York enrolls more than 7,000 students. SCCC offers 49 career degree, transfer degree and
certificate programs. The College opened its doors for classes in 1969 and continues to provide
affordable comprehensive higher education and adult educational opportunities in response to local
educational needs. To learn more, visit www.sunysccc.edu.