FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWPORT NEWS NAMED ONE OF 100 BEST COMMUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

City Recognized For Taking Action to Help Reduce Local Dropout Rates and Create Brighter Futures for Young People

For the fourth consecutive time, Newport News has been named a winner in the national competition to identify the 100 Best Communities for Young People.

For the fourth consecutive time, Newport News has been named a winner in the national competition to identify the 100 Best Communities for Young People. This competition is organized by America’s Promise Alliance (www.americaspromise.org) and more than 350 communities in all 50 states applied for this recognition. Other regional localities receiving this honor include Hampton, Surry County, and Virginia Beach. The entire 2010 list of 100 Best Communities for Young People and their accomplishments can be found at www.americaspromise.org/100Best. This is the fourth time America’s Promise has held the 100 Best competition, and Newport News has been named a winner each time.

“The City of Newport News is very excited about being recognized as one of America’s 100 Best Communities for Young People for the fourth time in a row,” said Mayor McKinley L. Price. “This award is a testimony to the tremendous efforts made by many of our city departments, schools, community agencies, and citizens to ensure that all children and youth have the fundamental resources that they need to grow up to be healthy, happy and successful members of our community.”

Newport News was named one of the nation’s 100 Best due to the city’s collaborative effort to empower its youth and expand services, support and opportunities. Newport News has taken a city-wide approach to engage young people in the development of the city’s youth-oriented policies in the Mayor’s office, city council, community-based organizations and throughout Newport News Public Schools. Youth task forces such as the Mayor’s Youth Commission inform and influence city-wide policies of the local Human Rights Commission, Library Board of Trustees, and Commission on Youth among others.

Newport News Public Schools developed its Career Pathways program to address a growing dropout rate. The program engages students in experiential learning and career planning. This approach has proven effective as the city has seen an increase in the on-time graduation rate and has lowered the dropout. Efforts to improve youth safety include Keeping Our Kids Safe, a violence prevention network of community organizations, agencies and city departments to increase community-sponsored youth activities. The network provides mentors, parent education and neighborhood leadership opportunities.

The 100 Best designation recognizes those communities that make youth a priority by implementing programs that help keep children in school and prepare them for college and the 21st century workforce. The competition is open to all communities that make children and youth a priority, including small towns, large cities, counties and school districts. In addition to enhancing local educational opportunities, most winning communities have taken steps to facilitate improved access to health care for its young people, encourage youth civic engagement and supply developmental resources that create better places for young people to live and grow.
 

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