Recognition Highlights

Over the past two decades, Overcoming Obstacles has helped students become more committed to their academic studies, more engaged in family life, and more involved in their communities. The program has been successful in many cities across the country. Below are just some of the highlights.

New York

The New York City Department of Education has utilized Overcoming Obstacles since 1996 and has recognized the program for its effectiveness in a variety of settings.

• The New York City Department of Education chose Overcoming Obstacles as a leading substance abuse prevention program.
• Overcoming Obstacles was recognized as a leading school-to-career program.
• In 2003, Overcoming Obstacles received the Superintendent's Conflict Resolution Award for helping Brooklyn and Staten Island high school students achieve academically.
• The New York City Department of Education's Offsite Educational Services Division reported the following benefits from its implementation of the Overcoming Obstacles Life Skills Program:
• Increased student punctuality
• Controlled communication
• Student camaraderie
• Emergence of student leaders
• Longer student attention spans
• Greater work completion
• Identification of goals
• Recognition of self-defeating behaviors

California

The City of Los Angeles' Community Development Department recognized Overcoming Obstacles for its implementation in the L.A. STARS Youth Development and Gang Intervention and Prevention Program.

• 37% of the students in the Overcoming Obstacles program improved their grade point averages, school attendance rates, and behavior.
• 82% improved in areas of personal development and family relationships.
• 75% showed a reduction in the use of violence.

Georgia

The Georgia State Department of Labor recognized Overcoming Obstacles as the leading program for breaking the cycle of welfare dependency.

• 100% of students completed the course with a grade of B or higher.
• 100% were promoted to the next grade.
• 95% achieved gainful employment with good ratings from employers or entered a program of higher education.

Atlanta Public Schools evaluated the effectiveness of Overcoming Obstacles with a population of students who had severe academic and social deficiencies, were one or more grades below average for their age, and read well below the standard for their age (with at least 10% of the students being illiterate).

• After completing the Overcoming Obstacles program, 95% of the students were employed with good ratings from their employers and/or had entered a program of higher education. One hundred percent were promoted to the next grade.

New Jersey

Elizabeth Public Schools used Overcoming Obstacles to help students in danger of failing. Composed primarily of students repeating the ninth grade for the second or third time, 45 students were enrolled in the Overcoming Obstacles course and showed improvement in two key areas:

• 35% of students showed a significant improvement in attendance.
• 82% were promoted to the 10th grade.

Since 1998, Overcoming Obstacles has been the sole source of curriculum materials and educator professional development for Jersey City Public Schools' highly lauded Fifteen Together high school dropout prevention program. Over 300 students participate in the program each year.

• Within the first three years, the number of school district dropouts fell from 14.9% to 9.3%.
• 80% of participants improved their grades, school attendance, and behavior.
• In 2002, Jersey City Public Schools and Fifteen Together received a Magna Award from the American School Board Journal.

Indiana

Overcoming Obstacles worked with Indianapolis Public Schools to bring job skills instruction to families on welfare.

• 67% of students attended at least 80% of their classes.
• 67% finished the course with an A or B.
• 30% improved their grade point average.

Illinois

In 2003, the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) listed Overcoming Obstacles as one of 80 recommended classroom-based social and emotional learning programs in its U.S. Department of Education-funded report, Safe and Sound: An Educational Leader's Guide to Evidence-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs .