Aug/Sept 2010 Her Omaha Magazine

Page 34

1004 Farnam St. Suite #102 Omaha, NE 68102 (402) 715-4145 www.buildingbrightfutures.net

Big Givers: Building Bright Futures (BBF) was created in 2006 by a group of business, civic and political leaders who came together to assess and question the status of our youth in Douglas and Sarpy counties and to determine whether young people were receiving the support and services they needed. The BBF mission is to improve academic performance, raise graduation rates, increase civic and community responsibility and ensure that all students are prepared for post-secondary education by developing partnerships with organizations and schools to create a community-based network of services for an estimated 120,000 young people in the two-county area. Board members include: Chairman, Richard Holland, President, Michael Yanney, Susie Buffett, Mike Fahey, Andy Holland, Wally and Barbara Weitz, Katie Weitz White, Dianne Lozier and BBF Executive Director, John Cavanaugh.

Brag Lines: The BBF Pipeline to Success includes initiatives that are being implemented in 18 pilot elementary, middle and high schools in the Douglas and Sarpy County area. The Early Childhood Services initiative provides families and children services and programs that help provide an integrated system of early health and family support services, as well as, early childhood education supports and additional resources. The Healthy Futures initiative will open six pilot school-based health centers within the Omaha Public Schools (OPS) district in the fall of 2010. The newlyconstructed centers will provide an opportunity for children to receive basic healthcare services throughout the school day. The Student Engagement, Attendance & Service Learning initiative at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is promoting student engagement service learning academies and the 40 Developmental Assets across the two-county area. Midlands Mentoring Partnership is a 12-member collaboration designed to raise public awareness of and support for high-quality youth mentoring programs by improving youth mentoring through best practices, resource-sharing and capacity building. The Middle School Learning Center Initiative (MSLCI) focuses on providing quality, free after school programs that offer school-based programming and additional time and opportunities for learning in six OPS middle schools. The Academic Supports & Re-engagement initiative provides strategic tutoring, interventions for reading and math, as well as in-class and out-of-school supports in an effort to help students stay in school and on a path to academic success.

Pay it Forward: For additional information about Building Bright Futures, visit our web site at www.buildingbrightfutures.net.

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