and the area has a lot of them!
We wanted to take a moment to emphasize the assets that are based in the community or that students and members of the community can take advantage of. A lot of the comments from community members, about Furness, focused on the "rough" nature of the school. Yet, all of the people followed these comments with hopeful thoughts that are based in a belief that the community comes together and has resources to offer to students and to residents.
A list of resources that we encountered
1. Whitman Library (a part of the Free Library of Philadelphia)
The Whitman Library is a branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. The library offers space for students and community members to study and make use of computers. It also offers a librarian dedicated to teen issues, and convenes a teen council to help the library decide on programs and purchases that would benefit the teen community.
2. Migrant Education Program
The Migrant Education Program works with Furness High School, and other schools, to provide after-school, tutorial, and summer programming to help migrants learn English and learn about the context of the society that they are living in. Furness students take advantage of the summer program to help them with their ELL placements in the fall.
3. United Communities of Southeast Philadelphia
According to Furness's website, this program "provides extended learning opportunities for youth using project based learning strategies." UCSP also offers college preparation, SAT preparation, and case management services for families, and pays a stipend to participants.
4. PA State Gear Up Grants
The explicit goal of this project is: "The project seeks to increase the percentage of students passing a rigorous academic course sequence; raise student proficiency on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA); increase on-time grade promotion; raise high school graduation rates; decrease the number of unexcused absences; increase student and parent knowledge of the requirements for postsecondary admission and information about financial aid; and increase postsecondary attendance of project graduates."
The Whitman Library is a branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. The library offers space for students and community members to study and make use of computers. It also offers a librarian dedicated to teen issues, and convenes a teen council to help the library decide on programs and purchases that would benefit the teen community.
2. Migrant Education Program
The Migrant Education Program works with Furness High School, and other schools, to provide after-school, tutorial, and summer programming to help migrants learn English and learn about the context of the society that they are living in. Furness students take advantage of the summer program to help them with their ELL placements in the fall.
3. United Communities of Southeast Philadelphia
According to Furness's website, this program "provides extended learning opportunities for youth using project based learning strategies." UCSP also offers college preparation, SAT preparation, and case management services for families, and pays a stipend to participants.
4. PA State Gear Up Grants
The explicit goal of this project is: "The project seeks to increase the percentage of students passing a rigorous academic course sequence; raise student proficiency on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA); increase on-time grade promotion; raise high school graduation rates; decrease the number of unexcused absences; increase student and parent knowledge of the requirements for postsecondary admission and information about financial aid; and increase postsecondary attendance of project graduates."