Education

Currently, less than 30 percent of Black/African American, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Latino and American Indian/Alaska Native students in Washington state earn a college degree or credential. On-time high school graduation rates have risen in Seattle schools but racial disparities persist. The education pillar of the Mayor's Youth Opportunity Initiative focuses on efforts to close the achievement gap so more Seattle youth graduate from Seattle Public School on-time and attain post-secondary credentials.

2017 Summer of Opportunity Priorities

• Fund 200 new summer learning slots to increase access to summer learning opportunities for at-risk youth
• Focus on engaging and serving youth of color who are experiencing academic challenges
• Slots will use culturally and gender specific curriculum

Key Programs

Middle School Summer Learning

Middle School Summer learning programs provide students with additional learning time to catch up with their peers, establish deeper relationships with their teachers and positive adult role models, and participate in learning activities such as STEM, visual and performing arts, and college/career exploration.

High School Summer Learning

High School Summer learning programs provide students with additional learning time to catch up with their peers, establish deeper relationships with their teachers and positive adult role models, and participate in learning activities such as STEM, visual and performing arts, and college/career exploration.

SPL Summer of Learning

The Seattle Public Library's (SPL) Summer of Learning program helps children and teens avoid a loss of reading proficiency while school is out through hundreds of sessions and events at SPL branches and via community partners. This year's theme is "Blast Off to Space."

Teen Summer Musical

Seattle Parks' summer musical is an opportunity for local teens to perform on the big stage while learning the business side of theater operations. The program, which targets youth of color, provides an introduction to the world of theater. It allows particpants to connect and exchange ideas with youth from other backgrounds and cultures. Summer musical participants earn a stipend for rehearsals and performance over the 11 weeks of summer, receiving dance and vocal training and hands-on experience with the technical aspects of theater, including costume, lighting and set design.

Upward Bound

Upward Bound prepares high school students for higher education. The program's goal is to provide students the knowledge, skills and motivation necessary to earn a two- or four-year college or technical degree by supporting academic achievement, goal setting, career exploration, and helping students choose what they want to study and what college to attend.

Youth Digital Literacy

The Seattle Public Library is an informal learning institution that connects youth and their families to what they need, when they need it and where they need it, across all stages of life, year-round. SPL has programs and partnerships to support youth in gaining skills in multiple arenas such as reading, digital literacy, information literacy, social literacy, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math).