Exelon and ComEd/United Way Stay in School Initiative
FY12
Annual Report
Stay in School Initiative Overview
Since 2005 United Way of Metropolitan Chicago (UWMC) and Exelon have partnered to deliver critical
after-school services to nine Chicago Public School grammar and high schools committed to keeping
students on track for graduation, improving course grades, and building leadership and pro-social
behaviors. The program collaborates with three community-based agencies (B.U.I.L.D., Centers for New
Horizons, and Youth Guidance).
Exelon and UWMC created the Stay in School Initiative to bring new resources into communities
experiencing some of the highest dropout rates in the city. Stay in School delivers a holistic menu of wraparound services that draws in the students’ families, builds students’ academic and career skills with
corporate mentors, and keeps them on track for graduation and college.
Recently, UWMC announced its goal to help 50,000 students graduate from high school over the next
eight years. United Way will begin this work with a $9.3 million regional investment in two laser-focused
education strategies; early childhood education (children aged 0-5) and middle school transition into high
school (students in 6, 7, and 8 grade). This education platform serves as the third and final pillar for the
implementation of “LIVE UNITED 2020,” United Way’s ten-year commitment to transforming communities
of greatest need, named United Way Partner Communities. Together, education, income and health serve
as the three building blocks of stable families.
The Stay in School Initiative improves students’ grades, attendance rates and pro-social behaviors. This
year’s report card findings reinforce the idea that at-risk students can achieve academic success with the
right mix of attention and activities. The report card captures data from 330 students who participated most
intensively in the Stay in School Initiative’s programs and services.
One of the strongest Stay in School Initiatives’ assets is the Saturday Mentoring Workshops Program.
Immersing students in the corporate culture, the workshops provide students with an understanding of
business basics, secrets of networking, presentation and interviewing skills. Exelon employees volunteer
to teach seven workshop-style classes at Exelon offices in Chicago and mentor students as they gain
confidence and explore their professional strengths for future internship positions.
Now reaching the sixth-year milestone, the Stay in School Initiative is following students into college,
opening the networking session to alumni. The return of six college students to the program as peer
mentors illustrates the strong, long-term relationships this successful program achieves. Since its
inception, the Stay in School Initiative has served more than 13,000 students, ages 13-20. During the
2012-13 school year, an additional 2,000 students will be served.
Stay in School Initiative Agencies
B.U.I.L.D., Inc.
Centers for New Horizons
Youth Guidance
Stay in School Initiative Schools
Ames Elementary School
Clemente Community Academy High School
Frederick Douglass Academy High School
Kelvyn Park High School
North-Grand High School
Orr Academy High School
Pritzker College Prep
Wells Community Academy High School
Wendell Phillips High School
Stay in School Initiative Services
Students receive a range of services from tutoring, afterschool services, counseling, substance-abuse intervention,
college prep training, leadership and personal development,
career planning and parental-engagement workshops.
Students who receive services most intensively are
considered “Core Youth” and are tracked and monitored
extensively.
Stay in School participants networking with other students
Demographics
Throughout the past year, 1761unique youth, including Core Youth, participated in one or
more Stay in School Initiative activities. Of the total, 330 were Core Youth, exceeding
program expectations by 220.
Participation
Agency
Total
Youth
Core
Youth
Parents/
Caregivers
Saturday
workshop
Other Exelon
events
Dropout
students
BUILD
651
110
92
15
185
0
Centers for
New Horizons
758
110
292
20
158
1
Youth
Guidance
388
110
370
30
212
4
1761
330
754
65
555
5
Total
Participation
Core youth gender
Male
175
Female
155
Core youth race/ethnicity
African American
231
Caucasian
0
Hispanic or Latino
99
Asian/Pacific Islander
0
Youth age
11 – 14 years old
36
15 – 17 years old
174
18 years and older
120
Stay in School participant networks with a
program volunteer
Students participating in a Saturday
classroom session
Measurement (for Core Youth only)
The Stay in School Initiative is built upon a shared measurement system driven by youth
and community needs. The three priority outcome areas are: academic achievement,
leadership, and social engagement. It is through these areas that Exelon mentors inspire
students to learn, work toward and expect achievement, and plan for school and career
success.
Academic achievement- Youth improve academically and stay in school
We measured the number of youth with attendance rates of at least 90%, improved grades
in at least one core course, and are on track to graduate.
 78 seniors, or 92% graduated in the 2011-2012 academic year
o In addition, 208 non-seniors, or 85% were promoted to the next grade

179 students, or 54% had at least a 90% school attendance rate
o Attendance measured from beginning of school year to date of the report.

282 students, or 85% improved a grade in a core course (ex. B  B+)
o “Core courses” are reading/language arts, math, science, social studies or foreign language.

Across the Initiative, only 5, or 2% of students have dropped out of the program
Leadership– Youth develop necessary life skills
We tracked the number of youth who demonstrated leadership skills and worked toward
post-secondary education throughout the past year.
 250 youth, or 76% participated in a leadership-based activity
o Activities include: peer mentoring, peer homework help, facilitating meetings and holding
leadership positions in out-of-school activities, such as volunteering to be a Team Captain by
managing a project.
 251 youth, or 76% are working towards post-secondary education
o Postsecondary education activities include, but are not restricted to, preparing for or taking
qualifying exams (ex. ACT) and/or participating in pre-employment activities (ex. resume
building).
Social engagement– Youth understand healthy family and social roles
This measurement category represents the number of youth who increased participation in
community and/or school, and sought support from parents or guardians to meet goals.

225 youth, or 68% increased participation in the community
o Community participation is defined as any formal, unpaid interaction in the community.

256 youth, or 78% increased participation at school
o School participation activities include sports, student council or other extracurricular programs in
school. Regular participation is required.

193 youth, or 58% engaged with parents or guardians to meet goals
o Engagement opportunities include school, agency or Exelon-sponsored events, or community
activities verified by participating parent. Events must be student-focused.
Saturday Workshop Highlights
B.U.I.L.D., Inc.
All of the students demonstrated increased self-confidence in their ability to communicate, network, and reach for
opportunities. Some of the students even tested networking skills with Exelon mentors and reported that the mentoring
experience helped them learn how to communicate more effectively. This mentorship facilitated student learning beyond
the program and increased awareness of scholarships and event news.
Centers for New Horizons
Students involved in the Saturday mentoring program reported four major changes resulting from their participation:
increased job readiness, enhanced confidence and public speaking skills, increased motivation to attend school and
pursue post-secondary education.

Job readiness- Participating in the intensive multi-part Exelon interviews prepared youth to interview
successfully for other positions. One youth who received honorable mention for his Exelon interview was
selected to work for Mikva Challenge’s Youth Council with his Alderman. Students who participated in the
Exelon interviews reported that preparation helped them successfully interview for jobs in their communities. The
Saturday lessons, which include resume-writing, and interviews provided the youth knowledge, and experience
to secure summer positions even amid a challenging economy.

Public Speaking- Several youth reported being shy and hesitant to speak publicly at the first Stay in School
Saturday mentoring sessions; however, they faithfully participated in discussions, networking practice, mock
interviews, debates, and group presentations. By the time the program ended, youth had become so skilled in
public speaking that they agreed to participate in the Southside High Vitality Studies Asset Census Project. For
this project, administered through University of Chicago, students spoke with local residents, business leaders
and community advocates, and then reported their experiences to university professors and community leaders.
The students were applauded by the University of Chicago professors for their work and presentation skills.
Workshop participants also tutored middle school students. The tutoring relationship between high and middle
school is scheduled to expand in the next years through two programs; Illinois-funded Prevention Tutoring Model
and the Health Ambassadors Council, a United Way Health and Wellness initiative.
Youth Guidance
Youth Guidance programs provide an opportunity for the students to learn skills they would not otherwise learn in the
classroom. Coupling these programs with mentorship activities with Exelon professionals instills confidence and opens
pathways to pursuing a variety of career paths. Exelon has been very generous with its many enrichment activities for
the students, such as sporting event tickets, working luncheons, plays, college tours, and Habitat for Humanity volunteer
experiences. These activities offer valuable experiences for the students. Without Exelon, the students would not have
access to the variety of experiences outside their neighborhoods.
Success Stories
Youth Guidance
Derrick is a junior at Douglass High School with a 3.0 GPA and has participated in Youth Guidance programs and the
Exelon United Way Stay in School Initiative since his freshman year. He first came to the program as a happy and
talkative student, seeking lots of attention from Youth Guidance staff and making it a point to get noticed. At times,
though, he would become irritated that he had to share this time with his peers. As the first student to take initiative
to become involved with extracurricular activities, Derrick expressed interest in joining the Becoming A Man (B.A.M.)
group and the Exelon Stay in School Initiative. During his initial participation, he focused on pleasing his peers to gain
their acceptance, which is often typical behavior for high school freshmen. Slowly, his school attendance declined.
Derrick blamed his poor attendance on his participation in Martial Arts at the school and quit Martial Arts as a result.
However, after reviewing detailed attendance reports from the school, it was revealed that his participation in Martial
Arts was not the cause of his poor attendance. Instead, he used this as an excuse to mask other issues related to his
attendance.
Derrick had gotten into a few fights with other students and participated in peer mediation as a result. Some of these
conflicts arose due to Derrick confronting and challenging other students about their negative behaviors, something
he does because he perceives this as his role as a leader among his peers. Derrick does have some natural
leadership skills, but needed them to be redirected to more appropriate situations. Participation in the Exelon United
Way Stay in School Initiative has provided Derrick with positive opportunities to develop his leadership skills in
appropriate ways.
When the opportunity came to apply for a summer job through After School Matters, Derrick was prepared due to his
involvement with the Exelon United Way Stay in School Initiative. Learning about appropriate attire, professional
communication skills, and his own strengths helped him land that summer job. Although he admitted that it was hard
work, he maintained this job throughout the summer and enjoyed every bit of it. He even helped other students apply
for jobs. The Exelon United Way Stay in School Initiative helped Derrick gain a better vision for his future and
encouraged him to become a lifelong learner.
Derrick acknowledges that he experienced some difficult times adjusting to high school and expressed concern about
how this might affect his future. Despite his challenges, Youth Guidance staff reminded Derrick of the leadership and
support he has offered other students and how he has been able to balance his involvement in extra-curricular
activities with other academic priorities. Not only has he flourished into a leader and role model for other students at
his school, Derrick has been on the honor roll and has developed into a serious and well-behaved student thanks to
the support of Exelon.
B.U.I.L.D., Inc.
Justice Mosquera has been an influential leader in BUILD's group “Youth Making A Difference (Y-MAD)”. She showed
herself to be a caring and self-determined leader during the planning and delivery of different community events. One of
her major community achievements was to plan a food drive at her school. She helped collect more than 2,000 food
cans in the drive; the food went to different community centers in Humboldt Park and Hermosa community.Justice’s
dedication to her community has allowed other members of Y-MAD to see how the actions of a self-driven young person
can change and shape a community. It is that need of making a difference in the community that led Justice to BUILD.
She wanted to make a difference in a community which she calls an "At-Hope" community. Her energy and enthusiasm
to interact with others makes other people feel welcomed and valued. While her knowledge on social issues challenges
others to think outside of the box.Justice participates in the Stay In School Initiative through BUILD’s partnership with
Exelon. She has quickly become a role-model for peers in the program, and has become well-known amongst Exelon
volunteers for her quality work and interactions.
Justice- who despite difficult circumstances, is a successful student, mentor, and role model to other Latina young
women in the community- is the positive image people should have about students who can create opportunities instead
of hardships, and show abundance of resources instead of deficiency in assistance. Justice has graduated from Pritzker
College Prep and is now heading to the Illinois Institute of Technology to major in Biochemistry. It is through the help of
partnerships like the one between United Way, Exelon and BUILD that students like Justice are able to excel school and
community standards. The ability for BUILD to have after-school programs and work with students like Justice, have a
big impact in our communities. And like Justice said, "an opportunity to have programs that challenge and motivate
students to achieve, no matter where they come from, has a value that will be felt for future generations."
Centers for New Horizons
Jarquise McComb is a 2012 graduate of Wendell Phillips Academy High School and a Freshman at Tougaloo College.
Before joining the Stay in School initiative this year, Jarquise participated in few co-curricular activities and was unsure
of what she wanted to do after high school. Jarquise committed to participating in the program after she attended the
Stay in School mentoring kick-off at the Field Museum; she faithfully attended Stay in School Saturday workshops,
developed relationships with mentors at tutoring sessions, and actively participated in Stay in School until she left for
college in August.
Through her involvement in Centers programs, Jarquise significantly increased her participation in co-curricular
activities. Jarquise became a Community Health Ambassador and a peer mentor for her middle school counterparts.
She participated in Mikva Challenge programs with Centers, was one of only 60 youth in the Chicagoland area selected
to participate in Republican Presidential campaigning in Des Moines, and was a student leader in a March event to
advocate for healthier local food options that was featured in the Gazette Chicago. She created social documentaries in
After School Matters including one on adultism that was presented to community members, elected officials, and other
students at a city-wide civic fair. She helped found the competitive Phillips High School Lady Steppers, affiliated with
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and performed on her school’s behalf at open houses, school-wide assemblies and at
the annual Stay in School Parent dinner. Furthermore, Jarquise maintained her high academic achievement in an
Honors/AP curriculum with the support of Exelon tutors. This summer, Jarquise continued to work with Centers and
interned with Mikva Challenge’s Youth Council. Jarquise spoke eloquently about her health activism to 80+ officials,
organizational leaders, and activists from across the nation during a PLACE MATTERS Action lab and she led a voter
registration drive at the Annual Southside Youth Summit.
Exelon and United Way have enabled Centers to provide Jarquise with tutoring, job readiness training, and leadership
opportunities through its financial support of youth development. Perhaps most importantly, Exelon’s financial support
enabled Centers to retain personnel who connected Jarquise with other organizations and mentored her through the
transition to post-secondary education. Jarquise’s success lies in stark contrast to her twin brother’s stagnation.
Although Jarquise believed that her brother was the more talented student, he attended a different school and did not
participate in the initiative. Her twin plans to attend a local community college but his matriculation has not been
confirmed. Jarquise’s involvement in Exelon -supported programs has given a quiet youth once on the margins of her
community, the support, experience, and opportunities to develop into a community leader and pursue her goal of
becoming a psychologist.
Students speak with guest volunteers
Brainstorming session with an Exelon volunteer
Tutoring sessions help students complete
homework with confidence
Stay in School Initiative participants gather for the kick-off
presentation
Networking with a mentor