GARLAND ISD
August 3, 2000
 
Mr. Joe Walker
Youth Achievement Foundation
2500 E. Park Blvd. #0-6
Piano, Texas 75074

Ellen C. Mooney

Dear Joe,

On behalf of Williams Elementary School, I would like to express our gratitude for the service the Youth Achievement Foundation has provided for our students. This year was our. first year with the program. Each week of the nine weekly sessions was well organized and a wonderful experience for the fourth grade boys in the program.
 
Williams Elementary School is designated a Title I school with 60% of our students eligible for the federal breakfast and lunch subsidies. Our students have little access to the mentoring provided by the program, For many of these students college had not even been a consideration before working with their mentors.
 
The organization of each meeting was a good balance of academics, goal setting, and recreation. Over the course of the nine weeks I saw students walk through storms to attend, choose being with their mentors over attending a dance, and help their parents arrange car pools to arrive at school for the sessions.
 
As I reviewed the TAAS scores, I noted that most of the participants passed both sections. The test was more difficult this year and the expectation was that more students especially those at-risk would fail. One student who failed both sections of the test looks at first glance to be a loss from the program. Not so at all. This young man had a lengthy discipline record before meeting his mentor. His lack of self-control and cooperation on the bus had resulted in two removals during which time his parents had to bring him to school. During the last nine weeks of school, while he was meeting each week with his mentor there were no reports of problems on the bus or from the classroom teacher.
 
As he enters fifth grade, I look forward to continued progress based on the positive relationship established with his mentor. There are many students like this young man who need the guidance and encouragement to set goals and make appropriate choices. I look forward to the presence of the program on our campus during the 2000-2001 school year.
 
Sincerely,
 
Ellen C. Mooney

WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1821 Old Gate Lane Garland, Texas 75042 • (972) 494-8316