Corners Outreach is a 501c3 that strives to increase high school graduation rates and improve career opportunities for families.
A study from Northeastern University found that high school dropouts cost taxpayers $292,000 over the course of their lives. In the communities where we focus, the Board of Education in DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties states that High School graduation rates are 70% Caucasians, 64% African American, 55% Hispanics, and 35% ESOL.
A recent study shows that students who do not read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave high school without a diploma than proficient readers. So we can be most effective in decreasing the dropout rate by tutoring elementary age students and showing parents the value of education.
In 2012, we partnered with Berkeley Lake Elementary to begin an education focused program, Corners Academy, which provides after school tutoring as well as a summer camp in Norcross, GA. Soon after we partnered with two other elementary schools, Hightower Elementary and Beaver Ridge Elementary.
While building relationships with the parents of our students, we found that many had more than two jobs. In 2017, we started Corners Industries, a career initiative which exists to break cycles of poverty.