The Leader Council seeks to help Mercy Home’s kids overcome the many serious challenges they’ve faced in their young lives—challenges that could imperil their futures. Sustained abuse, neglect and family dysfunction have taken a toll on our children’s educational development. Whether a youth was forced to focus on survival instead of school or struggled in an unsafe school environment, a staggering learning gap exists:
- One out of every four youth accepted into our residential programs has special education needs.
- Some display learning disabilities that have been ignored or have gone unrecognized for years.
- Children arrive, on average, at least two to three years behind their peers in school.
The Leader Council supports programs that help these children catch up. Members raise dollars for tuition so children can attend private schools and specialized learning centers that offer smaller classes, personal attention and a fresh start. Their efforts fund remedial programs, software tutorials and supplemental education programs to ensure the progress made during the school day continues at home.
This investment has yielded results. Last year, 100% of Mercy Home seniors graduated from high school. Compare that to the average graduation rate of 52% in America’s largest cities—this is a remarkable success!
