About Us
Program Description
Need
Katherine "Co Co" Shelton If Given a Chance offers a lifeline for high school graduates who have overcome a tremendous personal challenge and demonstrate a commitment to continuing their education. Youth who have made negative choices, suffered abuse, alienation and/or neglect often enter the post-high school years with little or no emotional, moral or financial support. This program meets the essential needs of these students by providing funds to be used for food, shelter, transportation, and technology while attending school. These necessities are often a barrier to continued college enrollment and are not met by traditional avenues of educational funding models, such as financial aid.
In addition to financial support, the If Given a Chance Program establishes a relationship with each student to guide their path from high school graduation through college or a vocational training program. If Given a Chance helps students maximize their financial aid benefits and avail themselves of resources on their campuses to guide students away from negative influence and toward achieving their goals.
The need for funds and support is growing. College tuition is rising; University of California tuition increased 9.3% in May and will increase another 32% by November 2010, while financial aid budgets are shrinking. Additionally, staff and course cuts make it difficult to enroll in required classes, thus lengthening the time it takes to meet graduation requirements. Providing the funds, guidance, and accountability between students and the program administrators, If Given a Chance ensures committed but vulnerable students are provided relevant tools to stay enrolled in school and succeed.
Purpose
If Given a Chance Awards Fund and Guidance Program provides essential financial assistance and individualized support for students who have overcome challenge, are committed to achieve a post-high school education and continue on their path of positive change. The program consists of three distinct steps.
- Discovery: If Given a Chance works within the community to discover determined, resilient, and courageous youth who have overcome a tremendous challenge and choose to pursue education beyond high school as a means of their continued success.
- Recognition: Once selected, the Honorees are recognized by community leaders at the Awards Dinner.
- Support: If Given a Chance provides mentoring, guidance, and financial assistance to support each student's commitment to overcome adversity, continue education beyond high school graduation, and become positive contributing members of the community.
If Given a Chance supports each student for the duration of their post-high school education. Students receive individualized guidance, referral and resource assistance from our Student Liaison who has an MA in Counseling. She maintains quarterly contact with students to help navigate the college curriculum and resources available to keep them on a path of success. The Executive Director maintains ties with schools, recipients and families to oversee recipient progress and accountability.
If Given a Chance works closely with all five Napa County school districts and high schools to identify youth who meet the unique criteria. Recipients are often the most vulnerable and challenged young people in our community but demonstrate a desire to overcome obstacles and strive for success. The community partnership helps identify those young people who may fall through the cracks of the traditional education system.
Collaborative relationships with College Bound Network, Napa County Probation, Napa County District Attorney's Office, Napa City Police, Napa Valley College, NEWS, and Cope, provide additional support and guidance. The Napa County Office of Education, Napa Valley College, Mustards Grill and Bank of Napa participate in our CAN program to impart important survival skill sets to our recipients.
If Given a Chance has received funds from the Jewish Community of Napa Valley, Jewish Community of San Francisco, Community Projects, various Rotary Clubs, Napa Valley Publishing, Winiarski Family Foundation, the Shafer, Trinchero, Mondavi and Cakebread families, and donor advised funds of the Napa Valley Community Foundation. The Gamble, McDonnell, and Ruth Epstein Schuler Foundations have also provided funding. In setting up an endowment, If Given a Chance doubled the initial gift of $100,000 through Board fundraising efforts.
Since 1995, 281 recipients have benefited from If Given a Chance. Currently, the program has forty-seven students attending twenty-one different colleges and two recipients attending vocational or training programs.
About our Students
Dianna Lindsey Our students include the kid who never speaks, just sits in the back of the class room does not participate, may appear depressed, and often avoids all contact. They just show up. Others have made some choices that have lead them to gangs, drugs, and/or alcohol. Still others are fighting debilitating diseases or injuries that have created roadblocks to their success.
We are there when the silent begin to participate and engage, when the gangbanger begins to turn his back on his mistakes and begins to work towards a future of opportunities, and we are there when the injured or ill fight back to health and hope.
Geography and Populations
If Given a Chance serves the youth of Napa County. Recipients come from every high school including alternative, traditional, and community schools throughout the County. Students are nominated by adults who know them personally and who often speak to their life story in all its complexity. Nominators range from probation or police officers to counselors, teachers, and foster parents.
If Given a Chance students mirror the demographics of the community in which they live:
- 56% are Caucasian
- 42% are Hispanic
- 2% are African American, Native American, Asian, or Pacific Islander
All If Given a Chance students have overcome a life challenge such as gang affiliation, a severe medical condition, or a challenging family or living situation. The obstacles may be the result of their own behavior or the result of what others have done to them. The specific challenges these youth have overcome are significant:
- 44% dealt with substance abuse or addiction
- 57% suffered abuse of some kind
- 38% experienced physical abuse (22% of those dealt with sexual abuse)
- 40% suffered neglect
- 30% witnessed domestic violence
- 27% came from foster care
- 29% were involved with the juvenile justice system
- 17% have been homeless
- 49% were affected by their parent's substance abuse
On average, If Given a Chance recipients experience at least 6 of the 20 issues used as criteria to evaluate program nominees.
A History
Tim Macholz If Given a Chance was born out of a community process designed to address youth violence in Napa County. City leaders held meetings to hear resident concerns, needs and ideas to combat growing gang activity and juvenile crime. Near the end of the final meeting, a young man stood and asked to speak. The first teen contribute, he spoke articulately and from his heart. He thanked everyone for their efforts and supported several of the recommendations. He went on, however, to make a keen observation.
"I have one problem with all of this," he stated. "There are over 300 people here. You are all here because of what we did wrong. How many of you would show up if we did something right?"
This comment gave birth to the vision of If Given a Chance.
What happens when youth overcome challenges and make positive contributions? There are systems in place, predominantly punitive, to catch youth who do not follow rules, but what is in place to help those who make positive progress despite obstacles?
If Given a Chance was created as an answer to these questions.
From this seminal moment and the challenge of one young person that we be present when troubled youth make positive choices, the dream of If Given a Chance became a reality. The organization was founded in 1995 to discover, recognize and support high school graduates who have demonstrated success in overcoming tremendous challenges.
Since 1995, If Given a Chance has served over 280 teens through a three part program that guides students to achieve and maintain success in post-high school education and training programs. Through these programs, If Given a Chance students have proven to not only attain an education, but go on to become positive contributing members of our community.
Our Mission:
If Given a Chance discovers high school graduates who have overcome extraordinary challenges and mentors them to achieve success.
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