This pioneering urban Start on
Success (SOS) program began in 1995 with 30 students working in a
partnership between West Philadelphia’s University City High School
and the University of Pennsylvania.
Today the
Philadelphia Start on Success program is a year-round
initiative, supported by Communities in Schools of
Philadelphia Inc., the School District of Philadelphia, the National
Organization on Disability, and the Marriott Foundation’s
“Bridges from School to Work Program”. Philadelphia SOS is
funded through the Philadelphia Youth Network and provides
comprehensive programming for 80 students with disabilities each
year from West Philadelphia, University City, Overbrook and Thomas
Edison High Schools.
The
worksite list has grown to include: the University of Pennsylvania,
St. Joseph’s University, Lankaneau Hospital, the University of
Pennsylvania Hospital, Veterans Administration Medical Center,
Northeastern Hospital, and several School District buildings.
MOST
RECENTLY:
Over
96% of the eighty students in Philadelphia’s Start on Success
program successfully completed the 2005/06 school year by
graduating or moving on to the next grade. Of the fifteen
graduates, twelve are currently
employed. The program was able to offer all graduates career
counseling and job placement assistance through the Marriott
Foundation’s Bridges from School to Work program.
Our Future:
Philadelphia
SOS continues to provide students with academic instruction, paid
work - based learning opportunities, and support services during
the final years of their high school eligibility. It is designed
to prepare students for the challenges of adult living by teaching
the skills necessary for post secondary success, and helping young
people make connections to the world of work and adult service
providers.
The Philadelphia Start on Success program stands as an exemplary
urban resource, helping students with disabilities build the
confidence, discipline, and knowledge they need to succeed in the
workplace.
