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The Escondido Education 'COMPACT' is a community based organization formed in 1989 by key leaders of the Escondido Union and Escondido School Districts, and the Escondido Chamber of Commerce. COMPACT is committed to providing innovative youth (14-24) development and youth workforce development programs including leadership and youth workforce development, violence prevention, and health-safety-and well-being programs for underserved and high-risk youth. This program also helps youth that may go to Juvenile Hall by providing compliance monitors that help them make the correct choices and avert future setbacks. A key statistic to note is that the average recidivism rate for juveniles in California is 56.5% and the current rate for juveniles that go through COMPACT is 9%.
This program serves a humanitarian purpose by taking youth out of poverty, violent and precarious situations and improving their welfare and ability to serve as better role models for their siblings and friends. As government grants are reduced for these types of programs, it becomes necessary for us to help fund these indispensable activities. Rotary of Escondido After 5 has supported the project for the last two years and remains committed to continue these efforts by also providing college scholarships for college bound students.
The funds will help to provide support to underserved youth from Valley High School to obtain tutoring and testing for High School Equivalency certificates and college entrance. Job placement services, resumé creation and training in interviewing skills are also provided through this project. Escondido Rotary After 5 members focus on sustainability beyond our environmental footprint by engaging the youth to keep them out of gangs and criminal activity and encouraging them to return to the program as volunteers to mentor and serve as role models for success. Many of these disadvantaged students will face insurmountable obstacles to pursue a college education and obtain employment. If they do not get the education necessary to provide the basic necessities to their families, they can ultimately become a taxpayer burden or be enticed by a life of crime to put food on the table.
Members of this club have committed to providing tutoring, job interview training, and mentoring services in addition to the funds provided for case management sessions, testing fees and other costs related to college and/or job placement. Support will be provided throughout the 2018/2019 Rotary year.
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