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Last updated on November 19, 2008

The Built to Last Collaborative will provide Sequoia district high school students from the Ravenswood district (East Palo Alto/east Menlo Park communities) with a program of trained academic coaching who will be campus based providing coordination, mentoring, tutoring and tutors, supplemented by other volunteer support, to work toward high school graduation.

Description:
The Built to Last Collaborative takes the approach of targeting a group of students from the Ravenswood district and working with them for 3 years beginning in the 9th grade up until graduation.

The goal is to provide academic coaching, support and tutoring to help the students achieve the goal of high school graduation. This goal is set because historically, the students from Ravenswood City School District graduate at a very low rate as they move to the Sequoia Union High School District. A study showed that of 475 students entering as Freshmen in 2002 from Ravenswood district, only 27% ended up graduating and passing the state exit exam with their class in 2006.

We strive to "Close the Academic Achievement Gap" among this target group of students and to provide the academic support that they need. With the given support, we hope to dramatically increase the graduation numbers so that these students can have more opportunities ahead of them in the future.

History:
In May 2006, Menlo College was awarded a six-month California Service Corporation Planning grant. The Menlo College Built to Last Feasibility Study identified ways to involve the community in what Martin Luther King Jr. called the "beloved community." The Beloved Community is an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood working together to increase East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park high school student graduation rates.

On May 24, 2007, the California Volunteer (CV), Commission awarded the Built to Last Collaborative a three-year AmeriCorps grant to increase the high school completion rates of Sequoia Union High School District students. The grant award of $1 Million will allow Built to Last to recruit, train and deploy forty academic coaches and hundreds of area volunteers to increase high school graduation rates

Contact people:

Stewart Hyland, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email) Gail Ortega, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Stacey Nitta, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Main office number: (650) 330-2259

Address:

100 Terminal Avenue Menlo Park, CA 94025 (See a map)

Web Site: None specified

Directions:

From North of Menlo Park: Take Freeway 101 south towards San Jose. Exit Willow Road east towards 84 - Dumbarton Bridge. Turn left on Newbridge and continue until Chilco, then turn right on Chilco. Cross diagonally at Chilco and Bay Road, stay on Chilco until Terminal. Turn left on Terminal and drive to end to parking lot at Onetta Harris Community Center. Our office is located in the main building on the right directly across from Beechwood School. From South of Menlo Park Take Freeway 101 north towards San Francisco and exit freeway at Willow Road East (towards 84 - Dumbarton Bridge). Turn left on Newbridge and continue until Chilco, turn right on Chilco. At Chilco and Bay Road, cross Bay diagonally to stay on Chilco until Terminal. Turn left on Terminal Avenue and drive to end, to parking lot at Onetta Harris Community Center. Our office is located in the main building on the right (across the lot from Beechwood School).   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Menlo Park Caltrain/Shuttle   Nearest Bus Stop: Sam Trans #281

Miscellaneous Information

Besides English, which languages are spoken at your agency?
	Spanish
What is the minimum age for volunteers at your agency?
	18
Is your agency wheelchair accessible?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 10?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 20?
	No

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