My Brother's Keeper doubles graduation program enrollment, helping at-risk Tulsa students cross the stage

TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa organization is doubling down on its efforts to help at-risk high school seniors graduate.

My Brother's Keeper has launched what it calls the Graduation Game Plan, a program designed to identify students who may not make it across the stage and give them the support they need to get there.

"We've partnered with Tulsa Public Schools and Union Public Schools to identify students who need an additional push, some encouragement to get across the stage," said Berthaddaeus Bailey, My Brother's Keeper managing director.

Last year, the program worked with 42 students who were at risk of not graduating. Nearly 80% of those students were able to walk across the stage.

This year, 84 students took part in the Graduation Game Plan — doubling enrollment from the previous year.

My Brother's Keeper has been deeply involved in the Tulsa community, helping kids read at grade level by third grade and continuing that support all the way through high school.

Through the Graduation Game Plan, the organization holds small workshops to better understand why some students are falling behind and then works to get them back on track.

My Brother's Keeper says many of the challenges students face happen outside the classroom.

"In our conversations with students, we asked them what has caused you to be behind or what has caused you to be in need of some additional supports and they said I have two kids or I have one kid. And so I have responsibilities outside of school or they're caring for a younger sibling or they're working a job. And so we found some of those to be some of the major barriers students are facing," Bailey said.

Graduation coaches regularly check in with students, providing an extra layer of support alongside school counselors. The organization says counselors are often stretched thin, so these coaches can help ease some of that workload while making sure students have someone in their corner.

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