Douglas County Partners for Student Success
Education
Douglas County Partners for Student Success ( DCPSS ) is the Regional Achievement Collaborative serving youth and families of the Umpqua Valley . The vision of DCPSS is that EACH child in Douglas County will receive effective and meaningful support to achieve economic and social success by graduating high school , completing post-secondary education and / or entering a career . Our work is targeted to ensure each child has supports in and out of school to be successful ; leaves high school ready for post-secondary education and / or career ; and completes a post-high school degree , career credential or training needed for personal well-being . Current projects promoting the mission of DCPSS include the management of the Umpqua Valley Regional STEAM Hub , Education Matters campaign and Youth Mentoring .
Two AmeriCorps members have joined our team of partners this year to help us create a sustainable mentoring model for middle and high-school students across the county . Erika McIntyre and Erik Wood work at a growing number of sites , building essential relationships with students and developing an understanding of the needs students have to effectively prepare for their future . They are currently serving youth at Phoenix School , the Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley , Glide High School and the Lancer Academy at South Umpqua High School through programs such as ASPIRE , Great by Eighth and Upward Bound . They will soon be at Camas Valley . With a focus on academic support aimed at high school completion and building college / career readiness , Erik and Erika are gaining valuable experience that will be passed on to future youth mentors through volunteer recruitment and training . They will also develop the Douglas County Mentoring Guidebook 1.0 for ongoing use .
Gwen Soderberg-Chase Host Site Mentor Director