commencement

By now, many of you reading this post probably have received invitations to commencement ceremonies and/or graduation open houses. This is a special time of year for graduates, families and friends. Their hard work throughout the years has paid off.

Statistics show that on average, 80 percent of American high school students graduate. While that number is greater than it’s been in years, that means 20 percent are left behind.

As youth advocates, we are grateful for those who have matriculated, but our work is far from done. In fact, we must move forward more robustly in our collective efforts to ensure that all children – from every background – are supported to reach their full potential. From mentoring and tutoring to extra-curricular programming, our youth benefit tremendously when they have options.

Let’s continue to work together in making sure that no child is left behind. Congratulations to the class of 2016 and beyond.

Looking for gift ideas for the grad in your life? Here is Reader’s Digests list of the best books to give as graduation gifts!