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U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

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Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Baltimore Program Offers Low-Income Teens More Tools for Success

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Monday, September 30, 2019   

BALTIMORE – More low-income middle school students in Baltimore are getting into academically rigorous high schools, and they credit the city's Middle Grades Partnership learning program.

Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the Middle Grades Partnership crosses economic and racial lines by pairing private and public school students to work on multidisciplinary projects during summers and into the school year, according to Wendy Samet, the program's executive director.

"Citywide, only 26% of students got into the top academic high schools in the city, and 94% of our students did,” she points out. “So, we are really changing the trajectory of students' lives."

One goal is to help students who live in poverty be part of projects they wouldn't ordinarily be exposed to, including designing and launching their own rockets and producing TED talks lectures.

This year, Samet says, attendance rates for the program top 90%.

One of the most popular Middle Grade Partnership projects is teaching storytelling techniques, Samet adds.

Partnering with Baltimore's City Stage, African-American and Latinx middle schoolers spent months learning how to write and present stories about their lives, culminating in a performance at the theater.

"They were about everything and anything that you can imagine,” Samet relates. “They also created artwork that was projected behind them for their stories – so, it was really a terrific experience."

This year, more than 500 teens are participating in the three-year program. Funded by the Baltimore Community Foundation, the Middle Grades Partnership has served more than 4,000 students since 2005.


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