This Ties That Bind Us is sponsored by Matt The Carpet Guy.
GEORGETOWN, Del. - Pathways to Success is celebrating 20 years of supporting students identified as being at risk of not graduating from high school.
The nonprofit begins working with students in ninth grade, continuing through high school and for one year after graduation. The organization offers mentoring, tutoring, awards, and field trips designed to help students stay on track.
Executive Director and Founder Fay Blake said her own childhood experiences inspired the organization, including the support she received from her family.
"If somebody were to ask me [to] kind of look back on the 10-year-old child, if I thought I would be in this space at this time, I would have told them, 'Absolutely not.' My childhood did not lend itself to me being anything but probably a statistic," Blake said.
Blake said her grandmother and aunts were a strong support system. She assured that while they were poor, they were very rich in love and care.
"It was that underpinning that my aunties and my grandmother gave me that helped me be who I am today," Blake noted. "It literally changed the trajectory of my life."
Operations manager Jacques Bowe said students often come to the program with different challenges.
"When a student comes to us, they can have all kinds of concerns, needs, and I would say, barriers, and our main focus is to remove those barriers and to make sure that we give them the resources to be successful," Bowe said.
Bowe said the program serves more than 400 students during the academic year.
"We provide counseling services for those who need a counselor or mental health services. We also provide tutoring for those who struggle with academics," Bowe added.
Bowe said the program also offers financial support when needed.
"Let's just say they want to go into cosmetology, and they may need a kit to be purchased to be successful. We'll purchase those things for them," Bowe said.
For Bowe, working with students is a privilege.
"I always use this motto that says, 'I get to work with them.' These students are the most precious," Bowe noted.
Sarah Gilmour, outreach and development manager, said she has worked with the nonprofit for about 15 years and finds the work meaningful.
"It's personally rewarding," Gilmour said. "These are kids that everyone says won't make it, most of them, that's the impression, and Fay says, I want the kids that no one else wants."
Blake said it has been an honor over the past 20 years to give back to others.
"My grandmother helped me understand that love and care really go a long way. She taught me about consistency and making sure that you're good to the people around you and that you show them love," Blake said. "She talked to me about authenticity and always coming to the table with an authentic self, and she also taught me about respect. Not just simply how to expect respect from other people, but what it looks like when you give it, and then you get it in return."
Pathways to Success said it has a 98 percent graduation rate for students in the program. The organization also said 96 percent move on to college, the military, or full-time employment.
"Our kids come back and tell us what they're doing and how successful they are, and it's really a wonderful feeling to see them succeed," Gilmour said.
Gilmour also highlighted the organization's broader support for families.
"We aren't just an in-school program. We help with heat and electricity. If a family's threatened to be evicted, we'll pay for rent," Gilmour noted.
An Earth, Wind & Fire tribute concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of Pathways to Success is set for April 18 at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the show begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are limited and can be purchased here.
