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.
"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.
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.
Pathways to Success says they have a 98 percent graduation rate for students in the program. The organization also says 96 percent move on to college, the military, or full-time employment.
Sarah Gilmour, outreach and development manager, said she has worked with the nonprofit for about 15 years.
"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," Gilmour said.
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.
