Check out WBAL’s profile of Thread, a non-profit that provides underperforming high school students with a family of volunteers that help with academic advancement and personal growth.
In 2004, Sarah Hemminger started the Incentive Mentoring Program; as a 2009 Community Fellow, Hemminger was able to expand the program that eventually became Thread. Each student in the program has a family of volunteers, overseen by what Hemminger calls a “head of household” who leads, coordinates and motivates the family. This structure is essential to the model.
According to the program’s website, 91% of students who have been in Thread for 5 years have graduated high school, 90% of students who have been in Thread for 5 years have been accepted to college and 86% of student alumni have completed a 4 or 2 year degree or certificate program.
The New York Times wrote a two-part series about Thread last March.
