Our Commitment
Find out what drives Wishbone; read about our mission & method, theory of change and goals.
Mission & Method
Our Mission
Wishbone is committed to closing the nation’s achievement gap by bringing quality out-of-school opportunities to at risk and low-income high school students. We believe that out-of-school time presents one of the greatest opportunities to level the playing field and give all students the chance to be on a successful life-path.
Our Method
Wishbone sources low-income students with high potential and connects them to an appropriate database of programs. We ignite students’ families, teachers and schools to support them. We also aggregate financial aid from various sources to send students on path-changing program experiences.
TopTheory of Change
Wishbone puts students on a fundamentally different life path. We examine what a transformational experience would be for a particular student from a particular community. By looking at the original path of the student, we assess the context as to why a requested wish would be a path-changing opportunity.
Wishbone exposes low-income students to out-of-school programs that build confidence, a skill set, and the realization that succeeding in high school is relevant to pursuing their passions.
After their Wishbone participation, our students find personal relevance in school and ambition for their future. Our students become empowered not only to complete high school, but also to attend college or start meaningful careers. Below are the core values we live by:
1
Expectations Matter.
The expectations of a community will determine students’ outcomes. By connecting students to new communities through their programs and in their donor networks, we hope to shift students’ expectations for themselves.
2
Experience changes perspective.
We know that first-hand experience rather than theoretical instruction will be most effective in showing students the variety of life paths available to them. Independent decision-making allows students to develop a unique skill set, influencing their confidence and character in life.
3
Purpose leads to action.
We believe in setting ambitious goals for students and working with students, their families, their schools and teachers in achieving them. By unifying students’ support networks towards a shared goal, students find distinct purpose in their efforts.
Our Goals
To know we are succeeding in our goals, Wishbone tracks each student across three broad categories: Retention, Achievement, and Engagement.
1. Retention
| Description: | Raising the graduation rate and lowering the dropout rate. |
| Goal: | 99% of Wishbone students will graduate. |
| Retention Metric(s): | Progress towards High School graduation. |
| How We Measure: | School-wide data, released by FERPA waiver from parents. |
2. Achievement
| Description: | Improvement in Academic Performance & closing the Achievement Gap |
| Goal: | 99% of Wishbone students will have increased G.P.A within 12 months of out-of-school program completion. |
| Achievement Metric(s): | Student G.P.A |
| How We Measure: | School-wide data, released by FERPA waiver from parents. |
3. Engagement
| Description: | Improvement in life trajectory and closing the Engagement Gap |
| Goal: | 99% of Wishbone students will show increased engagement within 12 months of out-of-school program completion. |
| Achievement Metric(s): | Social Intelligence and Maturity, Self-Empowerment, Peer Leadership, Classroom Participation, Attitude of Achievement, Optimism for the Future |
| How We Measure: | Student and Teacher surveys (before and after the out-of-school program experience). |
