What is the Decade of Difference program?

The Decade of Difference is a ten-year community initiative designed to prepare local youth to be contributing and productive members of our society, community and economy. This will be achieved through strategic efforts focused on kindergarten readiness, early literacy in reading and math, financial literacy, college and career planning, creative and innovative entrepreneurship activities, professional development for teachers, and parent, business and community engagement.

Vision Statement:

The community will unite and engage in long-term strategies to prepare our youth to be successful contributing members in our community. As a result, employers will have a well-educated workforce that is trained, ready, willing and capable. Entrepreneurship will become a part of the culture for our youth. Decreased reliance on social services, decreased youth adult criminal activity, and decreased poverty rates among our youth and families will be noticed on the North Coast.

Why it was created?

In 2007, the Headwaters Fund, a Humboldt County fund for economic development, decided to launch an initiative program to support local business growth. The Headwaters Fund Board convened panels of employers and was told that finding a ready, willing and capable workforce was the most significant issue in developing the local economy. Business leaders stated that there were local employment opportunities County residents were not able to take advantage of because of a lack of education and training. Enrollments were also declining in local schools which meant a shrinking labor pool in years to come. At that time, 80.9% of Humboldt County students graduated from high school, which meant one out of five did not. 47% of the local students continued on for post-secondary training or education

What does this program do?

Initiative staff at the Humboldt County Office of Education work with local school districts, community volunteers, businesses and local colleges to further the goals of the program.

Specific goals:

• 100% of 4th grade students will demonstrate grade level mastery in reading and math

• 95% of entering high school freshmen will graduate with a high school diploma

• 90% of high school graduates will continue their education and enroll in a post-secondary educational program

Currently beginning its third year, the initiative is working with 11 school districts county wide. Five more will be added in 2012-13 bringing the percentage of local students being served directly up to 64%.

Examples of some of the programs included in the initiative are:

• Lemonade Day – a program designed to teach young people real-world business skills

• Young Entrepreneurs Business Challenge – a written business plan competition with cash prizes for start up capital

• School-Wide Financial Literacy Event at Ferndale High School – collaboration with 7 financial institutions and community volunteers to teach financial skills to high school juniors and seniors

• Schools of Hope Early Literacy Tutoring Program with United Way which recruited and trained 80 volunteer tutors in 2011-12

• Middle School Career Camp at College of the Redwoods

• “I’ve Already Been Admitted to College” program brings 7th and 8th graders to visit College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University

 How it is funded?

The program has been awarded $1.5 million ($150,000 a year for ten years) from the Headwaters Fund. This amount is more than matched by contributions from Humboldt County Office of Education, the College Access Foundation and North Coast CalSOAP( California Student Opportunity and Access Program).

What partnerships are involved?

Humboldt County Office of Education

Humboldt State University

College of the Redwoods

United Way

North Coast Small Business Development Center

County of Humboldt Economic Development

Consumer Credit Counseling Services

For more information, please contact Dawn Elsbree, Headwaters Fund Executive Director, delsbree@co.humboldt.ca.us.