Elk Grove Unified School District: “Improve Your Tomorrow” Organization Receives $50,000 From AT&T

From the Elk Grove Unified School District:

March 5, 2020

An investment of $50,000 will be a benefit for one organization that mentors students of color to achieve great things in and out of the classroom. On Wednesday, March 4th, the Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) organization received a $50,000 check from AT&T at Florin High School’s IYT chapter. Improve Your Tomorrow, is a non-profit organization formed in 2013 by Michael Lynch, a 2006 Valley High School and Elk Grove Unified graduate. The organization’s mission is to “increase the number of young men of color who attend and graduate from college or university.” Young men of color can join the organization anytime from 7th to 11th grade and receive help with student development, weekly tutoring, and mentorship. The program aims to help break the school to prison pipeline for diverse students and give them opportunities to attend college and expand their opportunities through education.

For students who participate in IYT programs, the support doesn’t end after middle school or high school. IYT programs extend all the way through college to ensure that students attend college and more importantly, that they graduate and get jobs as well. IYT offers 3 academic programs to help students succeed. The programs include IYT College Academy, IYT CC, and IYT U.

The IYT College Academy program is for middle and high school students. The program’s focus is to decrease suspension rates and chronic absenteeism while increasing college readiness.

IYT CC is for students attending community colleges. These students receive support in graduating and moving into the workforce or transferring to a 4-year university.

Students can enter the IYT U program at a participating IYT high school or Sacramento State. In IYT U, students receive multiple opportunities to gain leadership and community service experience while also receiving academic mentorship.

The impact of these programs is outstanding, with 100% of IYT College Academy students graduating high school and 94% percent attending college. AT&T recognized the amazing impact of the Improve Your Tomorrow organization and donated $50,000 to help students of color continue to obtain academic success through the programs.

To learn more about the organizations or programs at Florin High School and other schools in the Elk Grove Unified School District, click here!

This press release was produced by Elk Grove Unified School District:. The views expressed here are the author’s own.