SHOW Launch
On September 30, Funnyman George Lopez and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, along with the Partnership for LA Schools and S.H.O.W. (Students Helping Our World), teamed up for a rousing rally at Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights to address the serious issues of academic performance and attendance. Speaking before thousands of students, the Mayor and Lopez announced the launch of S.H.O.W., which will be implemented across all high schools in the Partnership’s network including, Roosevelt, Santee, Mendez and Jordan.
The student-formed S.H.O.W. (www.showstudents.org) boosts academic excellence and student attendance through an incentive program that features visits from athletes and artists and rewards to support school-based academic goals and motivate students to “show up” to school and stay on track for graduation. The program culminates in a year-end concert featuring today’s top artists as a reward for meeting attendance and academic goals throughout the year. Past artists have included Kanye West, Common, and Lupe Fiasco.
How the program works:
- The S.H.O.W. program will track the following two metrics:
- Grades (C or better)
- Attendance—96% or better (1 absence per benchmark)
- There will be six benchmarks throughout the competition with points collected during each benchmark. (Benchmarks: Nov., Dec., Feb., March, April, and May)
- A student will need to collect a minimum of six points to earn a ticket to the end-of-year concert. Students can collect a maximum of eight points.
- After the first semester, students who obtain a “C” or better on their report cards will be awarded points.
- Students who keep a 96% or better attendance during each benchmark will be awarded points. This means a student is allowed no more than one absence during each benchmark.
- Points will be tallied at the end of the competition.
“The heart of S.H.O.W. is it's mission - peer-to-peer mentoring. Students partner both within their schools and with the S.H.O.W. network for moral and academic support. Students cheer each other on, scaffolding the important lessons of attendance and achievement. By partnering with their peers, students will stay interested and engaged with the S.H.O.W. mission,” Elizabeth Rogers, Executive Director, S.H.O.W.
The S.H.O.W. competition will take place from November 1, 2011 to May 31, 2012. In addition to the end-of-year concert, five rewards/incentives featuring visits by prominent athletes and artists will be awarded to all four high schools throughout the competition to celebrate students who meet the attendance and grade targets.
