Hashoo Foundation USA in conjunction with Houston Independent School District (HISD), Expectation Graduation, the City of Houston Digital Inclusion Initiative and WeCan Program commits to create an incentive award "Expectation Graduation Room" package to recognize 50 HISD at-risk students from Robert E. Lee, Ross Sterling, Jack Yates and James Madison High Schools who, in 2004, signed a YES Mayor White, I Will Complete High School Commitment Card promising to graduate in 2009. Qualifying students receive a package that includes dorm room-style furniture and a refurbished computer.
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Hashoo Foundation USA in conjunction with Houston Independent School District (HISD), Expectation Graduation, the City of Houston Digital Inclusion Initiative and WeCan Program commits to create an incentive award "Expectation Graduation Room" package to recognize 50 HISD at-risk students from Robert E. Lee, Ross Sterling, Jack Yates and James Madison High Schools who, in 2004, signed a YES Mayor White, I Will Complete High School Commitment Card promising to graduate in 2009. Qualifying students receive a package that includes dorm room-style furniture and a refurbished computer.

In 2009, 33 HISD students were awarded with the aforementioned Expectation Graduation Project. There were 24 females and 9 males awarded the package, and currently 21 of students are attending a four-year university, while 8 of those students are attending a community college.


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Hashoo Foundation USA observed the following implementation strategies in order to successfully realize the mission and vision of the 'Expectation Graduation Room' pilot project:


Phase 1

- Hashoo Foundation USA to partner with Houston ISD, Expectation Graduation and City of Houston Digital Inclusion Initiative Wireless Empowered Community Access Network (WeCan) to outline goals of project.
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Hashoo Foundation USA observed the following implementation strategies in order to successfully realize the mission and vision of the 'Expectation Graduation Room' pilot project:


Phase 1

- Hashoo Foundation USA to partner with Houston ISD, Expectation Graduation and City of Houston Digital Inclusion Initiative Wireless Empowered Community Access Network (WeCan) to outline goals of project.

- Procure furniture.


HISD to determine student honorees from participating schools based on the following criteria:

- Low-income and/or homeless students.

- Signed Expectation Graduation YES Mayor White, I will Complete High School Card in 2004.

- Graduated in 2009

- HF USA to build partnerships with additional organizations to further enrich project outcomes.


Phase 2

- Host Ceremony to recognize student honorees and introduce them to partner organizations and the resources and services they provide.


- The University of St. Thomas MicroCredit Program (UST MCP) to allocate the Annual Line of Credit to support the education expenses of one (1) graduating student who has demonstrated academic excellence.


- The loan will be offered to this student on an annual basis, carrying an interest rate that is always lower than the most competitive student loan available in the market, for the duration of his/her academic career at a community college in the Greater Houston area.


- United Way THRIVE, ACCION Texas, Furniture Bank and other departments and agencies will be available at the presentation ceremony to share information about services and ensure these students and their families have all the support they need as the students begin their experience in college or a career.


Phase 3

- Deliver packages to the student homes.

- Each student to complete the project assessment form for follow up and evaluation.


Phase 4

Follow up with:

- UST MCP on the allocation of the student micro-credit loan and student's progress

- United Way Thrive and Accion Texas about families with whom they have established relationships and the ways in which HF USA can continue to support their development
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In May 2004, Houston's First Lady Andrea White and the Houston Independent School District (HISD) hosted the Expectation Graduation Summit to increase public awareness of the dropout issue, develop ways to address it, create action plans based on those strategies, and actively engage local leaders to carry out those plans. Hundreds of business and community leaders, parents, and students attended the summit and one of the many initiatives that grew from it was HISD's 'Reach Out to Dropouts' (ROTD) walk.
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In May 2004, Houston's First Lady Andrea White and the Houston Independent School District (HISD) hosted the Expectation Graduation Summit to increase public awareness of the dropout issue, develop ways to address it, create action plans based on those strategies, and actively engage local leaders to carry out those plans. Hundreds of business and community leaders, parents, and students attended the summit and one of the many initiatives that grew from it was HISD's 'Reach Out to Dropouts' (ROTD) walk.


In October 2007, Hashoo Foundation, which had previously focused its education programming on connecting drop-out students to quality schools in remote areas of Pakistan, supported the Expectation Graduation program to provide enriching educational opportunities for Houston's students.


In 2009, HF USA partnered with Houston ISD, Expectation Graduation, City of Houston and City of Houston Digital Inclusion Initiative Wireless Empowered Community Access Network (WeCan) to delineate the goals of the 'Expectation Graduation Room' project and formulate the action steps necessary to achieve them.
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March 2010


-Press conference celebrating the students awarded with the "Expectation Graduation Room" package was held in Houston on September 8, 2009, at Sterling High School. Participants included Houston Mayor Bill White, HISD Interim Chief Academic Officer Thelma Garza, students and their parents, project partners and Hashoo Foundation USA Executive Director Cristal Montañéz Baylor.
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March 2010


-Press conference celebrating the students awarded with the "Expectation Graduation Room" package was held in Houston on September 8, 2009, at Sterling High School. Participants included Houston Mayor Bill White, HISD Interim Chief Academic Officer Thelma Garza, students and their parents, project partners and Hashoo Foundation USA Executive Director Cristal Montañéz Baylor.



-University of St. Thomas MicroCredit program students committed to raising the necessary funds to offer a low-interest, micro-credit loan to one of the 50 graduating students to support his/her education expenses at a community college in the Houston area.



-From October 6, 2009 through December 4, 2009, Hashoo Foundation USA and HISD delivered the graduation packages to the students homes and conducted an assessment evaluation with the students and their families with the objective to measure the project's impact.


-Project recognized as a finalist for the 2010 Texas Association of Partners in Education (TAPE) Award


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SEEKING: financial assistance, implementing partners, best practice information, media and marketing opportunities.

SEEKING: financial assistance, implementing partners, best practice information, media and marketing opportunities.


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