2009 Applicants
Open Meadow Alternative Schools
NikeRetail Location: 2650 NE MLK Jr Blvd, Portland, OR
Website: www.openmeadow.org
Kids Involved: 880
Our Mission
Our mission is to educate youth in small, relationship-based programs that emphasize personal responsibility, academics, and service to the community.
Open Meadow gives youth in Portland solid pathways to success in life. We do this through four programs serving youth ages 10-24. They are a middle school, a high school, a transition program for youth entering high school and a transition program for youth moving from high school to college and career. 77% of our student population is eligible for free and reduced lunch. 61% of the youth we serve are minority, in a city with an overall 23% minority population.
Our programs produce results. Our high school graduation rate is 95%, and our students regularly score above the statewide average on standardized testing. Last year, we placed 130 youth in meaningful employment, over 90% passed a college course before graduating high school, and we helped 300 youth at the highest risk of dropping out of high school finish their freshman year at 3 Portland public high schools. Among our community service activities, one high school class raised $1,200 to give to a local non-profit.
Support from Nike will help Open Meadow continue to have a positive impact on the youth we serve. We work to enrich our students’ lives through a variety of experiences. These include exposing middle school students to West African culture through a drumming course, immersing high school transition youth in a summer camp where they tackle challenging trust exercises like a ropes course, investigating the idea of community with a multimedia high school class addressing history and change in North Portland, and exposing career-focused youth to the teamwork and camaraderie that develops naturally on a volunteer work day.
These experiences open a world of possibilities for our students, helping them understand their capabilities, and the ways they can give back once they succeed. Community organizations like Nike, which help support our students' journey to success are making an investment in the larger community by helping to create productive and engaged citizens.
College,
School-based,
Co-Ed,
Other,
High School,
Middle School,