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Nothing speaks to the difference SEI’s programs
are making in students’ lives as well as a success
story about an individual student. We’ve highlighted
some recent successes below.
success story #1
success story #2
success story #3
success story #1
His teachers had felt that Brandon* was a nice young
man with good prospects in life. His mom, though she
had a limited education herself, was actively involved
in his school, highly respected in the community, and
determined that he would succeed. But both of his parents
fell ill and were largely unavailable over the summer
and early fall of Brandon’s senior year in high
school. Brandon, struggling with frustrations and self
doubts and living in a neighborhood where gangs were
powerful, felt the allure of gang life and started disrespecting
his teachers, getting involved in fights, and engaging
in petty theft. Two weeks into the first semester, Brandon
dropped out of school.
The situation came to a turning point when Brandon
came home from a party where there had been gunfire.
Brandon was grazed by a bullet and was scared but otherwise
unhurt. Brandon’s SEI School Coordinator had stayed
in touch with him and heard about the incident immediately
after it happened. The coordinator seized the teachable
moment, quickly connecting with the other adults who
played a major role in Brandon’s life: his parents,
his SEI after-school tutor, and his coach. Together,
they had a serious conversation with Brandon about his
future. Feeling the concern, commitment, and expectations
of this group of caring adults, Brandon quickly realized
that he needed to get back in school and back on track
with his life. Brandon began working daily with an SEI
case manager to set up strategies to resolve conflicts,
return to regular attendance at school and stay out
of trouble. His case manager arranged for a mentor from
the Portland Gang Task Force and played basketball with
him every day to give Brandon an alternative to hanging
out with gang members. He also set up a contract with
Brandon to maintain 98% school attendance, end referrals
for inappropriate behavior at school and run-ins with
the juvenile justice system, and bring his grade point
average up. They would celebrate meeting each major
goal with a ticket to a Blazers game, a new pair of
Jordan shoes, etc.
With his new plan and the backing of his family, school,
and SEI team, Brandon stayed out of trouble, came up
to a three point grade average, and graduated the following
spring. This year he is attending Portland Community
College. Even though he’s made it this far, Brandon
still sometimes lets his frustrations get the better
of him. He stays in touch with his coordinator and his
case manager, and his mom’s SEI parent coordinator
still works with her to make sure she has the tools
she needs to keep supporting Brandon all the way.
*The student's name and some details have been changed
to protect confidentiality.
success story #2
“My teachers say I’m a loser, I’m
a troublemaker, I’m fat,” Tony* complained
in the fall semester of his seventh grade year. Tony
was close to being expelled. He was known for beating
up other students and other behaviors that got him kicked
out of class every other day, sometimes bringing his
teachers to tears. Although he showed high intelligence
in tests, between his many absences and his apathy towards
learning, his grades were barely above failing.
When his SEI school coordinator met him, Tony affected
disinterest in everyone and everything. But the coordinator
managed to find a way in to Tony’s well-protected
but caring heart. “Hey Tony, come cook with me
at lunchtime.” Tony gave no answer, but he showed
up. The coordinator made nachos, which Tony at first
turned up his nose at, but he ate them and came back
the next day to learn how to make them. Tony and his
coordinator started cooking together every day. In this
relaxed setting, they had a chance to talk about what
was going on in Tony’s life and possibilities
for change. The coordinator learned that Tony’s
mother had left long ago and he was being raised by
a hard-working but largely absent father. SEI’s
Boys Mentoring Group seemed like the ideal way for Tony
to get regular support to increase his self-esteem,
have positive interactions with peers, and tackle his
behavior issues. The coordinator invited Tony to join
the group. Tony was dubious at first, but as with the
cooking, he came anyway.
Within a month Tony realized it was to his advantage
to turn around his approach. He dropped the aggressive
behavior, paid attention in class, and his grades improved
dramatically. He invited his dad to come meet his coordinator
and teachers. When Tony showed his dad what was to be
the prize for best behavior in the Boys Mentoring Group,
they both got excited about the prospect of Tony riding
home on the shining silver bicycle. With his coordinator’s
and his dad’s support, Tony met the winning criteria:
not engaging in a single fight, having no more than
one absence from school, no problems with teachers,
and participating fully in class and Boys Mentoring
Group. When he was presented with the bike, he beamed
with pride.
Tony’s teachers were amazed. “What did
you do to Tony?!” Tony says he just realized that
he had a choice. Now he asks, “How can I be an
example to other kids?” In spite of his remarkable
success, Tony’s coordinator knows the struggle
is not over. “The transition from middle school
to high school is going to be critical for Tony. We’ll
keep on working with him all the way.”
*The student's name and some details have been changed
to protect confidentiality.
success story #3
This fall, Jasmine* entered the fourth grade. When
she entered Portland schools a little over two years
ago, Jasmine was not sure she would ever pass second
grade.
Jasmine’s mother’s drug and alcohol use
during and after her pregnancy left her daughter with
many neurological and emotional challenges. In school,
this translated into Jasmine having trouble paying attention,
getting failing grades, disturbing other students and
disrespecting teachers. And she was often moody and
resistant to going to school in the mornings.
Jasmine is being raised by her grandmother, who struggles
hard to care for her six grandchildren (and often the
parents who come in and out of their lives), but gets
by with SEI’s family support program. “Whatever
I need for my family, I know SEI will help me get it.”
This kind of support and confidence has helped her grandmother
be fully involved in Jasmine’s life at home and
at school. She has conscientiously worked with SEI parent
and school coordinators and Jasmine’s teachers
to help Jasmine get on track and stay on track.
When Jasmine entered the program, SEI tutors worked
with her every day after school so that she could catch
up in reading, writing, and math. The SEI school coordinator
helped Jasmine understand and succeed in the school
culture. They started with the basics: raising a hand
instead of shouting for attention, sharing or negotiating
with others instead of grabbing whatever she wanted,
etc. Jasmine learned to focus on one task at a time,
finishing each task before she started the next, a strategy
which greatly accelerated her academic progress. The
coordinator also met with Jasmine’s teachers and
grandmother to help them understand and support Jasmine
through her challenges.
Having a team of people she could count on and meeting
specific goals in each area gradually built Jasmine’s
confidence, success, and positive relationships with
all those around her. By the end of her third grade
year, Jasmine’s test scores had risen two grade
levels, and she had only a few referrals for inappropriate
behavior. Most telling of all, her teachers gave her
the highest of compliments, describing her as “eager
to learn” and “a joy to have in class”.
Jasmine still has her ups and downs, especially paralleling
her mother’s continuing struggles with substance
abuse. But now she knows she can learn and be friends
with her teachers and classmates. And almost every morning
she bounces out the door of her grandmother’s
house, happy to go to school.
*Student's name and some details have been changed
to protect confidentiality.
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