The Steps to Success Initiative is a partnership between Tucson Unified School District and the City of Tucson Office of the Mayor to seek out and retrieve students who have dropped out of Tucson Unified School District. Through home visits, this partnership has allowed educational staff, city officials, and community members to visit with students and their families and encourage them to return and complete their high school education.
College and Career Readiness
PHXteens
Created with input from teens and operated by the Phoenix Department of Parks and Recreation, PHXteens provides opportunities for youth to engage with their communities through consistent, unified programming at sites across the City. The initiative has produced a range of materials and resources that help facilitate youth engagement, including a mobile recreation van, promotional videos and posters, and an active social media presence.
Phoenix Youth and Teen Services
The City of Phoenix Department of Youth and Teen Services connects young people with afterschool programs, employment opportunities, and sports leagues, and provides educational programming through PHXTV Classroom, a dedicated cable channel.
Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission
In 1980 the City of Tempe recognized the need for youth voice and input into issues that affect them and formed the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission. Forty years later, the Commission continues to play a critical role in developing solutions for persistent issues, such as depression, pregnancy, substance abuse, and violence. Reporting directly to the Mayor and City Council, members include 18–24, eighth to twelfth grade youth who reside in or attend school in Tempe and represent a variety of perspectives and interests across the community.
Marana Cares Mobile
The Marana Cares Mobile navigates the streets of the community, offering nutritious meals, Chromebooks, and literacy activities to students during school breaks and the summer months so that students are better prepared to return to school ready to learn.
Flagstaff STEM City
Founded in 2012 by the Flagstaff STEM Consortium, STEM City convenes STEM-orientated businesses and organizations, schools, educators, and parents to develop and deliver engaging activities that strengthen STEM literacy, develop students’ competencies and employability skills, and ensure a Flagstaff workforce poised to succeed in tomorrow’s economy.