Elevate Miami Kicks Off with Goals for Second Class

Elevate Miami is one of the programs that I am most proud of in the City. A result of the City's partnership with the Miami-Dade Public School System (the Education Compact), Elevate Miami is a comprehensive “Digital Inclusion” program to break the downward spiral of economic adversity and educational inequity and give our youngest residents every opportunity to pursue their hopes and dreams.

This week, I was joined by Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, two Elevate Miami alumni and 200 sixth graders at a rally at Jose De Diego Middle School to celebrate our goal to double the number of families to receive free computers and internet access this year to 1200 families.

Elevate Miami gives our students the ability to develop the skills necessary to compete globally. We need to ensure that we continue investing in our children and that we provide them with all of the tools they need to succeed. It is a life skills course that is being taught to sixth grade students that attend schools within the city. Students who complete the required coursework and also meet important academic and behavioral benchmarks during the school year earn a free computer and internet access for their homes.

In 2007, 600 sixth grade students successfully completed the very first ELEVATE MIAMI curriculum and took home a free computer. This year’s goal will be to double the amount of students to 1200.

Students participating in the Elevate Miami – Rites of Passage Initiative will need to meet certain criteria to earn a computer. Among the requirements students need to meet are: attending a Title I school or attend a City of Miami magnet school with a Title I City of Miami home school; complete the Rites of Passage Curriculum including the submission of a Rites of Passage Portfolio; attend school consistently; maintain academic grades of C or above in all academic subject areas on the second quarter report card. Additionally, parents/guardians will have to complete four (4) Parent Academy Rites of Passage Workshops.

I want to wish good luck to all of the students participating in Elevate Miami.

To learn more about this program http://www.elevatemiami.com/.





- Manny