Dear National Promise Neighborhoods Coalition supporter, 

The year is almost halfway over, and what an incredible first half of 2025 it has been for our Promise Neighborhood organizations! In June, we recognize the programming, literacy gains, and attendance achievements across the country. At NPNC, our commitment remains clear: ensure every child, individual, and family has the resources and support they need to thrive.  

Let’s dive into the work taking place throughout our coalition and recognize the individuals and organizations making a lasting difference in their communities!

The Rising Stars Internship Program is a new initiative from Omega CDC, designed to empower and elevate the next generation of leaders emerging from the heart of Dayton’s Hope Zone.

This innovative program represents a strategic investment in the futures of graduating seniors from Dayton Public Schools. Created in collaboration with Dayton Public Schools and the Strategic Ohio Council on Higher Education (SOCHE), Rising Stars bridges the gap between education and industry by offering real-world career experiences that place students on a fast track to long-term success and economic mobility.

Through a competitive interview process, six graduates from Thurgood Marshall STEM High School have been selected to participate in the Summer 2025 pilot cohort. These Rising Stars will begin their professional journeys with internships in fields such as healthcare, engineering, and business, hosted by some of the region’s most respected employers.

This experience offers more than just job shadowing—it combines professional development, hands-on career exposure, and a $2,500 college scholarship awarded upon successful program completion. The goal is to not only open doors but to create sustained pathways for advancement and prosperity.

Rooted in Omega CDC’s mission to transform lives in the Hope Zone, the Rising Stars Internship Program embodies our commitment to building a community where young people have the access, support, and confidence to pursue their dreams and become the architects of their own futures.

In the 2013 legislative session, the state of Mississippi passed the Literacy-Based Promotion Act which places an emphasis on grade-level reading skills, particularly as students’ progress through grades K-3. Recently, Mississippi has received much recognition for the accomplishments of educational efforts across the state. The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress results show Mississippi fourth graders lead the nation for gains over time, ranking No. 1 for score improvements in reading and math since 2013. Most recently, the New York Post ran an article acknowledging the efforts that have been taking place across the state.  

DHA’s Literacy Fellows program was developed in partnership with the Barksdale Reading Institute and received approval from the Mississippi Department of Education. The Literacy Fellows strive to improve passage rates for Mississippi’s third-grade reading assessment through intense small-group literacy intervention targeted at low-scoring students. In turn, this intervention boosts literacy skills at a critical point in elementary education, where students are beginning to transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn,” setting up students for a lifetime of success.

In 2023-24, students in Hollandale’s Deer Creek Promise Communities Literacy Fellows program had a 100% passage rate on the Third Grade Reading Gate, with an estimated improvement of 13 percentile rank points according to a recent evaluation by the University of Memphis.  

A rigorous quasi-experimental study conducted by University of Memphis researchers in 2019 examined several years of data in two of DHA’s Promise Neighborhoods with similar findings: a 15 percentile point improvement in reading skills, as well as improved passage rates on the state assessment, reducing third-grade retention. Conservative projections predict a return-on-investment of at least 2.09:1.

At the Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ), they believe every child deserves the chance to succeed in school and thrive in life. One of the most important building blocks for that success is consistent school attendance—especially in the early years. 

Regular attendance helps children build strong learning habits, develop social skills, and form relationships with peers and trusted adults. It sets the foundation for reading by third grade, staying on track in middle school, and ultimately graduating high school. As Attendance Works puts it: “Chronic absence—missing 10% or more of school days—can seriously hinder a child’s learning and development.” 

That’s why NAZ launched a year-long messaging campaign this fall to encourage and support strong attendance at two of their elementary school partners: Nellie Stone Johnson Community School (NSJ) and Ascension Catholic School MN. Together with educators, families, and community partners, NAZ tracked attendance and celebrated milestones for scholars in pre-K through fifth grade. 

We’re proud to share that NAZ scholars at NSJ and Ascension averaged an impressive 87% attendance rate this school year! With a goal of 90%, this is a significant achievement—and a reflection of the commitment from students, parents, teachers, and NAZ staff who made showing up a priority. 

Central to this campaign was the belief that families thrive when surrounded by community support. By working to remove barriers—like transportation challenges, family emergencies, or inconsistent schedules—NAZ helped more scholars arrive at school ready to learn, connect, and grow. And when students feel safe and supported at school, their academic and personal development flourishes. 

Both schools also embraced a fun, motivating approach to encourage attendance: monthly classroom celebrations, pizza parties, and other rewards for the highest attendance rates. These incentives made coming to school exciting and built a culture of pride and accountability. 

We’re incredibly proud of NAZ and their Northside scholars—and this is just the beginning. NAZ and the community they serve will continue showing up, lifting each other up, and investing in the future of our children—together.

On May 29, MEDA and the California Promise Neighborhood Network hosted Lawmakers, state agencies, funders, and Promise Neighborhoods practitioners for an Impact Briefing in Sacramento. There, attendees celebrated and reflected upon the impact of a historic three-year State of California Department of Social Services investment in place-based strategies through the Promise Neighborhoods initiative. The California Promise Neighborhood Network (CPNN) includes 6 federally funded Promise Neighborhoods- Mission Promise Neighborhood, Corning Promise Neighborhood, Chula Vista and San Diego Promise Neighborhoods, Klamath Promise Neighborhood, and Hayward Promise Neighborhood.

Attendees had the opportunity to listen to insightful fireside chats and panels on the impact of the Promise Neighborhoods and hear keynote speeches from California Department of Social Services Jennifer Troia and CA Assemblymember Mia Bonta. CPNN’s work to develop technical assistance and tools to accelerate the impact of Promise Neighborhoods, and to complete a multi-neighborhood external evaluation and return on investment study, were also key achievements highlighted from the investment. CPNN partnered with Urban Institute, Amanecer Consulting, RTI International, and Everyday Impact Consulting to build statewide infrastructure to advance Promise Neighborhoods initiatives.

Attendees also learned about the program’s other remarkable achievements over the past two and a half years, such as an up to-30% drop in Chronic Absenteeism in participating schools post-COVID, a 9% increase in Kindergarten readiness for Mission Promise Neighborhood kindergarteners, a 184% increase in fresh produce access in Hayward Promise Neighborhood, and the increasing number of students graduating high school and going to college.

In June and throughout the year, our organizations have continued to make a tangible, lasting difference in the communities they serve. The successes from this month across our Promise Neighborhood organizations are evidence that when local infrastructure is supported, state programs reach those who need them most. 

The Promise Neighborhood Model demonstrates the generational impact that strategic, place-based programming has on neighborhoods across the country. We will continue to amplify these efforts to ensure that, with continued support, every child and family has the opportunity to thrive—from cradle to career.

For information on membership and member benefits, please contact either of the Coalition’s co-chairs:

Karen Matthews

Delta Health Alliance

kmatthews@deltahealthalliance.org



Rachel Ward

Omega CDC

rachel.ward@omegacdc.org



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