Partners Advancing Student Success (PASS) recently released its end of year report for the 2021-22 school year. The organization continued to grow and serve more students meaningfully, with a more than 93 percent graduation rate among served students.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2022, PASS was originally founded in 2012 as Communities in Schools of Carroll County,. The organization focuses on improving student success by providing support and services to high school students. PASS aims to increase graduation rates and keep students on track to finish high school. PASS advocates within the schools work to ensure students have access to needed support and services.
During the 2021-22 school year, PASS served 283 students in the Carroll County and Carrollton City school systems on a case level basis that includes providing support and services catered to the individual student’s specific needs. Of those students, the promotion rate was 91.9%, a significant increase from the previous year, and the graduation rate for seniors was 93.3%.
“This past school year, I received a teacher referral for a student who was homeless and living in a hotel. After meeting with the student and accessing the most urgent needs, I was able to reach out to our amazing community partners who provided enough money to cover a month’s rent and provide us time to research and eventually provide permanent housing for this student,” said Jennifer Cheely, PASS advocate. “To see the student’s transformation during this process was so incredible. His hygiene improved, his confidence soared and he was much more focused. The student’s performance in the classroom and extracurricular activities made a drastic turn for the better and was an immediate result of his improved circumstances. There is no better feeling than seeing a student excel and achieve their goals with the odds stacked against them. PASS truly makes dreams a reality for so many students.”
Alongside case level services, PASS also supported local students through nearly 18,500 Tier I services, which include care closets, mock interview days, behavior and attendance reward programs, industry tours and more. Nearly 2,000 students were served through Tier II services, which include mentoring, counseling and empowerment groups, tutoring and more. As a comparison, the number of students served by Tier II services in the previous school year was less than 500.
“I am proud of the data from this year’s report, but, even more so, the students that are represented by these numbers,” said Cynthia Langley, founder and executive director for PASS. “PASS is doing meaningful work, and we are incredibly thankful for the support of all who make our efforts possible.”
Earlier this year, Langley announced that she would retire at the end of the 2022 calendar year. Recently, Brooke Mobley was named as the new executive director for PASS and will fully assume all leadership responsibilities for the organization on January 1, 2023. Mobley’s excitement for joining PASS is driven by her passion for students, community and those who are making an impact on the place she calls home.
“I have always been impressed and intrigued by the work of PASS, and I believe that my values align with the organization’s mission – we share a passion for education and community,” said Mobley. “I’m looking forward to giving back to and working with the amazing school systems in which my husband and I grew up and that our children now attend.”
The work of PASS is made possible by grants and the support of community partners. Since 2019, PASS has hosted Ladies Night Out as its signature event to raise awareness and funds for the organization and to provide a night of fashion and fun for the west Georgia area. The event typically features a fashion show from local boutiques, auction items, shopping, red carpet photos and much more. The 2022 event was held in June and raised more than $80,000 support of the organization’s efforts.
PASS will be celebrating its 10th anniversary with a breakfast reception on Thursday, December 1. Members of the community are welcome to join the celebration. Please follow PASS social media and local news for more information on this event as the date draws nearer.
To learn more about PASS and its mission to serve local students, visit passwestga.org or follow Partners Advancing Student Success on Facebook and Instagram. For more information about how to donate and further the mission of PASS, visit passwestga.org/donate.
