point systems

[Dan Bassill]

We've had a point system for years. Our program serves 7th to 12th grade teens living in the Cabrini-Green housing development in Chicago.  We treat the point system like a bank statement, with credits and debits.  Credits (different numbers of points) are earned for attendance, bringing in needed registration forms, report cards, grades of C or better, participating in extra events, etc. Debits are taken when youth turn in points to go on special field trips, buy school supplies from our "store" or earn "reality checks" for negative behavior.  Kids can accumulate points from the time they start with us in 7th grade until they graduate.

Tomorrow night we'll be holding our annual year-end dinner. We have three seniors graduating and each will receive cash buy-outs of their accumulated points. The payout is 10 cents per point based on the accumulated attendance percent for the junior and senior year. For instance, if a student attends 90% of the weekly sessions they get a payout on 90% of their points. This year's payouts range from $110 to over $500. One student had 100% attendance over the past two years.

We're a non profit and must raise all the money to fund our entire program from private donors, so the pay out is only 10 cents at this time. As we find donors who will fund this, we'll increase the value of the payout.  All three of these teens are  headed to college next year (one with a Golden Apple Scholarship), so the extra cash will be useful.

Since I suspect there might be a flood of inquiries asking about this program I'll post a write up about it at www.tutormentorconnection.org in the Training Section.  You can expect it to be in place in about two weeks.

Dan Bassill
Cabrini Connections
Tutor/Mentor Connection
Chicago

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