A host of programs are available for at-risk youth, but what about youth who are between programs or between schools? The comprehensive partnership that Merrimack College has developed in Lawrence, Massachusetts, seeks to smooth over the transitions by providing a continuum of education for youth from kindergarten straight through to college. Merrimack serves over 1,000 K-12 students a year through a combination of programs designed to address educational needs of each age group: one program provides training to bolster the confidence and skills of elementary school teachers; another provides mentors and after-school programming for middle school students; and a third offers non-English speaking high school students academic support and college preparation.
