TEAMS (Together Everyone Achieves More Success) is designed to improve middle-school and high-school students' chances of staying in school, graduating, and attending college. It is a partnership between UNL Extension, Western Nebraska Community College, and the Minatare and Scottsbluff School Districts.

1. Importance of the TEAMS Project
• 6,300 students in NE dropped out of school in 2010
• 29 students per day drop-out of high school in NE
• According to a Northeastern University study drop- outs are
• Less likely to work
• Need social services such as welfare and Medicaid
• 2 times more likely to commit crimes and end up in prison
• Children from low income families are 6 times more likely to drop-out of
school
• It costs about $9,000 per year to educate a child in school, and it costs
$58,000 per year to keep a youth in a youth detention center.
• that one high school dropout costs $260,000 per year in loss of earnings,
taxes and productivity?

2. Goals of the Project
• To provide resources to youth and families
• To promote development of basic skills for school and home
• To build skills and competencies for academic and career success
• Encourage students to complete high school and continue with
further education
• To expose students and their parents to the college atmosphere
• To provide a high school buddy for the student

3. Selection Process
• 7th & 8th grade students
• Must have and maintain a C average
• Show potential for further education.
• First generational college bound
• Economic status
• Recommended by counselor, teachers, or principal

4. Activities
Portfolios
Nutrition
Career Treasure Hunt
Teambuilding
Critical Thinking
Activities are done with the
7th and 8th graders once a
week, 9th, 10th 11th graders
once a month, and seniors
on an individual basis. Careers
Leadership

5. Communication
Problem Solving
Character BuildingCitizenship
Teamwork
7th –
self-awareness,
goal setting,
decision making
healthy lifestyle
8th –
leadership,
career
exploration
9th-
skills for success,
Job shadowing
10th, 11th
college
application,
resumes,
scholarships,
essays
12th –
Individual help
with furthering
education

6. Mentors
7th , 8th, 9th graders have
10th, 11th, and 12th, grade
mentors to help them
transition from the middle
school to high school.
They meet once a month
and do activities together.
Mentors are a support for
their mentees.
Mentors volunteer their
time to help a younger
student and to be a role
model. Mentors
receive training in
building ASSETS,
diversity, dealing with
problems that may be
encountered, and
working with different
personalities.

7. Get Acquainted Picnic
Families enjoy a potluck
dinner and participate in
“minute to win it” games to
get acquainted

8. Family Nights
Family night is held
once a month for
7th and 8th
graders and 5
times during the
year for 9th, 10th
and 11th graders.
Families of 7th and
8th graders focus
on what is taught
their children in
class. Families of
9th graders focus
on success in high
school. Families of
10th and 11th
graders focus on
the “Road to
Higher Education.”

9. Siblings
Siblings of students
attend with their
families. These
students are in
classes and taught
by Introduction to
Education students
from Western NE
Community College.

10. Family Activities
During the month,
families are
required to do
activities. These
activities range
from helping
others, cooking,
doing an outdoor
activity, playing
board games to
creating a family
tradition.

11. WNCC
Career Exploration
• Power Lineman
• Aviation
• Cosmotology
Students take a
trip to the WNCC
campuses so that
they can become
more familiar with
our community
college and what is
available here in
the Panhandle.
They also
participate in the
KnowHow 2Go to
College Event.

12. Super Saturdays
Students and their
families attend a
Super Saturday
once a month.
They go to sporting
events, a concert,
Harms Discovery
Lab, Meet the
Cougar Night,
student panel
discussion, career
and college
presentation and a
multicultural fair.
Families become
more comfortable
in the college
atmosphere.

13. University of NE Trip
In the last year of
the program,
students attend a
symposium at
the University of
NE. They are
exposed to a
university
campus so that
they can see if a
university is
where they
would like to
further their
education.

14. Job Shadowing
Prosthetics
Athletic Trainer
Graphic
Designer
Horticulture
Forensics
Sign
Language
Instructor
Cosmetologist
Nurse Practitioner
Ninth graders have
a job shadowing
experience in a
career that is of
interest to them.
The students find
job shadowing
valuable because it
helps them decide
a career.

15. Community Service
Giving back to the
community is an
important lesson for
students to learn. Here
students have a game
night at the local veterans
home. The students
wanted to give back to
the veterans who had
sacrificed for them.

16. Educational Field Trip
Students accumulate
points by attending
school, keeping their
grades up, attending
TEAMS class, family
meetings, Super Saturday,
completing homework,
and doing family
activities. If they have
enough points, they are
eligible to go on the trip.
Archeological site – S. D.
Candy Factory - Denver
Casa Bonita - Denver
X-treme Challenge
Denver Zoo
I Max Theater – Denver Museum
Boondocks - Denver

17. 2014 Groups
Scottsbluff – 7th graders
Scottsbluff – 8th graders
Minatare – 8th graders
Minatare – 11th graders
Minatare – 9th graders
Not Pictured
Scottsbluff – 9th graders
Scottsbluff – 10th graders
Scottsbluff – 11th & 12 graders
Minatare – 10th graders

18. IMPACT OF TEAMS
Year 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015
Students 15 29 51 59 73
Parents 18 35 65 87 100
Siblings 11 30 44 61 77
Introduction
to Education
Students
10 12 16 20 10
1st semester
High School
Mentors
23 39 45 51 49
Next year, the 2010-2011 students will have graduated. We will be adding from 16
to 20 new 7th and 8th graders.