State of the Children Report

Schooled in hard knocks,
young men of color reclaim lives,
offer lessons for others to follow
2009 Annual Report
Dioni Duran
Essence of a crisis
It is not hyperbole to call the status of black and brown boys in this country
a crisis. Statistic after staggering statistic reflects the dire plight facing boys
of color. “I’m glad they’re calling it a crisis,” says Keith Bennett, director
of the Detroit job and mentoring program Flip the Script.
“Because that’s exactly what it is.”
It is a crisis in virtually every indicator of child well-being: education,
criminal justice, health care and a host of others. The summary and charts
on Pages 18 to 24 reflect the start of a statistic-based analysis of how the
children of Detroit are being affected. This effort, the State of the Children
Report, will be an ongoing inquiry into where we stand on issues
facing our children and will reflect the progress being made.
The boys whose images appear on our cover, and who are detailed on the
inside back cover of this publication, are all from Detroit. But the crisis of
black and brown boys is by no means unique to this geographic area.
“This crisis affects everyone in metropolitan Detroit,”
says longtime Skillman Foundation Trustee and former
Board Chair Lillian Bauder. “As President Obama said
in his ‘A More Perfect Union’ speech, the children of
America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we
will not let them fall behind.
Lillian Bauder
“Addressing this problem immediately with seriousness and determination,”
Bauder adds, “is in everyone’s best interest now and in the future.”
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Message from the President
LOST AND FOUND
Determined Detroit boys offer lessons of hope for all
Detroit is a tale of two cities.
The other Detroit­—the Detroit I love so much—is a place where
vulnerable children get the love and attention they need, and with
One city­—painfully described in the State of the Children Report
the help of many of the nonprofit organizations The Skillman
that begins on Page 18­—is a Detroit whose child well-being
Foundation funds, lead positive lives and
indicators paint a grim picture. For black
have bright futures. That’s the Detroit
and brown boys it is very dire. This Detroit
writer Eddie B. Allen Jr. chronicles in
is a city where too many kids attend
The other Detroit­—the Detroit
the cover story.
poor-performing schools, never see a parent
I love so much—is a place where
Both portraits of Detroit are accurate but
go off to work in the morning, and live in
incomplete. The bleak statistics in the State
unhealthy and unstable neighborhoods.
vulnerable children get the love
of the Children report miss the encouragThe crisis of black and brown boys,
and attention they need, and with
ing examples that the cover story sheds
though, is by no means unique to Detroit.
the help of many of the nonprofit
light on. The hopeful stories of the resilient
Young men of color across the United
young men featured in these pages—and
organizations The Skillman
States are more likely to fail to graduate
the important programs that support
from high school, to become involved in
Foundation funds, lead positive
them—are less significant if our commuthe criminal justice system, to fall victims
lives and have bright futures.
nity cannot bring them to scale and
in the foster-care and health-care systems,
dramatically improve the child well-being
and to lag in virtually every category of
indicators for all Detroit kids.
child well-being indicators.
At The Skillman Foundation, which will celebrate its 50th anniverThe 2010 Schott 50 State Report on Black Males in Public Education,
sary in December, we are determined to help lead the effort to create
a summary of which is on Page 8, found that the overall 2008
the Detroit where children can thrive. We want our kids to be safe,
graduation rate for black males in the United States was only 47
healthy, educated, and prepared for successful lives as adults. The
percent. More recently, a report issued by the Council of the Great
first ever State of the Children Report­—previewed in this annual
City Schools indicates that academic performance on other measures
report and available in December on The Skillman Foundation and
for black males continues to lag. Young black men drop out of high
Data Driven Detroit websites—is a vital tool in measuring Detroit’s
school at nearly twice the rate of white males. Black males also are
progress and the health of Detroit kids. Created by substantial grant
far less likely than white males to meet college readiness benchmarks
funds from us and our friends at the Kresge Foundation,
or enroll in college.
Data Driven Detroit will update the State of the Children Report
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annually, making it more comprehensive and sophisticated
each year.
The Foundation has a new 50th-anniversary-themed website
that will launch soon. It includes our first-ever blog, which
we’re calling A Rose for Detroit, in honor of our founder, Rose
Skillman. Without her vision, and her husband, Robert Skillman’s resources, we couldn’t have been a voice for Detroit
children the past 50 years. But like the hopeful Detroit depicted
by the young men in this annual report, we’re still here. And just
as those boys intend to make something of their lives, we intend
to work hard with our grantees, fellow funders, and ordinary
Detroiters to make Detroit a place where hope carries the day.
I was moved and encouraged to read the interview that
begins on Page 18, with Data Driven Detroit’s Kurt Metzger,
who said the thing that keeps him going—despite having
to collect and analyze some heartbreaking statistics—was
Detroit’s army of incredibly passionate and hardworking
nonprofit professionals and volunteers who never give up
the fight.
We share Kurt’s view of Detroit’s nonprofit sector, and we
won’t quit either.
—Carol Goss, Skillman Foundation President & CEO
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Message from the Chair
A VOICE FOR KIDS FOR 50 YEARS
Changing Detroit by changing the odds for children
Here Neighborhood Summit early in 2011, launch special awards
programs that recognize promising Detroit kids, and unveil a new
We have been talking about it for a long time, making careful plans
on how to recognize it, and yet marking The Skillman Foundation’s
50th anniversary is something that has not quite sunk in yet.
As the Foundation looks back at a
half-century of work on behalf of children,
we take undeniable pride in what we have
accomplished. That work is reflected to a
degree in the programs for children we
have established through the years. But
to a greater degree, it is reflected in the
thousands of Detroit kids we have touched.
website and A Rose for Detroit blog named after our founder. New
Skillman Foundation logos feature a
rose in the design for the first time
throughout this Annual Report.
The Foundation, in partnership
with many other organizations, has
helped to change the conversation
about quality schools in Detroit.
It’s true that there is much to be
concerned about in Detroit. It’s also true,
however, that there is much to be hopeful
about. One aspect of that hope is the
changing landscape for educating
Detroit’s kids.
Under the leadership of Carol Goss, The
The conversation now is rightly
The Foundation, in partnership with
Skillman Foundation continues as a
focused on quality and
many other organizations, has helped to
persistent, strong voice for Detroit children.
accountability.
change the conversation about quality
That voice is getting stronger. Two dynamic
schools in Detroit. The conversation
new Trustees have joined our Board this
now is rightly focused on quality and
year: Denise Ilitch and Mary Kramer. Each
accountability. The creation of the
woman is a recognized champion of the
Motor City and we’re delighted to have them join the Foundation.
Excellent Schools Detroit coalition­—which is made up of civic
Longtime Skillman Foundation Board stalwart, Lillian Bauder, who is
groups, charter school operators, Detroit Public Schools, the City
a former Board chair and influential Trustee is retiring from the
of Detroit, and the Skillman, Kresge, W.K. Kellogg, McGregor, and
Board. Among Lillian’s many contributions to the Foundation, was
Broad foundations­—and its successful launch of a citywide
the instrumental role she played in transforming the Foundation into
education reform plan earlier this year offer great hope for Detroit
a community-centered change agent for Detroit children. We wish
children. So too do the new high-performing schools planned for our
Lillian well in her retirement, thank her for her years of dedication to
city by Michigan Future Schools and the Greater Detroit Education
the Foundation and its mission, and take comfort in knowing that
Venture Fund.
she’ll continue to be involved in our work.
Our current programs—Good Schools, Good Neighborhoods and
To honor Rose Skillman’s legacy, the Foundation she created in
Good Opportunities—continue to improve the lives of children in
December 1960 will host a 50th-anniversary-themed Kids Matter
our city. That is our unchanging task, our greatest goal, and our
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end point. Our job is to focus day in and day out on the beneficiaries
of Rose Skillman’s vision.
constant labor. It is that labor that drives us as we enter into our
second half-century. And it is, without question, a labor of love.
When you see the light go on as a child learns how to use a new
program at a Good Schools computer lab, when you drive by a
busy Good Neighborhood’s community center on a winter night
and watch dozens of residents bustling in and out of the doors, when
you glimpse the beaming faces of a young family at the RiverWalk
Carousel funded through the Good Opportunities program, there
is no doubt in my mind that we are making a difference every day.
And so we move on. Proud in our history, but never content in our
accomplishments. As we pass the date of our 50th anniversary in
December 2010, we will pause to look back and to reflect on the
meaning of the great mission that our founder Rose Skillman has
placed before each of us involved in the Foundation.
We celebrate ever so briefly. There are many challenges ahead.
There is much work to be done.
But we also operate under the absolute understanding that what we
need is better schools, better neighborhoods and better opportunities
for all Detroit children. Ours is not a job that has a beginning and an
—David Baker Lewis, Skillman Foundation Board Chair
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Schooled in hard knocks, young men of color reclaim lives, offer lessons for others to follow
By Eddie B. Allen Jr.
H
ustling on the block is what occasionally helps put food on the
table in Southwest Detroit.
Ramon Mendez wanted to be a good son. But at only 12, he also
found himself the man of the house.
With no dad to be found and a mom scrambling to cover bills,
Ramon chose the lesser guilt of lying about where he found money.
“I wasn’t proud of it,” he says of his decisions. “I was scared, but
knowing that my mom didn’t have to say, ‘We don’t have dinner’
made me feel better.”
Five years later, his outlook is different: Ramon supports his mom
by avoiding the street, while encouraging other youth to do the same.
Dividing time between school and the Detroit Hispanic Development
Corporation (DHDC) makes him optimistic about the challenges that
lie ahead.
But he’ll need more than optimism.
With news from a 2010 study
indicating that Latino boys like
Ramon are least likely to finish high
school in eight parts of the nation,
youth advocates say community
resources are vital. Combined with
data from the Massachusetts-based
Schott Foundation for Public
Education’s 50 State Report on
Public Education and Black Males
showing that only 47 percent of
black boys earned high school
diplomas in the 2007–2008 school year, a crisis is at hand.
“I’m glad they’re calling it a crisis, because that’s exactly what it is,”
says Keith Bennett, founder and program director of Flip the Script,
Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit’s job and mentoring program.
Originally addressing the needs of men as old as 30, Flip the Script
recently began a $50,000 Skillman Foundation-funded initiative to
serve boys from 11 to 15. The success of the program has generated
a waiting list of applicants.
A former basketball coach and Boysville of Michigan staff member,
Bennett is a consultant who travels the country addressing youth
issues. He recently told Justice Department officials that black boys
are tired of being stereotyped as “thugs.”
Tired of being unproductive. Tired of losing.
“But the system is not there to correct
what needs correcting,” he adds.
Lessons in life
In a small classroom at Osborn High
School, Frank McGhee speaks about
global economics.
“It’s like this,” he tells a group of
attentive teenagers. “When I was
young and I thought about places
From left, Troy Taylor, Antario
Montgomery and Xzavier Mazyck
are regulars at Youth Initiatives
Project leadership sessions at
Osborn High School.
like China, France, I said, ‘That’s
all the way on the other side of the
world.’ But it’s not that way anymore.
Now, the people over there, it’s like
they’re right next door.
when they’re around a certain type of
person. But then in another environment, they’re sullen; they’re unhappy.”
The recurring issue—one that affects
classroom attendance and academic
performance—is being “picked on”
in schools or neighborhoods, says
Bennett. He says creating an
environment “that allows them not
to feel used and abused” is key to
reaching boys who’ve been intimidated and act out due to fear. Flip
the Script youth who had behavioral
problems usually lagged behind
others academically.
“When they come over here, guess
what: They’re getting the jobs,
because you guys aren’t finishing
school.”
It’s an unusual lesson for black
students on the east side, not one
found in their daily curriculum. The
Monta Hall attends
leadership sessions led by McGhee,
Osborn’s Youth
program director of the NeighborInitiatives Project.
hood Service Organization’s Youth Initiatives Project,
are held weekly during school hours at Osborn and neighboring
Now, however, they meet with adult male staff at the program’s office
schools, as well as in a separate evening program
from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays to discuss these issues.
for boys referred by the court system or guardians.
“We believe they have a lot of the answers within themselves,” says
McGhee, like Bennett and his Flip the Script team, focuses on the
Bennett. “They just don’t make the right choices when they’re the
concept that guidance from elders is crucial for young men of color.
Lone Ranger.”
“The biggest challenge for a lot of our young boys is the issue of
trust. Trusting adults,” McGhee says between class sessions. “And
you couple that with the challenge of being disconnected, not really
embracing the idea of being in a school building.”
After discussion, students do homework and may receive one-on-one
tutoring. Positive male interaction is often an ingredient missing
from the lives of boys raised by mothers or grandmothers, says
Bennett.
The alternatives can be frightening. Drugs and guns are increasingly
available to urban youth as early as elementary school. According
to the 16 students at Osborn’s leadership session, neither drugs nor
violence are strangers to this community. When asked who has ever
been approached about joining gangs, selling or using drugs, nearly
every hand in the room is raised.
A similar belief motivated the opening of west-side Detroit’s Male
Leadership Academy in January 2010, says Charles Small, director of
the Skillman-funded Don Bosco Hall Community Resource Center.
The Academy’s 60 students, ages 13 to 17, attend charter school 14
hours a day.
Along with academics, students, generally referred by juvenile
authorities, also learn the domains of leadership—family, community and school.
But the gun and violence aspects of the crisis facing young men
of color are more commonplace than many realize, says Bennett.
Despite the headlines, it’s not only gay kids who get bullied.
“More and more males are having contact with the criminal justice
system, and so we’re trying to reduce that pattern of kids entering
the adult system, but also help them become positive members of
our community,” Small says. “We call that restorative justice.”
“You can actually tell a young man or a young woman who’s being
bullied in school, because they go through a behavioral change at
some time,” the Flip the Script leader says. “They’re typically happy
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Along with course work that incorporates life skill lessons, Don Bosco
Hall brings in speakers to help drive home the Academy’s message.
“Calling All Men: Truth Sessions” is a series that connects youths with
members of the community to address matters of mutual concern.
“Lunch and Learn” invites mainly ninth and 10th grade boys,
including some from nearby Cody High School, to Don Bosco.
Failing grade for educating black males
In its 2010 report, Yes We Can: The 2010 Schott 50 State
Report on Black Males in Public Education, the Cambridge,
Mass.-based Schott Foundation for Public Education found that
the overall 2007/8 graduation rate for black males in the U.S.
was only 47 percent. The state-by-state data illustrate that U.S.
school districts and states are failing to provide key resources
and without these targeted investments to provide the core,
research-proven resources to help black male students succeed
in public education, they are being set up to fail.
“We ask that everybody be truthful and let’s talk about issues,” says
Small. “We talk about fatherhood. Why is it that we don’t get along?
Why do we sometimes interact with each other in a violent way?
What is the importance of respecting females?
Within that context, the report ranks Detroit sixth nationally
among the lowest performing large school districts in graduating
black males, with a success rate of just 27 percent. Michigan as
a whole graduates 47 percent of its black male high school
students, as compared to 76 percent of white males, according
to the report.
“What we’re trying to do is change this paradigm where young men
are viewed as a deficit and cause them to be viewed as an asset in
the community.”
In its infancy, outcomes of the Male Leadership Academy effort
are still being measured. Meanwhile, at Flip the Script, results are
apparent after just one school year. Bennett says 85 percent of the
young men who attended after-school sessions improved their
reading aptitude, with a couple even earning double-promotions
from previous grade levels.
“Taken together, the numbers form a nightmarish picture, one
that is all the more frightening for being both true and longstanding,” wrote Geoffrey Canada, President and CEO of the
Harlem Children’s Zone in the foreword of the report. “All of us
must ensure that we level the playing field for the hundreds of
thousands of children who are at risk of continuing the cycle of
generational poverty.”
During his Osborn High leadership sessions, McGhee speaks of
getting promoted through life. As an exercise, he asks three students
to volunteer before telling them to leave the classroom and walk in
again one at a time. Next, McGhee asks the remaining boys to give
their impressions of each student who enters.
The report highlights the success of New Jersey’s Abbott Plan,
which demonstrates that when equitable resources are available
to all students, systemic change at the state level can yield
significant results. New Jersey was the only state with a
significant black population with a greater than 65 percent
high school graduation rate for black male students.
“Thuggish,” is a description for one young man. “Nerdy” is the label
assigned to another.
“What do I tell you to do when you come into a room?” asks McGhee.
The report calls on the federal government and states to ensure
that all students have a right to an opportunity to learn, not as a
matter of competition or location, but as a civil and human right.
“Shake hands,” the students all reply.
McGhee doesn’t debate the terms used to categorize his three
volunteers; he only stresses the importance of first impressions
a man can give just by walking into a room.
For the full report, Yes We Can: The 2010 Schott 50 State Report
on Black Males in Public Education, including national summary
and detailed state data, go to www.blackboysreport.org.
“How many of you learned something new in the last few moments?”
McGhee asks.
—By Tom Schram, a Detroit based editor and writer.
All students raise their hands.
“That’s male leadership.”
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“A lot of the males are growing up without men in their homes, or
often with abuse by the men in their homes. So they hate the men, and
they’re growing into the men they hate,” she says.
Disappearing acts
Long removed from early adolescence when he didn’t always feel
confident to do the right thing, today Ramon’s voice conveys a
wisdom senior to his 17 years.
Research shows a direct correlation between youths involved in gang
violence and their experience as witnesses to—or victims of—domestic abuse, Reyes adds.
He’s concerned about his homeboys.
“I didn’t want to see any more of my friends buried. There’s been
too many,” he says reflectively.
“When you hate yourself, it’s easy to take out your hatred on another
young man who looks just like you. The only difference is the color of
the rag on his head,” says Reyes.
Perhaps not surprisingly, given
his evolution, Ramon may also
have been headed toward the
grave. After a cousin died
under what he calls suspicious
circumstances, Ramon came
under the influence of a
Southwest Detroit gang. He
counts it among his life’s
blessings that he was soon
introduced to Detroit Hispanic
Development Corporation,
where he learned to design
t-shirts, record hip hop and
write poetry.
Of 1,000 youths annually served
through the DHDC, which, in
addition to arts programs,
coordinates internships and
provides individual resources,
about 60 percent are boys.
A terror compounding the plight
of many youth in Detroit’s
Hispanic neighborhoods is one
that locals call “disappearing.”
There’s nothing magical about it.
“We have raids by Border Patrol
in Southwest Detroit all the time,”
says Reyes.
“I didn’t want to see any more of my
friends buried. There’s been
“It was probably like the
too
many.” —Ramon Mendez
greatest experience I ever had.
Getting “disappeared,” she and
Even though I was still acting stupid,
others allege, is a common occurrence. It’s presumed that “disapI would leave DHDC and some of the things that they were trying
peared” individuals are deported for lack of legal residency, but rumors
to teach me would just stay in my head.”
of forced labor, rape and sex slavery sometimes float like debris on the
Ramon frequented the Trumbull Ave. center for about three years,
but then strayed away when he says he started “going backwards
in my life.” In about the eighth grade, he returned to the place that
he has since begun calling a second home. DHDC employed Ramon
as a junior staff associate during summer 2010.
Detroit River.
The center’s executive director wants to tell hundreds of more stories
like Ramon’s, yet problems facing Latino boys in Detroit and beyond
are complex and multi-layered, Angie Reyes explains.
“We’ve had people come to our organization to learn English and get
arrested on their way home,” she says. “(Agents) sometimes wait
outside of our building.”
The law enforcement phenomenon of racial profiling takes on new
dimensions when immigrants from places like Mexico and Central
America travel to Michigan, an international gateway from Canada,
Reyes says.
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Border cops aren’t always averse to hearing pleas from DHDC,
Reyes says, but she acknowledges that their patrolling is legal.
Bennett echoes Small, but with a mix of emotional and behavioral
directives about boys.
“The problem is that when the parents get disappeared, kids are left
behind. They get put into the (child welfare) system,” says Reyes.
“Don’t give up on them. When they deserve love the least is when they
need it the most,” he says. “Secondly, we need to train the trainers.
There should be parenthood classes and home economics programs
—like what used to be required in school—to better prepare young
men to raise their children.
An ongoing initiative funded through Skillman is DHDC’s effort to
implement a policy agenda by joining with other Latino advocacy
agencies. Challenging national policies that impact Latino youth
and families is mandatory to their survival, Reyes says.
“Lastly, there should be mandatory study periods after school” at
home or in other appropriate
settings, such as the library
George Waldman/Skillman Foundation
Detroit’s U.S. Customs and
Border Protection office
didn’t respond to calls
seeking comment for
Skillman’s 2009 annual
report.
‘Don’t give
up on them’
Although their talking
points differ slightly, both
Flip the Script’s Bennett
and Don Bosco Hall’s Small
say the future for black and
brown boys must hold
three components.
“I’m going to try my best
to help people out. I want
to bring people under my
wing. If I can teach one,
I can teach a thousand.”
—Marquis Golly
“One is education,” Small
says. “We have to create
educational systems where African-American boys have the
opportunity to develop academic skills to help them be successful.”
or community center, Bennett
says.
Solid role models will play a
huge part in reversing trends.
Jerry Dash, executive director
of VIP (Volunteers in
Prevention) Mentoring, helps
match youth with mentors in
the faith-based and corporate
communities.
“I think there is a higher
percentage of boys in
need of a caring adult,”
says Dash, whose
current program has
about 150 young people.
About 75 percent of
VIP’s pairings with
mentors last a year or longer. Of particular interest to the program
are youth who have an imprisoned parent. Just as in the black
community, another issue burdening Latinos is disproportionate
incarceration, says DHDC’s Reyes.
Also vital, Small says, is addressing “the diminishing role of fathers
in the black family.”
“Even though moms are doing tremendous jobs in raising their
children—tremendous jobs—we have to stop normalizing the
absence of the father.”
“To me, it’s a huge civil rights issue. We cannot have our families
heal when so many of our men are locked away,” she says.
Progress, nonetheless, requires positive action by the youths
themselves, leaders say.
Third is the creation of leadership models or preparation regimens
for young men to follow in every area of life, says Small.
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Skillman: A framework to move forward
Marquis Golly began hanging out with the wrong crowd before
he turned 10. Through intervention by his father, the community
service and development organization Vanguard and the University
of Michigan’s Leadership Academy, Golly, now 18, is a freshman at
Eastern Michigan University.
The Skillman Foundation has engaged in a continuing effort to
address the issues and barriers that exist for young African-American
and Latino boys. A 2009 report, Investing in Boys of Color in Detroit,
presents a series of recommendations and strategies for the Foundation and others to confront those demographical barriers.
“I’ve started another phase in my life,” Golly says. “My father told
me,‘You’re a leader, not a follower. If you’re going to get into trouble,
lead yourself into trouble, don’t follow someone into trouble.’ Ever
since that, I’ve wanted to be great. I’m going to try my best to help
people out. I want to bring people under my wing. If I can teach
one, I can teach a thousand.”
Two summative lessons were drawn from the investigations that
went into that report: (1) very little is being done to address the crisis
among African-American and Latino boys despite great interest in
the nonprofit sector; and (2) there is a dearth of leadership regarding
this crisis.
Based on interviews, focus groups and an intensive retreat with
Skillman staff, a framework was created to address the crisis based
on three criteria: engaging in strategic grantmaking; raising the
visibility of critical issues facing black and brown boys locally; and
identifying other channels of financial support dedicated to strategies
that view boys of color as assets.
And Antario Montgomery, 16, says he also took a courageous step
when he disassociated from friends who pressured him to join
a gang.
“At first it was hard, but I had to help myself,” he recalls. Now, he
attends the leadership sessions at Osborn High, where he has been
vocal and enthusiastic.
From that framework, a series of recommendations emerged:
Likewise, Ramon Mendez intends to not only continue on his path,
but to bring others along for the journey. Being a peer role model can
have advantages, he says, like the ability to recruit more youth into
DHDC programs.
• Invest in the engagement and development of young people as
leaders in this work.
• Engage a set of other foundations and donors to increase
philanthropic resources committed to improving life outcomes
of young men of color in Detroit.
To both his homeboys and to generations that follow him, Ramon
offers a message that challenges the dreadful statistics.
• Integrate Skillman’s goal to address issues and systems barriers
that exist for young African-American and Latino boys into its
Good Neighborhoods and Good Schools programs.
“They can be more than what society sees them as being.”
About the author: Eddie B.
Allen Jr. is an author and
award-winning journalist
who has covered such
international figures as
President Bill Clinton and
Rosa Parks. A graduate of
Wayne State University who
majored in journalism and
Africana Studies, his
newspaper contributions
include The New York Times,
Associated Press, Detroit
Free Press, Detroit News,
Orlando Weekly, Toledo Blade and the Philadelphia New Observer. He lives
in Detroit, where he is currently adapting his first book “Low Road: The Life
and Legacy of Donald Goines” into a feature film.
• Create and facilitate spaces for youth-serving practitioners
to come together regularly to discuss, learn and execute ways
to serve boys of color.
• Strengthen the fractured components related to the tracking,
sharing and analysis of data in social and educational services
that have a significant influence on the development and
outcomes of males of color.
For a full copy of the report, go to skillman.org
—Tom Schram
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The VIP Mentoring Program
—Essay by D’alluntae Vaughn
In the city of Detroit, there are many underprivileged, yet deserving, youth. These
youth are plagued with the hardships that come along with living in the city. But
there is hope. This hope lies in the gift of a friend. For many years, the VIP mentoring program has been providing these youth with a much needed sense of direction
through the mentors they offer. The mentors, bonds, and opportunities provided
by VIP mentoring serve this inner-city youth with hope.
Every child deserves the friendship provided by a mentor through the VIP
mentoring program. It takes a really committed person to volunteer as a mentor. Even
though they have their own lives to attend to, they set aside time to spend with a
young person who may be in need. Being a mentor is a commitment to yourself and the
youth benefiting from the relationship. When you become a mentor, you not only
help a youth in need, you put a lasting smile on their face.
The bonds formed between a mentor and a mentee have the potential to be
lifelong. It is truly a special bond, which every child deserves to have. The mentee is
matched with a mentor based on the similarities they share. This allows for a more
fruitful relationship between the two, three, sometimes even four! There should be
more people who are willing to give their time to serve as not only a mentor, but
a friend.
The mentors and mentees are often provided with opportunities to go to fun and
exciting events, such as concerts and sports. The events and programs provided by VIP
are usually current and popular events that grant the mentor and mentee a fun and
joyful time.
The underprivileged youth in Detroit deserve a beacon of hope. This hope shines
brightly through the VIP mentoring program. The mentors and mentees matched up
form a special bond that can last a lifetime. The VIP mentoring program has been
giving hope to youth for many years, and will continue to for many years to come.
12
Long before he learned the word’s meaning,
D’alluntae Vaughn’s world was rocked by murder.
When he was just a toddler, his mother’s boyfriend
shot her, leaving him practically orphaned. Without
a dad present, D’alluntae’s grandparents formed
the backbone of his support system. Against the
odds that he faced, D’alluntae became an academic
achiever: Today, at 16, he attends University of
Detroit-Jesuit High School on a full scholarship.
D’alluntae credits mentor Linda Bierl, who’s helped
mold him since age 9, for his personal development.
The pair was matched through Volunteers
in Prevention (VIP) Mentoring, a Skillman
grantee that D’alluntae discusses here.
13
Visit skillman.org to view video
Signs of Hope in Detroit Diaspora
—Essay by Garlin Gilchrist II
I wear my Detroit heritage proudly every day. I was born at Hutzel Hospital. I played
basketball at Herman Gardens. I spent sunny afternoons at Hart Plaza. I love Detroit,
its people and its history. Most importantly, I love the future of this great city.
The city's visionary leaders and institutions invested in me and thousands of other
children like me. Programs like the Skillman-funded Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering
Program (DAPCEP) exposed us to a future beyond the negative circumstances too many
young people face. Foundations like Skillman joined hands with Detroit Public Schools,
businesses like General Motors and universities like my alma mater, the University of
Michigan, to work toward a common purpose: to expose the children of today to the
skills of tomorrow, regardless of their zip code. The writing opportunities. The friendships.
The science projects. The math challenges. DAPCEP transformed these subjects from
intimidating and mysterious to accessible and fun. They gave me educational experiences
that empowered me to choose my destiny with confidence.
The future of Detroit will be built upon initiatives like DAPCEP. They will combine
the best thinking from the city's people, government, educational, cultural, business and
philanthropic communities to overcome our shared challenges. The entire Detroit community will come together to mold the Detroit we dream of.
This city produces hard-working people with brilliant minds. Many of us went
to other places in search of careers and opportunities. We may have left Detroit, but
Detroit certainly has not left us. Detroit's diaspora is full of sons and daughters who are
hungry to participate in the city's renaissance. We're ready to contribute our talents to
the home that made us who we are.
DAPCEP and similar programs built human capital in Detroit. We have an opportunity to supplement the human capital investments that are being made today by reclaiming
people who benefited from past investments. So let's invest in the entire Detroit community.
Let's invest in the relationships upon which our future will be built.
I aspire to return home to be part of Detroit's bright future and give to the city
that has given me so much. There are thousands of others who are ready to do the same.
14
Ralph Alswang
Garlin Gilchrist II, a native of Detroit, is
Director of New Media at the Center for
Community Change in Washington, D.C.
After graduating with degrees in Computer
Engineering and Computer Science from the
University of Michigan, Gilchrist became a
Software Engineer at Microsoft. During
that time he co-founded The SuperSpade:
Black Thought at the Highest Level, a
leading Black political blog; co-founded
blacknetaction, a diverse, strategic collective
of online activists; and served as Social
Media Manager for the 2008 Obama
campaign in Washington state. A recognized thinker doing cutting edge work at
the crossroads of traditional organizing and
online activism, Gilchrist has spoken before
every constituency on youth empowerment
in revolutionary new organizing spaces,
increasing civic engagement and participation through emerging technologies and
protecting civil rights in the age of the
Internet. Gilchrist was back in Michigan in
October to participate in a panel discussion
on digital communications at the Council
of Michigan Foundations annual meeting.
Visit skillman.org to view video
15
Program officer makes it a point to focus on the marginalized
By Tom Schram
B
community’ has a responsibility for making sure that our children
receive the appropriate supports they need to be safe, educated,
healthy, and prepared for adulthood. If that is not happening, then
we all have to assume the responsibility for it.”
oys of color are facing an epic crisis in America and there is no
single answer to the problems they face. By almost any measure,
this is a demographic in trouble.
“Our reason for doing this work, primarily, is that when you look at
negative indicators of child well-being, you see that black and brown
boys are disproportionately represented in all the negative categories,”
says Skillman Foundation Program Officer Robert Thornton. “So if
you start looking at how they
fare academically, where they
are in terms of the juvenile and
criminal justice systems, if you
look at where they are in terms
of the foster care system,
health care­—anything around
child well-being, you will find
that black and brown boys are
disproportionately represented
in all the negative indicators.”
Thornton has been at the
forefront of The Skillman
Foundation’s initiative to
highlight and solve the
issues surrounding this
crisis. He cites a 2010
survey by the Massachusetts-based Schott
Foundation that found
that nationally black boys
graduate from high school
at a rate of less than 50
percent. That rate is about
27 percent in Detroit.
Getting the problem in front of the public is a start, Thornton says.
“I think that what we are attempting to do by lifting up this work and
investing in it is to initiate a
clarion call to action, for the
community to become engaged
and supportive, with an
urgency like never before, to
provide resources and support
to those children who are the
neediest. And we think in this
situation, it’s not hard to say
that those are black and brown
boys in particular.”
Helping black and brown boys
doesn’t mean ignoring others. It
means identifying those most in
need and starting there.
“Yes we understand that there
are other males in this city and
this nation who are marginalized as well and we’re not
excluding them,” Thornton says.
“However, the current data shows that these are two populations that
are significantly disenfranchised and more than at risk.”
“Our reason for doing this work,
primarily, is that when you look
at negative indicators of child
well-being, you see that black and
brown boys are disproportionately
represented in all the negative
categories.” —Robert Thornton,
Skillman Foundation
program officer
Changing that will be difficult but worthwhile, Thornton says.
See grants list, Page 29
“Is this work hard? It’s extremely hard. But good things don’t come
easy. Is there a great way to go? Of course there is, but we are committed to staying the course.”
“That’s atrocious and downright criminal,” he says. “While it’s not our
intent to be indicting, the statistics speak for themselves. The ‘village/
16
‘Bricks’ film lays a foundation
for moving beyond stereotypes
Arise Detroit executive director Luther Keith said that images
portrayed in the media could have a heavy influence on the way black
boys perceive themselves. Often, the successful African-American
man is the exception in media.
O
n Oct. 23, members of the community gathered at Detroit’s
Main Library to view a screening of “Beyond the Bricks,” a film
that draws attention to the challenges facing young African-American males and lifts up efforts to change the odds for this marginalized population.
Michael Ernst, Ernst Education Services director, noted that we know
what works. He discussed successful practices being used across the
nation, including ninth-grade academies and single gender schools.
Finally, student Cornelius Adams spoke to the importance of
choosing a different path. “I was always told never to give up, not to
listen to folks who criticize … because the only person that matters
is me,” said Adams.
“Beyond the Bricks” follows two African-American boys as they
struggle to stay on track in the Newark public school system.
Despite being on the verge of becoming statistics, with support
from compassionate community leaders and alternative education
programs, these boys are transformed into successful students on
the pathway to success.
To learn more about the film and see how you can get involved, visit
www.beyondthebricksproject.com.
—By Tammie Jones, a Skillman Foundation public policy fellow
A key takeaway from the film is that successful futures are possible
for all children. As Dr. Pedro Noguera said in the film, “When we
create the right conditions, we can produce healthy young men who
are bright, intelligent, capable, confident and defy all the stereotypes
out there.”
The film’s creators hope that by telling the boys’ stories through
media, they can spark a national community engagement project.
The screening of the film on this fall Saturday was just the beginning
of the day’s events.
Following the film, Robert Thornton, Skillman Foundation program
officer, moderated a panel of community leaders who spoke
specifically to the needs of Detroit’s African-American young men.
Thornton opened the panel by noting that the graduation rate of
African-American males in Michigan is 47 percent, as compared to
76 percent of white males. In the city of Detroit, the graduation rate
of black boys drops to 27 percent, according to the “The 2010 Schott
50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males.”
Charles Small, Don Bosco Hall president/CEO, said
there is a need to provide opportunities for young
people to see everyday role models that represent
opportunity. He argued that the presence of such a
positive force would allow boys to see that success
is not just a far-off dream.
“There is a need to
provide opportunities
for young people to see
everyday role models that
represent opportunity.”
—­Charles Small,
Don Bosco Hall
president/CEO
17
State of the Children Report
Data about Detroit kids,
though not always pretty,
drives demographer
adjusted for inflation, and over half of Detroit children live in families
with incomes below the poverty line. Compounding the problem is
the high rate of children of color being born to unwed mothers (over
70 percent) and an increasing share of children living in singleparent families, primarily female-headed. This results in fewer men
involved in the lives of black and brown boys and a general lack of
male role models. Black and brown boys fall furthest behind in the
area of education.
D
ata Driven Detroit, or D3, as it is commonly known, was
commissioned by The Skillman Foundation to create the State
of the Children Report, a comprehensive collection of data that will
be updated annually. D3 was created with support from The Skillman
Foundation and Kresge Foundation. Its director, Kurt Metzger, talked
with The Skillman Foundation’s William Hanson about the State of
the Children Report. The report is available on the Foundation’s
website. Visit skillman.org/state_of_children to read it.
WH. Anything that is encouraging?
KM. Certainly many of these issues appear to be intractable, and the
brown boys in Detroit in 2010?
desired outcomes we all want are going to take a lot of time. However,
encouragement is everywhere around us—in the people, organizations and programming that are working to make a difference. A
strong emphasis on reaching kids under four (and their parents) has,
based on all the research, the best chance of making a real difference.
The emphasis on early childhood and preschool reading, childcare
experiences, and so on, is encouraging. Our efforts have to start
before birth by working with young mothers. We can make a big
impact at the early development stages. The Excellent Schools
Initiative has brought a new emphasis on education in Detroit, and
that’s really important. I feel that we are moving in the right direction
and now have to develop the systems of measurement that will
guarantee success. The Promise Neighborhoods Initiative in the
Osborn and Southwest Detroit Neighborhoods emphasized continuous outcome measurement tied to program delivery. Real-time,
detailed data collection and sharing is key. We have the people and
programs to turn things around. All we need is the coordination
and collaboration across partners and the willingness to openly
share data.
KM. This has been an extremely difficult decade for Detroiters as a
WH. Anything that surprised you?
whole and children in particular. The economy has certainly hit
Detroit families as hard as anywhere else in the state. The average
Detroit household has seen its income drop by 31 percent, when
KM. I live with these data, so to be honest, no. One set of data that
WH. What is the State of the Children Report, and how did it come
about?
KM. The report represents an inaugural effort at developing a
comprehensive data view of Detroit children from birth to age
18. Our typical data picture is fragmented—based on a series of
individual, topic-specific portraits. The Skillman Foundation has
asked us to bring those portraits together in one document. The
plan is to produce annual updates and to expand data access in
the process.
WH. The final report will be available in December, is that right?
How can people see it?
KM. Yes, that’s right. It will be available on both The Skillman
Foundation and Data Driven Detroit websites.
WH. What does the report tell you about the state of black and
I don’t think has been explored to date comes from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They survey high school kids
18
KM. We’ve been devouring reports and downloading data from a
(Grades 9–12) across the country every two years. The results from
Detroit show that increasing numbers of black and brown boys are
involved in fights at school, and a significant share report that they
view school as an unsafe place—often leading to their staying away.
I know that The Skillman Foundation and others have discussed the
issue of violence in schools. These
results demonstrate a critical need
to do more now.
number of different sources: the federal, state and local governments,
foundations, nonprofit organizations, etc. We have looked to other
examples of reports from around the country and tried to learn from
them. The biggest struggle is how to be comprehensive and yet not
overwhelm people with data.
WH. Data Driven Detroit, or D3,
children in general?
is a new organization. Is this the
sort of work that was envisioned
when you created it?
KM. The number of children in
KM. We envisioned an organization
Detroit has been decreasing due
to continued out-migration of the
population and lower birth rates.
The recent out-migration of the
African-American population has
resulted in a changing dynamic in
the racial and ethnic population.
We’re seeing more first-generation
children from foreign countries—
particularly Latino, Middle
Eastern and Southeast Asian.
That is quite interesting.
that identified what types of
information people needed and
what was important for them to
have. Our mission is data access
and data delivery. So, yes, this State of
the Children Report fits the mission
quite well. It will help people who are
doing policy work and research. It
will, we hope, reach a wide audience.
WH. And what about Detroit’s
WH. Could you discuss other key
findings or trends?
KM. I believe that all the excep-
“What gives me hope is
the tremendous number
of people who care about
Detroit and Detroit kids
who work incredibly hard
to make things better
here. They energize me.”
—Kurt Metzger, director,
Data Driven Detroit, with
Samira Guyot, left, and
Billy Hunter, center.
WH. You have been involved in
collecting and analyzing data about
Detroit for a long time. What keeps you up at night? What gives you hope?
KM. I guess what keeps me up at night is the fact that we don’t seem
to be making tremendous progress. When I look at Detroit and the
outcomes for kids, sometimes I get quite discouraged. Nothing seems
to be changing. I also get frustrated with the lack of information
sharing—information that has been shown to be powerful agents for
change. The Harlem Children’s Zone is a perfect example of how data
can make a difference. What gives me hope is the tremendous number
of people who care about Detroit and Detroit kids who work incredibly
hard to make things better here. They energize me. So if there’s
anything I can do to help them do their work by providing good
data, I am determined to do that. That’s what really keeps me going.
tional program work that has
been going on in the city over this
decade has been overwhelmed by
the economic tsunami that has
engulfed Michigan in general and Detroit in particular. Decreasing
income, increasing unemployment, foreclosures and high levels of
poverty have served to negate much of the progress we have been
making. We must stabilize the families of Detroit in order to truly
make a difference in the lives of our children.
The following charts on pages 20–24 show a sample of the data collected
by D3.
WH. How was the data collected?
19
State of the Children Report
Population less than 18 years in Detroit by gender, 2000–2009
2000
2009
350,000
245,611
250,000
295,709
300,000
200,000
124,252
145,666
100,000
121,359
150,043
150,000
50,000
0
Total
Male
Female
The number of children under 18 years declined by 17%. There are an estimated 245,611 0–18 year olds
in 2009, with slightly more females (51%) than males (49%).
Population less than 18 years in Detroit by race/ethnicity, 2000–2009
2000
2009
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
5%
9%
White
85%
78%
6%
African American
10%
Hispanic/Latino
4%
3%
Other Race
Although still comprising three-quarters of the under-18 population, the number of African-American youth
declined while the Hispanic/Latino and white youth populations increased.
20
State of the Children Report
Living arrangements of the population less than 18 years in
Detroit, 2000–2009
2000
2009
1%
Nonfamily households
1%
56%
Female householder, no husband present
58%
9%
Male householder, no wife present
10%
34%
Married-couple family
31%
0%
15%
30%
45%
65%
Nearly 60% of children live in female-headed households and an additional 10% live in maleheaded households. The percentage living in married coupled households continues to decline.
Population less than 18 years in Detroit in poverty, 2000–2009
60%
50%
50.8%
44.9%
40%
30%
34.5%
20%
10%
0%
2000
2005
2009
The economic downturn, that began for Michigan in 2001, has resulted in an increasing number of Detroit
children living in poor households. [In 2009, the poverty threshold for a family of 4 was $21,954]
21
State of the Children Report
Percent of DPS high school students reporting selected safety
risk factors, 2003-2009
2003
2009
24.8%
Felt Sad or Hopeless
20.4%
26.6%
Physical Fight
30.9%
9.7%
Did Not Go To School/Felt Unsafe
20.8%
9.5%
Carried A Weapon
9.2%
0%
10%
20%
30%
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducts a bi-annual Youth Behavioral Risk Factor survey of
high school students in districts across the country. DPS students report that instances of being in a physical fight
on school property and not going to school due to issues of safety increased significantly between 2003 and 2009.
Estimate of college completion rate for Detroit students, 2008
100%
100%
-40%
80%
60%
-36%
40%
20%
-12%
12%
0%
Detroit School
Students
HS Dropout/
Transfer
Do Not Attend
College
Do Not
Complete College
College
Graduates
Utilizing a variety of data sources, the Parthenon Group produced a model of outcomes for a typical
Detroit Public Schools class of 9th graders that estimates a college completion rate of 12 percent, as
compared to the national average of 29 percent.
22
State of the Children Report
Male population less than 18 years in Detroit by race/ethnicity, 2000–2009
2000
2009
100,000
71,036
87,288
80,000
95,469
111,328
120,000
60,000
8,342
6,243
20,000
6,349
5,850
40,000
0
Total
African American
Hispanic/Latino
White
The decrease in Detroit’s 0–18 population occurred primarily within the African-American community, as
Latinos and whites (many of whom are of Middle Eastern ethnicity) increased their numbers.
Male population by race and age in Detroit, 2009
African American
Hispanic/Latino
White
Other
19,706
27,558
23,772
25,000
24,725
30,000
20,000
15,000
379
1,244
667
3,543
530
652
2,985
3,555
2,697
2,133
3,946
5,000
3,267
10,000
0
Under 5 years
5 to 9 years
10 to 14 years
15 to 17 years
An analysis of male youth by age demonstrates the growing diversity in the younger age groups as Hispanics,
whites and other races increase in number with decreasing age.
23
State of the Children Report
MEAP scores for African-American males in Detroit, 2009
Below Basic
At or above Basic
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Reading
4th
Reading
8th
Math
4th
Math
8th
More than 7 of 10 4th-grade boys in Detroit are failing to pass either the math or reading MEAP test. While
reading outcomes improve slightly in 8th grade, math outcomes get worse.
Graduation rates for African-American and white males in Detroit,
Michigan, and the U.S., 2006–2008
Detroit
Michigan
National
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
African-American
Males – 2008
White Males – 2008
African-American
Males – 2006
White Males – 2006
The graduation rate for African-American males in Detroit Public Schools increased between 2006 and 2008,
but remained well below state and national averages.
24
Dakarai Carter, 16, attends Allen Academy in
Detroit and works as a receptionist at Youthville,
a comprehensive youth development
organization in Detroit.
25
News briefs
including business, organized labor, government, education, media, civic groups, health
services and community organizations.
Fortune magazine calls Goss
‘Detroit’s Class Act’
Fortune magazine named Skillman Foundation
President & CEO Carol Goss “Detroit’s Class Act”
in the publication’s August 2010 Visionaries series.
The series profiled 12 people in Detroit whose
ideas and energy offer the city hope for a more
vibrant economy.
Michigan Front Page
honors Tonya Allen
Carol Goss
“If Detroit schools have a last best friend, it’s
Carol Goss,” writes author Steven Gray.
LEADERSHIP DETROIT
NAMES SKILLMAN STAFF
TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM
Ed Egnatios, senior program officer for neighborhoods, and Sharnita Johnson, senior program
officer for change making, were selected to
participate in Leadership Detroit Class XXXI
and XXXII respectively. Leadership Detroit is
a year-long community leadership program to
enhance leadership skills and gain insight and
knowledge of regional issues among senior
level executives in southeast Michigan.
Egnatios, Johnson, and four neighborhood leaders
associated with the Foundation’s Good Neighborhoods strategy, were selected to participate in the
program this and last year. Neighborhood leaders
and executives include: Nicole Aikens, City Mission;
Rev. Jerome Warfield, Brightmoor Alliance;
Kenyetta Campbell, Cody Rouge Community
Action Alliance; and Scott Alan Davis, Vanguard
CDC. Overall, Leadership Detroit participants
represent a cross-section of the community,
Ed Egnatios
Skillman Foundation Vice President of Program
Tonya Allen was selected by Michigan Front
Page as one of its FP Thirty Honorees. This
honor is extended only to the most dynamic
power innovators in their communities with
a commitment to driving change.
Allen also was selected as one of 15 philanthropic leaders for the inaugural Council on
Foundations’ 2010–2011 Career Pathways
program. The one-year program seeks to
recruit and foster excellence and diverse
talent in philanthropy’s most senior levels.
FOUNDATION WINS
COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS
THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR
Sharnita Johnson
Tonya Allen
26
The Skillman Foundation has been named a
double-Silver Award winner for excellence in
communications by the 2010 Wilmer Shields
Rich Awards program.
Sponsored by the Council on Foundations, the
awards program recognizes effective communications efforts to increase public awareness of
foundations and corporate giving programs.
The Foundation­—which also won awards the
previous two years—received the awards for
its Good Schools Guide and its website.
MICHIGAN FUTURE SCHOOLS UNVEILS
FOUR INNOVATIVE HIGH SCHOOLS IN DETROIT
Michigan Future Inc.,
through its Michigan
Future Schools program,
announced grants of $2.8
million to open four
innovative new high
schools that will challenge
and support Detroit
students as they prepared
them for college and
careers. The schools will
open in fall 2011 to incoming
freshmen and add a grade a year.
The new schools are: Dr.
Benjamin Carson School of
Science & Medicine; Cornerstone Health High School;
Diplomas Now Detroit High
School; and Jalen Rose Leadership Academy.
was formed with hopes of utilizing the community’s new sense
of urgency to improve Detroit’s schools. To learn more about
Excellent Schools Detroit, its plan, or to take the ESD pledge visit,
www.excellentschoolsdetroit.org.
Living cities to invest millions in Detroit
Living Cities, a collaborative of 22 of the world’s largest foundations and financial institutions, announced in October that
Detroit—including the Northend Central Neighborhood­—is one
of five cities chosen as winners in the new Integration Initiative,
which supports game-changing innovations that address intractable problems affecting low income people. This continues
Living Cities’ 20-year commitment to Detroit, which has resulted
in millions of dollars for community initiatives. Living Cities
resources will help Detroit leverage extensive local and national
philanthropic and governmental support, providing capital to a
frozen market, and allowing critical projects to move forward.
To learn more about Living Cities and its initiatives, visit www.
LivingCities.org.
FAB: Detroit native and
former U-M and NBA
star Jalen Rose, with
City Year Executive
Director Penny Bailer.
Jalen Rose Leadership
Academy will open in
fall 2011.
Visit skillman.org
to view video
SKILLMAN STAFF TAPPED FOR
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ROLES
The schools will be part of a network of quality-based learning
institutions. These and future new high schools are made possible
by the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the McGregor Fund, and The Skillman Foundation.
Kristen McDonald,
Skillman Foundation
senior program officer
for education, was
selected as a member of
PNC Bank’s Growing Up
Great national advisory
program to improve
early childhood programs
Kristen McDonald
across the country. Ed
Egnatios, senior program
officer for neighborhoods, was elected to the Neighborhood
Funders Group, a national group of foundations and donors
interested in advancing neighborhood revitalization and community engagement strategies.
To learn more about Michigan Future Schools, a program of
Michigan Future Inc., a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank helping
Michigan make the transition to a knowledge-based economy, visit
http://michiganfuture.org/schools.
Citywide education plan announced
by newly formed ESD coalition
The Excellent Schools Detroit coalition, formed in late 2009 and
comprised of local foundations, nonprofits, Detroit Public Schools
and government leaders, announced a citywide education plan. ESD
27
Audited financial data
Balance sheet
ASSETS
20092008
Cash and cash equivalents
Investments, at fair value
Other, including accrued interest and dividends
Total assets
42,907 410,983
3,345
457,235 39,410 359,416
35,677
434,503
LIABILITIES AND UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS
Grants payable
11,272 9,306
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
22,748 3,633
Unrestricted net assets
423,215 421,564
Total liabilities and unrestricted net assets
457,235 434,503 Statements of income, expenses and
changes in unrestricted net assets
INCOME
2009 2008
Interest
Dividends, other
Investment management fees
Total income
12,117 967 (978) 12,106 11,025
1,557
(1,211) 11,371 EXPENSES
Grants paid
Grant-related expenses
Administrative expenses
Federal excise and other taxes
Total expenses
Grants and expenses in excess of income
Realized gain on securities
Change in unrealized market appreciation
Increase in unrestricted net assets
Unrestricted net assets, beginning of year
Unrestricted net assets, end of year
21,123 372 4,720 10 26,225 22,585
466
5,066
(1,755)
26,362
(14,119) (8,795) 24,566 1,651 421,564 423,215 26,362
(5,642)
(128,041)
(148,674) 570,238 421,564
30
All amounts shown in thousands
28
Grants summary
Search our grants database for detailed information on what we fund
www.skillman.org/browse-grants/
2009 Grants
Number of grants approved
Grants awarded
Small grants*
650
$19,062,420
January 2009 to December 2009
Number of grants approved
Grants awarded
114
$383,311
*The Foundation awards grants to nonprofit
organizations with federal tax-exempt status
and revenues greater than $100,000. Through the
Small Grants program the Foundation can provide
opportunities beyond these limitations to small
organizations and residents working in our six Good
Neighborhoods communities. To make this possible,
we have partnered with Prevention Network, an
organization that has managed a statewide small
grants program for more than 25 years.
Skillman Foundation support of young men of color (Partial listing)
Organization Name: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit
Total Grant Amount: $200,000 Year Approved: 2009 and 2010
Description: This grant will engage boys of color in Cody Rouge in one-on-one
mentoring with a caring adult to improve their social and academic outcomes.
The organization will recruit and train 100 African-American and Hispanic
men and match them with 100 youth mentees in grades 7–9.
Organization Name: Neighborhood Service Organization
Total Grant Amount: $465,000 Year Approved: 2008, 2009 and 2010
Description: This grant supports a youth-led, anti-violence campaign to decrease
gun violence among middle and high school students, and engages Hmong youth
in Osborn. Gun violence is a major contributor to youth homicide among young
African-American males, this program targets these populations and provides
resources to address these critical issues.
Organization Name: Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan
Total Grant Amount: $200,000 Year Approved: 2008, 2009 and 2010
Description: This grant will provide support for a model program that
combines academics, character-building and healthy life choices to help
youth, ages 11–14, especially boys of color as they transition successfully
into adolescence.
Organization Name: Vanguard Community Development Corporation
Total Grant Amount: $900,000 Year Approved: 2006, 2007 and 2009
Description: This grant supports an in-school dropout prevention program.
It offers academic recovery, direct mentoring beginning in late middle school,
college enrollment counseling, violence/gang prevention and an intervention
program for African-American males living in Northend Central Woodward.
Organization Name: Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program
Total Grant Amount: $600,000 Year Approved: 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013
Description: This grant will provide intensive college preparation and
mentoring for African-American males. The program will engage ninth
graders in all six target neighborhoods in science and engineering programs
throughout their high school career.
Organization Name: Volunteers in Prevention, Probation and Prison, Inc.
Total Grant Amount: $280,000 Year Approved: 2008, 2010 and 2011
Description: This grant will provide one-on-one high-quality mentoring services
to boys, ages 11–14, in the six Good Neighborhoods communities. Volunteer
mentors are trained to provide encouragement and support for boys who are
negatively impacted by living in neighborhoods with high levels of incarceration
Organization Name: Don Bosco Hall, Inc.
Total Grant Amount: $550,000 Year Approved: 2008, 2009 and 2010
Description: This grant supports a high-quality youth development center
in Cody Rouge that houses several nonprofits providing youth development
services and recreational activities to address needs and service gaps identified
by the community. The grant also supports a leadership program that focuses
on the needs of boys of color.
Organization Name: Well Springs
Total Grant Amount: $40,000 Year Approved: 2010
Description: This grant will increase math and reading skills of Brightmoor
youth—60 percent will be African-American males—through academic
enrichment and structured recreation. This grant supports a program that has
demonstrated significant success helping students increase their math proficiency.
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Total: $3,235,000
How to apply
What we fund
How to apply for
a Skillman grant
The chief aim of the Foundation’s three programs is to help develop
good schools and good neighborhoods for children. The Good Schools
and Good Neighborhoods programs are the primary focus of our
grantmaking. The Good Opportunities program supports our
primary work and invests in special opportunities that can accomplish
significant results for children. Though we make grants throughout
metropolitan Detroit, the bulk of our grant dollars are spent in six
Detroit neighborhoods—Brightmoor, Cody Rouge, Northend Central
Woodward, Osborn, Chadsey Condon and Southwest Detroit—
and on innovative and successful schools throughout Detroit.
Applicants must be a nonprofit organization with federal tax-exempt
status 501(c)3 that implements programs for children, youth and
families in our three program areas: Good Schools, Good Neighborhoods, and Good Opportunities. Applicants must have at least
$100,000 in revenues and be able to provide a current independent
audit. Learn more here:
http://skillman.org/grants/how-to-apply-for-a-grant/
Our Mission
A voice for Detroit children since 1960, The Skillman Foundation is committed to providing resources to improve
the lives of children in metropolitan Detroit by improving their homes, schools and neighborhoods.
The Skillman Foundation
funds innovative initiatives
through its Good Schools,
Good Neighborhoods and
Good Opportunities
programs that benefit
Detroit residents like
Angelo Guzman, 15.
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History
A Rose for Detroit for
half a century and beyond
Bloomfield Hills and Winter Park, Fla. In Bloomfield Hills, the
Skillmans purchased Fairfield Farms, which they transformed into
a replica of a white-fenced Kentucky farm, complete with a stable
of horses and colts.
I
n December 2010 The Skillman Foundation will celebrate its
50th anniversary. Rose Skillman, our founder, spent much of her
time worrying about the needs of children—especially vulnerable
children. She’s been gone for more than
a quarter-century, but her unwavering
advocacy for children lives on.
In 1939, Robert Skillman returned to 3M to negotiate the purchase
of the Studebaker plant on Piquette
Street in the Milwaukee Junction area
of Detroit’s Northend neighborhood.
He also coordinated the project that
would transform the facility into an
adhesive plant. He worked for this
company as an executive consultant
until his death in 1945.
To honor Mrs. Skillman’s legacy, the
Foundation she created in December
1960 will host a 50th-anniversarythemed Kids Matter Here Neighborhood Summit early in 2011, launch
special awards programs that recognize
promising Detroit kids, and unveil a
new website and blog named after Mrs.
Skillman. New Skillman Foundation
logos feature a rose in the design, an
iconic homage to our founder.
Rose and Robert Skillman, both born
in Ohio, married in Cincinnati in 1907.
One of the early pioneers in the growth
of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, Robert served as the
company’s sales representative for the
eastern half of the country, developed
3M’s foreign sales in England and
Europe, and became the company’s
vice president and director. Following
several initial years of struggle, the company flourished as
continuous advances in technology led to the inventions of
waterproof sandpaper, masking tape and Scotch tape.
Rose and
Robert
Skillman
After Robert’s death, Rose Skillman
continued to live in Bloomfield Hills
and Florida for nearly 40 more years
until her death in 1983. In addition
to her love of animals—particularly
horses and dogs—and her appreciation of the arts, Rose Skillman’s
commitment to the welfare of
vulnerable children continued to
grow. Initially, she made charitable
contributions to organizations that
served children. Subsequently, she
worked with her attorney and
accountant to incorporate The
Skillman Foundation in December
1960. She served as president until
she was named honorary chair in 1964. She remained
a Trustee of the Foundation until her death.
The Skillman Foundation staff and Trustees are committed to
honoring Rose Skillman’s dreams, and to use our grantmaking funds
and institutional clout to be an effective voice for Detroit children.
After a long career at 3M, Robert retired and moved with Rose to
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Skillman staff
Senior Management Team
Carol Goss, President & Chief Executive Officer
Tonya Allen, Vice President, Program
Alan H. Harris, Vice President & Chief Investment Officer
William Hanson, Director of Communications & Technology
Danielle Olekszyk, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
Office of the President
Arnett Parham, Executive Assistant to the President
Program
Alex Allen, Program Officer
Marie Colombo, Senior Program Officer, Knowledge Management
Edward Egnatios, Senior Program Officer, Good Neighborhoods
Sara Plachta-Elliot, Evaluation Fellow
Harry Gaggos, Public Policy Fellow
Christina Hampton, Administrative Assistant
Sharnita C. Johnson, Senior Program Officer, Change Making
Tammie Jones, Public Policy Fellow
Rhonda Jordan, Program Associate
Henry McClendon, Program Officer, Education
Kristen McDonald, Senior Program Officer, Education
Suzanne Moran, Grants Manager
Tamalon Overton, Program Associate
Lan Pham, Program Associate
Simonne Searles, Administrative Assistant
Robert Thornton, Program Officer
Communications & Technology
Shirley Ingraham, Technology & Operations Manager
Dorrian L. McGhee, Communications Manager
Holly Elsner, Administrative Assistant
Investments
Steve Catallo, Investment Officer
Finance & Operations
Dorothy Diop, Staff Accountant
Patricia Hinojosa, Controller & Assistant Treasurer
Jaime Schubring, Receptionist & Administrative Assistant
Markas Cunningham, Student Intern (Detroit Cristo Rey High School)
Faith Darnell, Student Intern (Cass Technical High School)
Ashley Dominguez, Student Intern (Detroit Cristo Rey High School)
Frankie Guiterrez, Student Intern (Detroit Cristo Rey High School)
Celina Ortiz, Student Intern (Detroit Cristo Rey High School)
Skillman Board of Trustees
David Baker Lewis, Chair
Lizabeth Ardisana, Vice Chair
Lillian Bauder
William M. Brodhead
Stephen E. Ewing
Edsel B. Ford, II
Carol Goss
Herman B. Gray
Denise Ilitch (added in 2010)
Mary L. Kramer (added in 2010)
Amyre Makupson
Eddie R. Munson
Jerry Norcia
Robert S. Taubman
2009 Annual Report Credits
Cover photos: Paul Engstrom
Writing: Eddie B. Allen Jr., Garlin Gilchrist II, William Hanson, Tammie Jones,
Dorrian L. McGhee, Tom Schram, D’alluntae Vaughn
Photography: All photos, unless noted, by Paul Engstrom/Skillman Foundation
Editing: Holly Elsner, William Hanson, Laura Healy, Dorrian L. McGhee,
Tom Schram, Catherine Stein
Design: Kathy Horn, Blue Skies Studio, Ann Arbor
Printing: Inland Press, Detroit
Project management: William Hanson, Dorrian L. McGhee
Research: Marie Colombo
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The young men pictured on the cover of this publication, and in full profile below, are some of Detroit’s tough boys.
They are tough in the sense that they have all seen difficulties in their lives—tough economic times, tough home
situations or tough patches in their schooling. But with the help of some caring adults and some of the programs
funded by The Skillman Foundation, and others, they have put themselves on productive and promising paths.
Will they all make it? No one knows. They all still face the numerous hurdles outlined in this report. But give them
credit. So far, they have cleared those hurdles, and are moving forward with life. Tough boys, indeed.
Ramon Mendez
Antario Montgomery
Monta Hall
Xzavier Mazyck
Edgar Rios
Nathanel Adams
Lamont Williams
Troy Taylor
Gerardo Montalvo
OPPORTUNITIES
100 Talon Centre Drive
Suite 100
Detroit, MI 48207
Phone: (313) 393-1185
www.skillman.org
@skillmanfound
skillmanfoundation