A description of the collaborative
The Boots on the Ground campaign led by Ypsilanti Community Schools (YCS) aimed to inform and empower families with the resources to help our children succeed and increase enrollment. The program ran from May 2021 to August 2021 and featured events in Ypsilanti neighborhoods.
Activities included movie screenings, food trucks, and live music performances to bring community members together and foster an environment where dialogue could begin. YCS teachers and administrators used this opportunity to reconnect with students and families to reaffirm that we see, hear, value, respect, and care about their wellbeing.
Boots on the Ground also served as a recruiting tool for YCS. School officials and trusted parent advisors took a proactive approach to disseminate information, canvassing door-to-door to connect with parents and inform them of opportunities for their children at YCS.
The name of the organization(s) that led the initiative with collaborators
- LEAD: Ypsilanti Community Schools
- Ann Arbor Summer Festival
- Ypsilanti District Library
- My Brother’s Keeper Washtenaw County
The impact the collaborative has had on community health
- Gathered community partners to engage in dialogue about partnership opportunities to help YCS grow
- Canvassed our community and went door-to-door with partners to get the word out that YCS has been serving and will continue to serve our students and families in collaboration with our partners
- Sponsored student gathering and recruitment events throughout our community to connect them with program options, opportunities, and support
- Reconnected with students who had a break in enrollment due to the pandemic
- Conducted Listen and Learn sessions, surveys, phone calls, and polls to increase visibility in the community