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Improve school readiness and academic achievement. <br />Reduce domestic violence and crime. <br />Improve family self-sufficiency. <br />Increase coordination and referrals for community resources as well as supports for families. <br />How will they know they met these goals: These are goals that will take much longer than one year, or one-round of <br />funding to address. YouthFest! will be focused on the second stated goal of Texas Home Visiting-Hays County, reducing <br />the rate of child injuries and child maltreatment.We know from research that certain ‘protective factors’are linked to a <br />lower incidence of child abuse and neglect. The protective factors we plan to directly impact at YouthFest! include <br />concrete supports for parentsin need (vendors) and social connections(free, daylong, weekend event with group <br />performances). <br />Number of clients served yearly:160Number ofdirect clients served ONLY in San Marcos: 87 <br />$1,500Commission on Children and Youth Recommendation: $1,500 <br />Amount Requested: <br />Girls Empowerment Network <br />The 180 Program –The 180 Program (180)is a prevention and intervention program designed to reach middle <br />and high school girls involved in or at high risk of becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. Its goals <br />are to decrease rates of juvenile delinquency and increase in-school functioning, critical thinking skills, and <br />self-sufficiency.180reaches many girls after a first offense and helps them get back on track, preventing them <br />from entering or re-entering the juvenile justice system. <br />How they will measure program success: Participants are asked to respond to evaluation forms at the conclusion of each <br />program indicating knowledge gained and potential behavior change or risk avoidance. Informal feedback is gathered <br />from teachers and other school personnel. Previous measurement by a professional evaluator indicated that participants <br />who attend the targeted sessions for juvenile delinquent girls come to school more often and get in less trouble and show <br />a particularly positive impact on ability to handle conflict and stressful situations. <br />Priority Areas that this program will fulfill: “Outcome/GOAL 3 -San Marcos will have a college and career ready workforce <br />capable of attracting industry to improve economic development and quality of life; 1. Increase high school graduation <br />rates.”The 180 Program contributes to increased graduation rates byimproving girls’ attachment to school. The program <br />helps them create positive bonds with peers they can count on in their schools and helps them learn coping skills that they <br />can use to improve their in-classroom functioning and behaviors. Additionally, according to GEN’s former professional <br />evaluator, Shore Research, who studied the program in depth, girls who are highly engaged in the 180 Program have <br />better school attendance and get in less trouble. <br />Goals for the program: GEN’slong-term goals are to increase girls self-efficacy/belief in their personal power so that <br />they can pursue the future of their dreams, while simultaneously decreasingrates of juvenile delinquency and risky <br />behaviors for girls. <br />Short-term outcomes will be that 75% of participants will demonstrate: <br />increasedself-efficacy (confidence), <br />increasedcreativityandcritical thinkingskills, <br />increased positive communication,collaboration, and pro-social bonding with peers, leaders, and role models, and <br />increasedcoping skills(resiliency, grit, and stress management.) <br />How will they know they met these goals: In collaboration with a third-party evaluator, GEN gathers insights from <br />multiple angles to evaluate its programs. We use surveys and focus groups with our girl participants, and we also gather <br /> <br />