Community Foundation of Broward hosted its second Food for Thought event of 2017 on Thursday, May 4 at Coral Ridge Country Club. Robert Runcie, Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools, and Bob Swindell, CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, served as keynote speakers. They discussed how their organizations work to prepare students for academic success and tomorrow’s workforce.

The Foundation’s Food for Thought series is hosted exclusively for Fundholders and Legacy Society members. These provocative conversations explore community issues and enable donors to network with other philanthropists while learning more about the Foundation’s work.

Runcie and Swindell detailed many of the issues facing South Florida’s education and job sectors. They also highlighted how partnering with the Foundation has helped Broward youth prepare for success in high school and beyond through its School is Cool and Youth WORK initiatives which are two of the Foundation’s Issues that Matter.

Working with Broward County Public Schools, School is Cool aims to increase high school graduation rates to 90 percent by focusing on middle school success. Similarly aligned, the Foundation’s Youth WORK concept focuses on developing critical life and soft skills for young people to help them transition to full-time work as an adult.

School is Cool programming has been implemented in 18 Broward County middle schools and has served more than 4,000 low performing learners. Improvement rates in course work have grown from 40 percent in 2013-14 to 65 percent in 2016. Youth WORK programming has been implemented at 13 sites across Broward County and has served more than 500 youth.

In total, the Foundation’s funding of School is Cool and Youth Work will reach nearly $4 million.

Visit the Foundation’s Issues that Matter to learn more about School is Cool and Youth WORK.