49°
On Tuesday, Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas accepted the president’s challenge, which is designed to increase and improve opportunities for youth, specifically minorities, in cities throughout the country.
Mount Vernon joins New Rochelle, which embraced the challenge last year. The two cities are the only in the county to accept Obama's "My Brother's Keeper" challenge.
Under the challenge, all children will be emotionally, socially and physically prepared to attend classes, with all children literate by the third grade. Other specific goals include ensuring that every youth graduates high school, completes post-secondary education and come out prepared for gainful employment.
At 4 p.m. on Thursday, Thomas, Schools Superintendent Kenneth Hamilton, local officials and prominent members of the community will join together on the steps of City Hall to formally kick off the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative in Mount Vernon.
Moving forward, Thomas and his team will create an action plan to address the six areas of focus in Obama’s challenge. According to Thomas, the program “is aimed at helping young people read at grade level by third grade, high school completion, college and career readiness, improving access to jobs and valuable work experience, and reducing violence in the community.”
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mount Vernon and receive free news updates.
