Sow and Reap

After toiling, everybody wants to know - what difference did it make?

Service counts and logging units of service is only half the story - it tells what you did and how much of it.

I saw 30 students.  I met with 10 families.  I ran 2 groups.  I filed 20 child abuse reports.  I conducted 13 suicide assessments.

Wow.  You were busy.  What were the outcomes?

What we really want to know is - what kind of fruit did it bear?  What was the impact?

Two of the students I counseled were asked to be keynote speakers at their graduation.  Ten students received Reading Awards at the end of the year.  Fifteen students scored Proficient or Advanced on the California Standards Test.  Seven students earned perfect attendance awards.  Most of the students in the counseling groups reported reduced symptoms of depression, even at one month follow up.  All 10 parents reported improvement in their child's behavior at home and at school.

That's the story that funders, policymakers, school administrators and staff, and community leaders want and deserve to hear.