Toledo picked to participate in Harvard's Cradle-to-Career program

Toledo’s Art Tatum Zone and other core community partners have been selected to participate in The EdRedesign Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s nationally recognized “Cradle-to-Career” initiative.

The program is expected to be a major push to support the education and development of Toledo’s Junction neighborhood children and youth.

The Art Tatum Zone, Toledo Public Schools, United Way of Greater Toledo, and Lucas Metropolitan Housing are participating in the program. Toledo is one of only 10 new communities in the United States invited by Harvard to join the 2024-25 program.

Calvin Sweeney, president of the Art Tatum Zone, said the nonprofit applied to participate in the program several months ago.

“We know the community we are working in,” Mr. Sweeney said. “We applied because we know the challenges of this neighborhood. But we know we can support the kids and the parents here.”

Poverty and the lack of educational attainment are pervasive in the Junction neighborhood. Community, local, and state organizations have worked collaboratively and tirelessly over the years to grapple with these multigenerational issues.

“Being a new member of the Harvard program will do so much for the Junction neighborhood and the city,” Mr. Sweeney said. ”We want our kids to have a better future. This program will bring hope and help to one of the poorest parts of the city.”

Christine Sweeney, executive director of the Art Tatum Zone, said 54 percent of the residents in the Junction neighborhood live in poverty.

“Children face an uphill battle from day one,” Mrs. Sweeney said. “Poverty and social ills impact this community. The stats are alarming. They are a flashing light in the face of everyone. We see this program as an opportunity to create a great comeback and to inspire other communities and states. All of us have a responsibility to do something different.”

Tauheedah Jackson, deputy director and director of the Institute for Success Planning at the EdRedesign Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, said Toledo was picked because of the results of the collective action between government, schools, and private organizations.

“The Toledo spirit to come together in a shared vision to help all of the kids have the opportunity to thrive and not just survive stood out,” Ms. Jackson said. “This program provides the opportunity to change the narrative and allow children to dream big.”

The Institute for Success Planning at EdRedesign’s program is designed to support local communities in building, scaling, and sustaining initiatives that support the developmental and educational journey of children and youth.

The Success Planning Community of Practice is a two-year opportunity that consists of a planning year for design or scaling and a second year for implementation and growth, according to information from Harvard.

“Success planning is about fostering positive relationships, nurturing potential, and building clear and accessible pathways to success for all children and youth,” Ms. Jackson said. “As we welcome Toledo into our network and honor the dedication of our Success Planning alumni, we will continue to walk alongside communities and support their efforts to eliminate systems that create barriers and advocate for policies and practices that help to advance progress toward more equitable access and opportunity.”

EdRedesign at Harvard will provide a structured curriculum to equip leaders with practical skills, knowledge, and resources for designing, implementing, scaling, and evaluating effective and impactful success planning initiatives.

The program connects each child or youth to an adult navigator who co-creates a personalized plan for action in partnership with their families and other caring adults. The plan highlights the child’s strengths and needs and identifies supports, enrichments, and other resources to remove barriers, help them thrive, and support their goals.

Ms. Jackson said the Harvard program is generational work. The Junction neighborhood has many issues, including food and basic needs insecurity, inefficient housing, and mental and physical health issues.

“The organizations here will create a plan of action so we can help children and families change their outcomes,” she said. “The kids will have somebody who knows them and will ask them about their days. They need to know that today does not define the opportunities out there for them. Young people can create their own narrative. We need to help write the narrative of hope.”

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said being picked for the Harvard program reflects well on the partnerships in the community.

“The United States is pretty big, so being picked out of all of the cities is a big deal,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. “Harvard focused on the strength of our community, which helped us get picked. I would say we have outkicked our coverage.”

Mr. Kapszukiewicz said the program will have every student enrolled in it paired with an adult navigator.

“I see the city as being a facilitator in this,” he said. “I am hoping that city employees step up and some of them become adult navigators in this program.”

Libby Schoen, chief programs officer of Lucas Metropolitan Housing, said LMH will provide service coordination specialists who will connect LMH families to support programs they may not know exist in Lucas County.

The programs include LMH’s Resident Opportunity for Self Sufficiency and Family Self Sufficiency, and its new Financial Opportunity Center.

“It is an honor and privilege for LMH to be included for selection in their nationally renowned Harvard Success Planning cohort and its Cradle-to-Career initiative,” Ms. Schoen said. “The management and supply of affordable housing will always be LMH’s top priority. At the same time, we can do more than just put a roof over people’s heads and provide them with a place to call home. We can also connect people to bridges of opportunity.”

MaryLouise Bowe, chairman of the board of the United Way of Greater Toledo, said the agency will provide data support through its Community Analytics Research Center to help with connectivity in services planning.

“United Way of Greater Toledo understands the importance of community input and involvement, “ Ms. Bowe said. “We need to change the status quo. Multiple organizations working together will demonstrate improvement in the health, finance, and education of families and students.”

Romules Durant, CEO/superintendent for Toledo Public Schools, said people should not ask why Toledo was picked for the program.

“We should ask, ‘Why not Toledo?’” Mr. Durant said. ”Let us be a roadmap and a guiding city with this program.”

Mr. Durant said the government can’t do it alone. The district plans to provide innovative educational opportunities to prepare students for success. The district will be a critical connection point to children and families for the program.

“We have the resources and connections as a district to help people connect,” he said. “We are hoping to get many students and families signed up. I am also hoping some of our staff will be navigators as well.”

Mr. Sweeney said the first year of the program will include the planning stages of the program. The second year will be the implementation of the program. He is hoping the plan will go to all of the schools in the district.

“We are hoping to expand to all of the schools and have them adopt the plan,” Mr. Sweeney said. “We are committed to the revitalization and redevelopment of the Junction neighborhood. This initiative will help us flip the statistics on their head. We have to deal with deeply social issues in society. We can connect children to caring, loving adults in the community that will help them not be in the pipeline to prison, but in the pipeline to careers. Our efforts will help the children define what pathways they will take in their future.”