The Reducing the Drop-Out Rate in Manchester: A Summit on Solutions was held this past weekend at Southern NH University, organized in partnership by the Makin' It Happen Coalition and Sharon Cowen from UNH Cooperative Extension.

UNH Cooperative Extension staff who helped facilitate the event included Michele Gagne, Dan Reidy, Dotty Burrows, Mike Koski, Heidi Bennett and Julia Steed-Mawson. There were 13 students from the UNH Department of Resource Economics who recorded the event. The Summit brought together youth (both youth leaders and youth who have dropped out,) parents, law enforcement officials, school personnel, community organizations, elected officials and business leaders to discuss the issues surrounding youth drop out rates and brainstorm solutions or actions to try to address the issues.

The UNH students also will work with Michele Gagne throughout the semester at the upcoming Deerfield Master Plan visioning session March 23, the Claremont Master Plan visioning session March 29, the Epping Community Profile April 14 and the Rumney Community Profile May 4 and 5.