The Trent Tucker University Scholars Program

Free tickets available for schools, youth organizations

The Trent Tucker Non-profit Organization is proud to partner with other youth-focused organizations and schools. If your organization is interested in providing young people the opportunity to see celebrity participants such as Michael Jordan, Trent Tucker and Scottie Pippen, email Kathy Hara at kathy@trenttucker.org or call 952-334-2546

The Trent Tucker Youth Program empowers youth by developing the skills they need to make positive choices. The program is unique because it offers young people an opportunity to learn more about themselves and others using a controlled risk activity.
Throughout the past seven years, the Trent Tucker Youth Program has focused on after-school learning activities at corporate facilities for youth in grades six to eight. Students in the program have met twice weekly during the school year and also go on monthly field trips. The students remained in the program through grade eight.

The Trent Tucker Non Profit Organization acknowledges General Mills and Campbell Mithun, who have hosted our after-school program for the last seven years, and Luther Brookdale Chevrolet, who have donated the use of two, 15-passenger vans for program activities. These are great examples of how our community works together to help our youth reach their highest potential.

The Trent Tucker Youth Program is now focused on establishing a charter school that will carry on the philosophies of providing unique educational opportunities for at-risk youth.  At-risk youth are not only in the inner city but in the suburbs as well. Youth growing up in communities that do not provide opportunities to develop a vision for their future are extremely vulnerable. For these reasons, many youth are failing in school, becoming involved in negative activities, and, if not given opportunities to succeed, will give up hope for the future.

The Trent Tucker Youth Program believes that the whole community must work in partnership to improve the lives of our youth. It is essential that these youth establish a network of people that will act as a support system and expose them to different career fields and opportunities. Our hope is that with the support of the corporations, these youth will not only dream of a future that includes post-secondary education, but they will also develop the skills to make it a reality.

The Trent Tucker Youth Program Goals:

• Improve character and leadership skills of our students
• Provide career and educational development opportunities for our students
• Provide positive methods of risk-taking to improve understanding of self and others

The unique qualities the Trent Tucker Youth Program

• Risk-taking curriculum to provide safe places to take risks and learn about individual and group strengths
• Student lead community service projects designed to build leadership skills
• Twice weekly facilitated discussions and staff support to encourage personal growth
• Annual academic goal setting
• A personal commitment from Trent Tucker for regular involvement in the program and with students

In an effort to provide a vision for the future, the Trent Tucker Youth Program has established three key directives throughout its history:

1. The program has used corporate facilities as sites for the program providing the following:

a. Exposure to the corporate environment allowing the youth to see first-hand career     opportunities available to them
b. Volunteers to help mentor and provide academic support as needed
c. Facility space and funding (partial or full) for the twice weekly meetings of the youth

2. The Trent Tucker Youth Program will use four strategies identified in local and national research for effective after-school programming:

a. Public-private partnerships – School districts, community, families, and corporate, foundation, and individual investors
b. Lasting connections to caring adults/mentors
c. Long term commitment to our youth and families
d. Results – based on improved academic achievement

3. The Trent Tucker Youth Program will measure youth success based on short and long-term outcomes including:

a. Reduction in risky behavior that the youth exhibit
b. Increase participation in positive activities in recreation and/or education
c. Increase knowledge of character and leadership skills
d. Improve academic performance

The Future
An additional goal, set in 2008, is the establishment of a charter middle school, focusing on the pivotal grade levels of 6th, 7th and 8th.   Support of the Trent Tucker Non-Profit Organization will help make the founding of the school a reality.