Mayor Duffy Established Education as a Top Priority:

• Developed the successful "Summer of Opportunity" program
  The cooperative venture with private sector businesses and the Hillside Work Scholarship Program created more than 950 jobs for city youth and job training skills for nearly 1500.
    
• Directed $1 million, in partnership with the Rochester City School District, to improve graduation rates using the proven Hillside Work-Scholarship program.
  This investment will ensure that more students will participate in mentoring, job training and school
  support programs. 
   
• Started an aggressive anti-truancy campaign, in partnership with the City School District, which identified and re-directed 457 truant students.
  Youth who are on the streets and not in their seats in the classroom are at a considerable educational disadvantage and put themselves and potentially others in danger. 
   
• Launchedthe community-wide Literacy Initiative, 
  The Literacy Initiative focuses on promoting increased enrollment in Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs and increasing Family Literacy Programs in the Rochester Public Library System. 
   
  The City secured a federal grant to provide 11 AmeriCorps VISTA members who are working to create neighborhood literacy networks surrounding and supporting the work of the city’s 10 branch libraries. 
    
• Established the "Rochester Internship Program" 
  This partnership with St. John Fisher College has provided dozens of interested students with a semester-long internship and a learning experience in urban affairs, government and politics.