Big Brothers Big Sisters is a formal partner in a community collaboration to reduce the area dropout rate and improve graduation rates and 21^st century skills of students in the Quad Cities area.  Big Brothers Big Sisters will be piloting this new program beginning in January 2010, creating approximately 70 new one-to-one adult-child relationships at four targeted schools in Rock Island and Scott counties.  Participating schools will be JB Young and Williams in Davenport, and Washington and Edison in Rock Island.  This unique program will match vulnerable children underperformed and disengaged in the educational process with positive adults who will help the student explore various career pathways throughout the Quad Cities.  A new Mentor guide tool helping students reflect on their interests and motivations will be supported by the adult mentor in an effort to help the student connect interests with academic selection, performance and life goals. The pilot phase of this program is supported by as grant from the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend.  United Way of the Quad Cities, the Iowa and Illinois Quad City Chambers of Commerce, areas school districts, Alcoa, Deere & Company, Scott Community College and the Iowa State Extension Service are all collaborative partners in this initiative.