Metropolitan Education Commission Goals and  Accomplishments The Metropolitan Education Commission (MEC), composed of 34 members, facilitates partnerships and collaborations among education, business, service  and government agencies to promote education and to advocate on issues affecting education in Pima County. To Empower and Advocate For Students, Teachers, Families Youth Advisory Council/Tucson Teen Congress: (YAC/TTC); 477 youth  involved in leadership activities Teen Town Hall: Annual event where over 1,800 youth have voiced their opinions on issues to community leaders School Infrastructure Committee: agreements between school districts and municipalities to assure proper infrastructure around school sites Pima County Business & Education Roundtable: MEC is a partner to work with the business community on K-12 education Summer Leadership Conference: Annual teen training on current issues  such as welfare reform, economic development in which over 600 youth have  participated Conferences and Workshops: Celebrating Opportunities for Multicultural  Students Conference, The $$$$ Stops Here Educational Finance Forum; Do We Still Need Public Schools Forum; Tucson Resiliency Initiative Conference Best Practices for the Best Start: (1991-1994) initiative to provide  young children (0-6) a good start in school To Recognize and Promote Individuals and Groups Supporting Education Crystal Apple Awards: 84 community leaders and organizations honored for contributions to education Outstanding Teen Citizen Awards: In collaboration with Tucson Parks & Recreation and Pima Community College ten teens are selected annually BEST Breakfasts and MEC Monthly Meetings: Provide a forum for education  programs and initiatives MEC Collaborations: Annually averages 27 community partnerships which in 2007 include: Transition Fair Meth Free Alliance LULAC Youth Leadership Conference Pima County Business & Education Roundtable Pima County Substance Abuse Committee Sunnyside School District Learning Community United Way Youth Development Coalition Pima Santa Cruz Tech Prep Consortium Real Life, Real Talk Promotion of High School Graduation and High Academic Standards Goal One: Graduate!/Meta Numero Uno: Graduar! Initiative to raise Pima County’s high school graduation rates and academic standards. Academy Without Walls: (AWW) Links academic preparation with high tech  job training. To date the following have participated 405 students from 12 high schools the Pascua Yaqui Reservation 22 teachers 8 businesses Microsoft Keane, Inc. Wells Fargo US  West AOL Hughes Intuit Convergys and Pima Community College Career Fair: In conjunction with annual LULAC Youth Leadership Conference has reached over 55,000 students The Key to Employment for the 21st Century Workshop: parents, students, educators attend this annual event which is supported by high tech businesses, Pima Santa Cruz Tech Prep Consortium, community economic development organizations and Pima County’s school  districts Tucson Resiliency Initiative: To provide training and technical support for school-wide resiliency and consensus building.