A recent Gallup poll of 1 million students in the U.S. found that only half report feeling engaged in school and one-fifth are actively disengaged. The poll showed engagement levels decline significantly as students get older, bottoming out in 11th grade.

According to Gallup, several things might help explain this trend, including the “lack of experiential and project-based learning pathways for students.”

DEERFIELD, Ill., April 14, 2016 /3BL Media/ – Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) and the Baxter International Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, continued to advance access to healthcare through a recent collaboration with World Vision India to develop a mobile health application. In addition, Baxter and its foundation made financial and in-kind donations valued at nearly $25 million in 2015 to create lasting social, environmental and economic value for all stakeholders, including the communities in which its employees live and work.

A large company in your community wants to partner with your nonprofit. You’re excited – this partnership could pave the way for new funding, fill knowledge gaps at your organization, and raise your nonprofit’s profile in the community. The company loves your mission and wants to know how their employees can help. They have some ideas for volunteer service, and can articulate what they want their employees to get out of the experience – but they’ll look to you to define if and how their employees can meaningfully contribute to your mission. Are you ready?

We know the story.  We know that, while tremendous progress has been made, a significant mentoring gap still exists in America for young people.  We know that students from families and communities enduring economic hardship are less likely to grow up with adult mentors outside their family.  As a result, these students are less likely to graduate high school and go on to college.  We’ve heard it before, and we’ll likely hear it again – unless we choose to act differently.