The goal of the MNBL is to provide an organized basketball program for at least 80-90 at-risk, primarily low- income Malden residents in grades 10 through 12 who do not play for their school basketball team. In the short-term, the MNBL will know if it has met this goal by keeping accurate files of all students who register, along with each student’s basic demographic information. MNBL staff can count how many students registered, how many attend each game, how many attend each practice, and how many attend the Annual League Banquet by keeping attendance logs.
The MNBL will also be able to determine how many students participated in multiple years by comparing attendance rosters from year-to-year. Through collaborative partnerships with public and private high schools in the area, the MNBL will also be able to measure the number of students who participated in the MNBL that went on to participate in a school-sponsored basketball team.
Informal feedback from participants, parents, and coaches has provided anecdotal evidence of the program’s success. For example, students have shared positive stories about how the school enrollment requirement to play basketball provided the incentive to stay in school when they had wanted to drop out.