College Readiness & Retention

Breakthrough New York

The Foundation provided funding to Breakthrough New York (BNY), a 6-year college access program committed to placing high-potential, low-income students into four-year colleges. The program starts when students are in the 6th grade, and works with them through high school, providing tutoring and SAT prep, organized college visits and interview coaching. The program also provides after-school tutoring and summer enrichment programs to some of the best and the brightest middle school students from New York public schools, providing them on an ongoing basis with the academic preparation, guidance and mentoring needed to attend selective four-year colleges. BNY’s teachers are themselves high-performing high school and college students who are interested in pursuing careers in education.

Since 2005, 100% of BNY’s 8th graders gained admission into selective college-preparatory high schools throughout the U.S. Independent evaluations of BNY students over the course of its summer program indicate progress of up to 2.5 grade levels. BNY operates in 25 regional sites, providing hundreds of under-resourced students with a tuition-free academic enrichment program at the middle and high school level.

Bottom Line

The Foundation supported Bottom Line, which provides low income and first generation college students with one-on-one guidance through the application process and their years in school. Established in 1997, Bottom Line is a national program that has developed, with support from the Foundation, its first program in New York City, College Access and Success Program. 98% of their students are accepted into colleges, and 74% graduate.

Our grant enabled Bottom Line to guide a cohort of NYC high school seniors through the college access process. Through individual meetings, counselors help students create a list of potential schools, complete applications, apply for financial aid, and select a college that meets their academic, financial, and personal needs. Once college decisions are made, students who will attend a “target school” join the College Success Program. Bottom Line also works with NYC first year college students at four New York colleges. Counselors work one-on-one with each student to deliver individualized support in four areas: Degree, Employment, Financial Aid and Life Skills. This support includes creating strategies to improve academic performance; connecting students to on-campus resources; working year-round to resolve financial aid issues; helping students secure jobs and internships; and helping students to manage personal problems.

The TEAK Fellowship

In 2011, The Foundation supported The Teak Fellowship, which focuses on generating access to high quality educational opportunities for motivated, disadvantaged New York City boys and girls. Established in 1998, TEAK is a “race and gender blind” academic and personal enrichment program that provides 7th grade students with access to enrollment in top public, independent and parochial high schools and provides the support they need to succeed once enrolled. Acceptance is solely based on financial need, academic motivation and talent.

TEAK admitted students embark on a 16-month cycle of programs to prepare for the competitive admissions process to selective high schools. Preparatory Programs include: the Spring Intensive, a six-week after-school academic program; two Summer Institutes, six-week programs with intensive English, math, Latin, science, research, and arts courses; a Test Preparation course; comprehensive High School Placement guidance to help navigate the admission and financial aid application processes to selective parochial, public, and independent high schools; writing & algebra courses; and a Mentor Program.

TEAK students develop their skills and talents through after-school, weekend and summer programs, which continue throughout the four years of high school and includes comprehensive college guidance counseling. 150 students participate yearly and 100% of TEAK’s first two classes have graduated from high school and were accepted to four year colleges and universities, with over 80% college graduation.

Legal Outreach

The Foundation supported Legal Outreach, a college preparatory organization that uses instruction in law as a mechanism for inspiring underserved, minority youth from New York City to strive for academic excellence and higher education. Their four-year, multi-faceted, academic support program operates after-school, on Saturdays and during summers. The Legal Outreach College Bound Program consists of a series of mandatory skill development and support programs designed to help underprivileged students stay on the track for college. Over the course of high school, the selected students engage in: a study/tutorial program; study and life-skills seminars; academic and college prep advisory program; writing classes taught by professional journalists, lawyers, law or graduate students; debate competitions focusing on constitutional issues individual mentoring by lawyers; SAT preparation classes; College preparatory class; and a college selection and application workshops. An independent evaluation of Legal Outreach indicates college enrollment and graduation rates well above City and National averages.

New York Needs You

The Foundation has funded the growth of New York Needs You (NYNY), an organization that achieved phenomenal growth in addressing specific needs faced by First Generation College Students (FGCS) who lack adequate information about resources and professional opportunities. Compared with their advantaged peers, FGCS achieve lower graduation rates, possess fewer professional resources and endure disparities in earnings and graduate school matriculation. The three primary components of the NYNY Program are life planning, career development and community leadership projects. In partnership with Mentor-Coaches and volunteers, Fellows develop life plans that articulate a clear path to their personal and professional goals. Fellows also benefit from training in public speaking, personal finance, written communication, relationship management and interviewing. Applying skills developed through NYNY, Fellows collaborate with existing non-profit organizations to lead projects aimed at strengthening their civic engagement and personal accountability and building communities of support for other similarly-situated young people. Launched in June 2010 with 50 Fellows and 50 Mentor-Coaches, today NYNY has grown to over 400 volunteers from a variety of backgrounds who serve as Mentor-Coaches, Industry Specialists and Workshop Facilitators.