Steppingstone Foundation Inc

THE STEPPINGSTONE FOUNDATION IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PREPARES STUDENTS FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES TO ACCESS, NAVIGATE, AND GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE.

THE STEPPINGSTONE ACADEMY IN BOSTON PREPARES MOTIVATED, UNDERSERVED FIFTH- AND SIXTH-GRADERS WITH AN INTENSIVE 14-MONTH AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER ACADEMIC PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ASSIST THESE STUDENTS IN GAINING ADMISSION TO INDEPENDENT AND PUBLIC EXAM SCHOOLS IN THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADES. AFTER COMPLETING THE 14-MONTH ACADEMIC COMPONENT, SUPPORT SERVICES SUCH AS MENTORING, COUNSELING, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AND COLLEGE GUIDANCE ARE PROVIDED TO ENSURE THAT THE STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND GO ON TO COMPLETE COLLEGE. DURING THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC YEAR, THE STEPPINGSTONE ACADEMY SERVED 716 STUDENTS IN GRADES 5-12 AND 527 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN COLLEGE. OF THE SCHOLARS WHO COMPLETE THE ACADEMIC COMPONENT, 85% GAIN ADMISSION TO AN INDEPENDENT OR PUBLIC EXAM SCHOOL, 99% GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND 93% ENROLL AT FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES. 80% GRADUATE FROM FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES WITHIN SIX YEARS.

THE COLLEGE SUCCESS ACADEMY, WHICH WAS LAUNCHED IN 2010, SERVED 227 SCHOLARS IN THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC YEAR. WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF HELPING STUDENTS ACHIEVE COLLEGE GRADUATION, THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES ACADEMIC SUPPORT SPANNING FOUR SCHOOL YEARS AND INCLUDES THREE SUMMERS, BEGINNING THE SUMMER BEFORE FIFTH GRADE AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE SUMMER AFTER EIGHTH GRADE. AFTER COMPLETING THE ACADEMIC PREPARATION COMPONENT, SUPPORT SERVICES SUCH AS MENTORING, COUNSELING, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AND COLLEGE GUIDANCE ARE PROVIDED TO ENSURE THAT THE STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND GO ON TO COMPLETE COLLEGE.

THE NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATIONAL ACCESS (NPEA), WHICH THE STEPPINGSTONE FOUNDATION FORMALLY LAUNCHED IN 2007, IS A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRAMS WORKING TO INCREASE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MOTIVATED UNDERSERVED STUDENTS. AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2021, NPEA HAD 229 MEMBERS FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS, AND COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES. NPEA MEMBERS SHARE BEST PRACTICES, NETWORK, RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CAN ACCESS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR THEIR STUDENTS AS A BENEFIT OF PARTICIPATING IN NPEA.

THE STEPPINGSTONE SCHOLARS PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN 2021 AND WILL MERGE THE STEPPINGSTONE ACADEMY AND COLLEGE SUCCESS ACADEMY. THE STEPPINGSTONE SCHOLARS PROGRAM PREPARES STUDENTS FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN BOSTON TO ACCESS, NAVIGATE, AND GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. RISING FIFTH- AND SIXTH-GRADE SCHOLARS BEGIN THEIR STEPPINGSTONE JOURNEY WITH ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY, A SUMMER AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT INSTILLS FOUNDATIONAL ACADEMIC, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, AND LIFE SKILLS. SCHOLARS AND THEIR FAMILIES BEGIN WORKING WITH ADVISORS TO GAIN ADMISSION TO "RIGHT FIT" MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND LATER, HIGH SCHOOLS, OPENING DOORS TO COLLEGE PREPARATORY CURRICULA AND HIGH-QUALITY LEARNING EXPERIENCES. IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOW, STEPPINGSTONE PROVIDES HOLISTIC SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL AND COLLEGE-READINESS SUPPORT, TAILORING SERVICES TO MEET THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF EACH AGE GROUP THROUGH COLLEGE GRADUATION. AT EVERY STEP OF THIS 12+ YEAR JOURNEY, SCHOLARS BENEFIT FROM RELATIONSHIPS AND RESOURCES TO NAVIGATE ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL CHALLENGES, FORTIFYING THEIR PATH TO A COLLEGE DEGREE AND FUTURE SUCCESS. IN 2021, 114 SCHOLARS WERE ADMITTED TO THE STEPPINGSTONE SCHOLARS PROGRAM WHICH WILL BEGIN DURING THE SUMMER OF 2021.