Next Steps is our multi-year, three-day/week apprenticeship program for at-risk high school juniors and seniors.  The program is designed to provide targeted support for college and career preparation. Students are engaged in dynamic weekly workshops and individualized and small group tutoring that lead to on-time high school graduation and matriculation in post-secondary education.

 

Workshops are focused on college exploration and matching, securing financial aid, encouraging a college-bound mindset, character formation, emotionally intelligent leadership development, enhancing college level academic skills, SAT preparation, career assessments, interviewing skills, securing internships, career presentation panels, and networking.

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Students attend two multi-day, multi-campus college tours and visit 10 diverse college campuses.  For many first-generation students, the tours are the first time they envision themselves on a college campus as they interact with college students and staff. 100% of tour attenders credit these tours with giving them the resolve to do better in high school and attend college.

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Next Steps students continue to transform schools and underserved community facilities every Saturday while honing their painting skills.  

 

They also get to engage with adult professionals who volunteer at paint sites and informally mentor our students by talking about their jobs and education required for their career.