The 2014 expansion into Overtown was funded by a $1 million seed investment from The Lennar Foundation, and focused on promoting 100% graduation, improving college and career readiness, and increasing the engagement of parents and the community. Special emphasis was placed on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), including enhancing the school’s existing Engineering Academy.
The Program’s Successes Include:
- Supporting Booker T. Washington Senior High School (BTW) in achieving a “B” grade, up from a “D” grade (2014).
- BTW’s graduation rate improved from 70.9% (2013) to 73.5 % (2015).
- Engaged over 1,700 students from Phyllis Wheatley Elementary, Frederick Douglass Elementary, Jose De Diego Middle School, Paul Laurence Dunbar K-8 Center, and Booker T. Washington Senior High in visits to FIU and community engagement.
- Assisted 42 students in applying and being accepted to FIU since the beginning of the partnership in 2014.
- Created a network of more than 20 community partners to address school and community needs.
Please click here for the 2016 Impact Report.
Initiative
- Support Engineering and Astronomy Magnet at BTW through an integration of dual enrollment courses, programming for advancing STEM education and career pathways, in collaboration with the College of Arts, Sciences & Education and the College of Engineering & Computing.
- Expanding opportunities for BTW students to take college courses for college credit while in high school through Dual Enrollment.
- “Panther for A Day” College Visits & Advising: strategic early college exposure and advising interventions for students from Miami Northwestern and feeder middle schools.
- College exam test preparation.
- Family involvement and community engagement.
- The LEAD Project (Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy, and Development): middle school program focused on college awareness, civic engagement, and leadership.
- Miami PREP: Pre-college Summer STEM Program.