About Urban Prep
Urban Prep Academies is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2002 with the mission of providing educational opportunities to urban boys leading to their success in college. Urban Prep operates three programs to achieve this mission: 1) The Urban Prep Schools Network; 2) The Urban Prep Fellows Program; and 3) The UP To & Through College Program. The vast majority of the students Urban Prep serves are economi- cally disadvantaged and start at Urban Prep significantly behind academically.
The Urban Prep Schools Network
The Urban Prep Schools Network includes three public charter schools in the Englewood, East Garfield Park and South Shore communities. At full capacity, the three campuses will serve over 1500 urban young men and produce over 300 college-bound graduates each year. Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men—Englewood Campus is the first public charter high school for boys in the country. Urban Prep’s schools are unique because of their positive school culture and rigorous college prep curriculum. Urban Prep students are distinguished by their uniform of khaki pants, black blazer emblazoned with the school crest, and red tie. The first class of Urban Prep graduates has set the bar high for graduates to come, as 100% of them have been admitted to pres- tigious institutions like Georgetown University, Howard University, Morehouse College, Northwestern University, The University of Illinois, The University of Rochester, and The University of Virginia. In addition to these admissions, the Class of 2010 received over four million dollars in grants and scholarships including the Gates Millennium and Posse Foundation Scholarships.
The Urban Prep Fellows Program
The Urban Prep Fellows Program is a one-year service opportunity for recent college graduates interested in working with urban youth. Fellows work with students in small groups called “Prides” (from Urban Prep’s mascot, the Lion) to mentor, tutor, and lead students in their development and progression toward college readiness. The Fellow teaches, but not in the traditional sense; rather than controlling a classroom and multiple classes of students, a Fellow is focused on the total academic achievement of just twenty students - his or her “Pride.” The Fellow’s primary goal is to build bonds with his/her students that create oppor- tunities for intellectual, social, and personal growth. We believe that these relationships are essential in meeting each student’s individual academic and social-emotional needs.
The UP To and Through College Program
Urban Prep’s mission is to ensure that graduates from its schools succeed in college. In order to completely fulfill that mission, Urban Prep has developed the UP To and Through College Program. This program provides the support necessary to help Urban Prep alumni successfully complete college. Areas of special attention will include aiding in class selection, identifying tutors, and securing access to financial resources. Additionally, this program will serve as a data center to monitor the academic progress, activity engagement, and overall acclimation of Urban Prep students to college life. Relevant findings will be utilized to improve the Urban Prep Schools Network curriculum in a manner that results in subsequent graduates being more successful in college.
For more information visit www.urbanprep.org