Our students and their families come from throughout Durham and its rapidly growing immigrant community. Our out-of-school K to College Model serves economically disadvantaged students from 21 Durham-area schools. These schools identify students with academic promise, a readiness for learning and demonstrated desire to achieve academically, as well as leadership potential and a strong framework of family or other external support. Our current student demographics are roughly two-thirds African American and one-third Latino.

Our capability and delivery structure is designed to support student development, provide mentoring and program continuity year on year across the K to College continuum, and efficiently maximize impact and ensure accountability.

We initially focused on the K to 8th grade student population because research indicates that preventative interventions at an early age can have a deep and lasting impact, provided that the intervention is intense and sustained. Our Pioneer Scholars program achieved great success in year one, and with a fully robust and scalable model, we have scaled our programs in year two.

In year three, we will expand further to serve more students. Our Scholars to College program will provide important resources for our students in grades 9-12 high to help further ensure that they become the first in their families to go to college.