Heights Philadelphia

K-12 programs: at Heights Philadelphia, our work focuses on connecting educational trajectory with economic opportunities that lead to family-sustaining employment, which is essential to fix the generational poverty that plagues our city and narrows our students' paths to prosperity. Middle school programming focuses on a high school selection advising curriculum for students and families, with the goal of increasing the number of black and brown underserved students at sdp criteria-based, high performing high schools. Heights staff are embedded in four k-8 schools and our impact will span district-wide by offering workshops for all families and students and building the capacity of teachers to advise students on the high school selection process. In the summer before 9th grade, comprehensive summer bridge programming will ensure students have a smooth transition to high school.high school programming focuses on school-wide college and career programming, as well as recruiting cohorts of students for advising, enrichment, and equity based programming. Heights staff are embedded in 19 sdp high schools in the 22-23 year. Heights coordinators lead the college and career programming, as well as recruit cohorts of 25 students per grade for advising, enrichment, and equity based programming. Heights advisors provide 1:1 advising. School-wide offerings include fafsa support, college exposure, career days, and dual enrollment courses for college credit, tutoring, internships.

Community access pathways and step up to college: Heights Philadelphia's outreach futures initiative brings the organization's services and expertise to the broader community. Outreach futures offers a range of programs and services to students, families and youth-serving professionals throughout Philadelphia. A key component of Heights Philadelphia's outreach services is the annual publication of step up to college: Philadelphia's guide to the college preparation, application and admissions and financial aid processes. Copies of the guide are distributed to high school students, community-based organizations and the free library of Philadelphia without cost to remove any barriers to access. Content from the guide also is available through digital media.

Collge and career programs: college programming ensures that students who matriculate to college have the support needed to graduate from college. Heights staff provide individualized advising, campus visits, and programming for students from Philadelphia at colleges across the country and will expand annually to support new cohorts of students. Heights also provides each collegian with stipends to assist with indirect costs such as books and transportation, as well as the opportunity to apply for funds to cover the cost of summer classes if needed to increase persistence. Heights has 21 agreements with universities that provide scholarships and on-campus support for students. Career programming will simplify the path to employment by guiding students through their journey to life sustaining careers with a 5 step process: exposure, exploration, planning, opportunity and support. Heights has been developing a group of anchor partners that will provide internships, mentoring, and scaled employment opportunities. We wish to focus on exposure to careers in the life sciences, stem, and technology; careers where the population of students we serve has historically been underrepresented. Equity based training and services will also be made available to our partners to ensure a smooth transition for students entering their workplace.

Heights Philadelphia has a contract with the charles e. ellis trust to administer funds to eligible Philadelphia high school girls for tuition and educational enrichment. Expenses are those associated with the administration of the trust. Additionally, Heights Philadelphia administered 2 programs in Philadelphia which awarded students for their academic accomplishments.