AT&T Foundation Provides $400,000 Grant to Rutgers to Promote High School Graduation Rates Among Camden Teens

CAMDEN — Approximately 300 Camden teens will participate in an innovative Rutgers program designed to help them succeed in high school.

Through a four-year, $400,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation, the Rutgers/LEAP High School Preparation Initiative will work to elevate the level of academic and social performance of LEAP (Leadership, Education, And Partnership) Academy University Charter School students in grades 8, 9, and 10.  The program will ensure that the Camden adolescents have the skills, competencies, and focus needed to meet the academic requirements for high school, especially during the transition period between the eighth and tenth grades.

The program launches in February, and is expected to reach 180 LEAP students per year.  Every student in the target grades will participate.

“This grant will have a tremendous impact on creating positive outcomes for Camden’s youth,” says New Jersey Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. (D.), who represents Camden as part of New Jersey’s Fifth Legislative District.

“Far too many young people leave high school without a diploma. This partnership will reverse that trend by giving students and teachers the tools they need to succeed. It is a bold step in the right direction.”

“Our program addresses a comprehensive range of issues, including targeted efforts in academic interventions; teacher development; emotional and developmental support; character and leadership development; and family support,” explains Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, a Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor of Urban Studies and founder of the LEAP charter school.

“We are deeply grateful to the AT&T Foundation for this visionary investment in the future of Camden’s children and, indeed, our city,” continues Bonilla-Santiago, who also directs the Rutgers–Camden Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership.  “High school graduation is of vital importance to the growth of our local economy, which relies on bright and motivated workers in order to thrive.”

The Rutgers–Camden Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership has received one of four highly competitive AT&T High School Success grants in New Jersey.  The grants are awarded as part of AT&T’s national Aspire initiative, which seeks to address issues related to high school success and workforce readiness.

Other New Jersey recipients of AT&T High School Success grants include the Civic League of Greater New Brunswick; the Cumberland Empowerment Zone; and the Princeton Center for Leadership Training.

“Investing in the educational success of our youth is one of the most important things we can do here in New Jersey,” says J. Michael Schweder, president of AT&T New Jersey.  “This initiative helps us to prepare our future workforce.” 

Founded in 1997 as one of New Jersey’s very first charter schools, the LEAP Academy program enrolls more than 870 students in grades pre-K through 12.  The program consistently earns national recognition for its curriculum and its educational model that actively engages families in the school and the education of its children.  Every graduate of the LEAP Academy University High School has been accepted into college or professional school.

Through several Rutgers/LEAP Centers of Excellence, LEAP students and their families receive a wide array of services, including health and legal guidance.  The Rutgers–Camden Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership works closely with the LEAP Academy to develop initiatives that connect Rutgers faculty, students, staff, and alumni with the vibrant charter school community.