Early Awareness

Valentina “I am one who hopes” and quote

“I want to go to college and learn everything.  I might want to study to be a movie director so I can tell stories through my words and drawings.”

Every important endeavor begins with hope. But many of our students have their hopes and dreams of college dashed by one or more consequences of poverty:  poor schools, limited knowledge of choices, inadequate counseling, being told they are not “college material,” or simply believing they can never afford postsecondary education.

We start as early as third grade showing them, literally, what is possible. You can see the world opening up to them through our early awareness programs:

• College Tours on local campuses
• College Road Map Workshops
• College Bound T-shirts
• A Day in the Life of 10,000 Degrees

Of course, the most inspiring part of our program for these students is watching their older brothers, sisters, and cousins go through the 10,000 Degrees program and graduate from college. These pioneers are changing their families, communities, and the world.