At the 2025 Moving Up Ceremony this May, High Jump held space for a celebration two years in the making. Moving Up is the culmination of two years of hard work for students ready to embark on their high school journey. Held at the Diane and David B. Heller Auditorium at Francis W. Parker School…
High Jump’s annual Moving Up Ceremony is the culminating event to honor students’ two years of hard work. Each graduating High Jump student gets to walk across the stage and receive their certificate—a physical reminder of all the work they’ve put in over the past two years and of all that they’ll carry with them…
Over the past 35 years, thousands of deserving students have brought the very best of themselves to our program and put themselves on the path to thrive in high school and beyond. High Jump cultivates courage and curiosity by empowering students at a pivotal time, building their confidence, and supporting them in navigating the sticky…
When we look at the impact that High Jump has had over the course of the past 35 years, the data paint an incredible story of how High Jump has fostered success for students who are of limited economic means in Chicago; 100% of High Jump alumni graduate from high school; 98% attend college; and…
Jessica has always had the race in her. Her love for motorsports engineering and car racing has taken her from High Jump to Oxford Brookes University, from building a buggy in her high school automotive class to McLaren Racing and Extreme E, and from Chicago to the deserts of Saudi Arabia. But even before she…
Since its inception, High Jump’s emphasis has not been to put students on a specific path towards a specific definition of success, but to instead empower them with the experiences and resources to forge their own paths and their own definitions of success. Over the course of the past two and half decades since she…
Since childhood, Aji has had an incredibly active mind – always searching for outlets to explore his interests, expand his horizons, and engage with his community. When he started middle school in 2007 however, he was itching for an outlet for his energy; then, he got a letter from High Jump. By the time he…
When Rebekah joined High Jump as a 7th grader back in 1999, she was already a precocious, confident student who loved nothing more than reading a good book and bugging her dad to do math for fun. In the last two decades since her time at High Jump, Rebekah has soared academically – she was…
One of the pillars of High Jump is ensuring that our Scholars are not just prepared to thrive while they are in the program during middle school, but that they will continue to thrive during high school, college, and beyond. We are committed to supporting our scholars through every waypoint along their educational journeys, and…
Over the past 35 years, High Jump has impacted the lives of over 2,900 alums. Beyond middle school, beyond high school, and even beyond college, High Jump sets our scholars up to thrive for the rest of their lives. Because of that, the impact of High Jump doesn’t just end with our alumni themselves; as…
When a scholar begins their High Jump journeys in the summer after 6th grade, the idea of being in high school can feel worlds away. For many students, the most pressing things are the here and now of middle school and the daunting high school application process. And over the course of two years, High…
After hearing from two students and a teaching assistant currently in High Jump, we want to share with you once again the real and powerful impact of the program as told from the perspective of students who went through it. But this time, we wanted you to hear from two of our alumni who graduated…
For over 30 years, High Jump has changed the lives of more than 2,500 middle school students in Chicago. While our first cohort in 1989 had just 16 students enrolled, High Jump has grown over the years and now serves more than 285 new students each year through our programs. After three decades of honing…
In the latest #MyPathToGoogle product marketing manager, Xiomara Contreras, shares her best career tips and insights on what it’s like to find a role at the intersection of social justice issues, education, youth mentorship, and tech.
You wouldn’t be wrong in describing High Jump as an academic program, but time and time again, our students tell us that it’s more than that. While not the program’s primary goal, community, and long-lasting friendships are just a couple of the added benefits that alumni proclaim. Extended support and networking opportunities with others who…
Moving Up is the culmination of two years of hard work for students ready to embark on their high school journey. Cohort 31 began the program in 2019, the summer following their 6th-grade year. After putting in the 700 hours of challenging but rewarding work, 157 students graduated from the program this year. Held at…
“The friends I’ve made at High Jump have turned into my best friends and people I trust to be there for me. And High Jump has motivated me to do anything in my power to be successful in life and give back to my community.”
“Thanks to High Jump, I realized that I could accomplish big things despite my financial background.”
University of Pennsylvania freshman I’deyah was interviewed this past summer on ABC 7’s Chicago Graduation 2020 Special “The After Party.” Watch her full interview here. I’deyah has long used her talents to inspire other kids. At just seven years old, she published her first book to help budding authors find their voices through writing. “I…
“Right now, I’m just starting to consider schools. I’d like to go into medicine, so I’m considering the University of Michigan and University of Pennsylvania. But it’s still early – I have a lot to think about.”