The Years that Matter Most
As we prepare to welcome High Jump’s 35th cohort in just under a week, we wanted to share with you why we believe that the High Jump model works so well. The experiences of our current students and the lives our alumni are now leading speak for themselves in terms of the success of the program. The numbers continue to do so too: 100% of High Jump alumni graduate from high school; 98% attend college; and 87% graduate from 4-year colleges and universities nationwide (compared to 41% nationally of all academically strong students who are of limited economic means).
We believe there are two reasons we believe that High Jump is such an effective program and has such a huge impact on the success of our scholars in both the short and long term.
We focus on the years that matter most.
After early childhood, the second most important time in life for brain development is early adolescence – the middle grades. Education researchers call this phase “a phase of igniting passions” – because it provides a wealth of opportunity for shaping positive trajectories of development. One of the secrets of High Jump’s success and what sets us apart from so many other programs, is not only that we focus on the timing of early adolescence, but also that we provide students with 350 hours of programming a year for two years for optimal impact, right when it matters most. When we challenge our Scholars during this time, they grow leaps and bounds above their peers not just academically but in their executive functioning, communication, social and emotional skills. They are inspired to do what’s possible.
The middle grades are so crucial for High Jump because the research shows that if we want to increase our focus on students in 9th grade, starting in high school, it is often too late. With high school’s rigor, social pressures, and anxiety around college, one major mistake or a lack of support in any of these areas can cause issues to multiply and students struggle to cross the finish line. That’s a major reason why there are school districts with 90% high school graduation rates but only 25% college completion rates. If students don’t have the support and resources they need before they get to high school, then they will spend all their time in high school trying to survive.
Thriving. Not Surviving.
The second key ingredient of High Jump’s success is that we aren’t working for our scholars to survive high school, we are working to ensure that they thrive there. Thriving, for us, is not just being prepared academically, but also possessing these five crucial skills: engaged learning; academic determination; positive perspective; diverse citizenship; social connectedness. That combination leads to thriving in high school, thriving in college, and thriving in their careers.
This is an expanded vision of student success where our scholars develop the skills to help them make the most out of every class, every relationship, and every opportunity for support. And they will do this not just in middle school, not just in high school, not just in college, but for the rest of their lives so they can thrive in adulthood,earn a family sustaining wage, participate in democracy, lead healthy lives, and provide those same opportunities for their own kids.
While we are so proud of the work we have done for our 2,700+ High Jump alumni, there is always more to be done. As one of just a few programs in Chicago that provides academic enrichment for middle schoolers, the demand for High Jump is at an all time high. Every year in Chicago we estimate that there are 3,400 eligible students. 1,000 of those begin an application for High Jump; however, we currently have capacity to serve over 250 new students every year. Because we know that the program works, it is incumbent upon us to reach every interested and eligible student in Chicago. With your support, we can make that possible and set up Chicago’s middle schoolers to thrive.
Your donation helps keep High Jump tuition-free and ensures a quality experience that empowers scholars with confidence and skills they can depend on for the rest of their lives.