The Prudential Foundation awarded a $150,000 grant to Achieve Hartford to support the organization’s direct service work and the ALL IN! Coalition for College and Career Readiness that serves Hartford Public Schools (HPS), graduates.
With the pandemic increasing levels of uncertainty for the high school Class of 2021 and current college students, Hartford youth need support more than ever. With its partners, such as the Prudential Foundation, Achieve Hartford is working to close opportunity gaps HPS graduates face in reaching their goals to attain post-secondary education. Students, their families, communities, and the economy benefit when students receive some education after high school, be it a two- or four-year college or university degree, a trade school or a skills-training program.
Prudential’s support to Achieve Hartford’s role as the backbone of the ALL IN! Coalition ensures the continued focus on systems-change in Hartford; this allows resources across sectors to target high school students’ post-secondary planning and preparation. These students, especially seniors, receive support from high school counselors and teachers, community-based organization staff, and higher education. The coalition aligns this support to increase the number of students enrolling in some type of post-secondary education, which improves their chances of staying in the talent pipeline.
The grant from Prudential will also support Achieve Hartford’s Summer Transition and College Persistence programs. This past summer, under the Summer Transition program, nearly 175 HPS graduates on their way to community college received support from a peer mentor to help them complete the matriculation process to start college this fall. Once these students started college at Capital or Manchester community colleges, the College Persistence program provided them with mentors to guide, cajole, and inspire them to continue their studies when they faced challenges.
Elevating the number of Hartford students who earn a living wage will help revitalize and stabilize neighborhoods, strengthen economic development, and help reduce quality-of-life disparities.
“We’re working with our partners to increase the number of HPS graduates who get to and through post-secondary education, so they can fill the jobs offered by Connecticut employers and end the cycle of poverty for them and their families,” says Paul Diego Holzer, Achieve Hartford’s executive director. “Hartford students are brilliant, hardworking, and resourceful, and only a small percentage get the guidance they need to keep their education going. We are honored to support the journey of those who really need help, and we couldn’t do it without the Prudential Foundation’s support of our work. Their commitment to our organization has helped us energize members of the community to organize resources and people in ways that really impact students.”
About the Prudential Foundation:
Prudential was founded on the belief that financial security should be within reach for everyone. It’s a challenge we’ve embraced for more than 140 years. A strong sense of social responsibility has remained embedded in the company, guiding our efforts to help people now and in future generations achieve peace of mind and a more secure future.
About Achieve Harford:
Achieve Hartford joins a group of public- and private-sector leaders from Hartford Public Schools, City Hall, local companies, nonprofits, higher education and philanthropy working to ensure educational success for students in Hartford’s high schools through post-secondary degree completion. Our mission is to close the educational opportunity and achievement gap and build a valuable talent pipeline in Hartford. Visit achievehartford.org. Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AchieveHartford. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AchieveHartford