Alexandria Mayor, Superintendent and School Board Chair to Launch New Center for Academic Enrichment Program for Middle School Students
Alexandria, Va. – Sept. 25, 2006: Higher Achievement Program is opening a center for motivated Alexandria students in grades five through eight at Francis Hammond Middle School. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the school from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Alexandria Mayor William Euille, Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) Superintendent Rebecca Perry and Alexandria City School Board Chair Arthur E. Peabody Jr. will join Higher Achievement Program staff, scholars and mentors at this opening ceremony.
“The opportunity to offer motivated young people the chance to develop their love of learning by achieving academic success is at the very heart of Higher Achievement’s work,” said Richard Tagle, Higher Achievement Executive Director. “We are extremely excited to be able to bring the Higher Achievement program to Alexandria, and we are very pleased with the enthusiastic support we have received from city and educational leaders. We look forward to engaging Alexandria youth with our challenging and stimulating academic program.”
“I am pleased to welcome Higher Achievement back to Alexandria City Public Schools following its successful summer program here,” said ACPS Superintendent Rebecca L. Perry. “Higher Achievement will give our middle-school children an opportunity to develop their talents, improve their grades and prepare for the academic challenges awaiting them in high school.”
Working in close partnership with ACPS, Higher Achievement’s program in Alexandria is designed to provide academic enrichment and preparatory services for high school honors and Advanced Placement coursework to Alexandria youth in grades 5-8, who are motivated to learn but whose achievement is inhibited by one or more risk factors. The center served approximately 60 students during a six-week Summer Academy with daily accelerated classes in math, literature and social studies as well as a wide range of additional activities. With the beginning of the school year, Higher Achievement continues with After School Academy, where students are paired with academic mentors to receive homework help. They will also participate in artistic studios, a variety of elective courses, academic contests and field trips. In total, Higher Achievement provides 650 hours of educational opportunities above and beyond the 900 hours that children spend in schooleach year.
“The opening of the Alexandria center is the beginning of our efforts to extend Higher Achievement’s reach so that a greater number of motivated young people have a greater number of academic advantages,” said Tagle.
Location: Francis C. Hammond Middle School: 4646 Seminary Road; Alexandria, Va.
Time: Oct. 3, 2006 -- 4 to5 p.m.
About Higher Achievement
Higher Achievement is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing academic skills, behaviors and attitudes in academically motivated and underserved middle school children for the purpose of improving their grades and performance on standardized tests. The program also boosts school attendance and increases educational opportunities by giving participants the tools to enroll and succeed in rigorous high school classes. Founded in 1975, Higher Achievement operates five community achievement centers and currently serves more than 400 students in Washington, D.C. each year. The organization has received numerous awards, but the most important measures of success are the results achieved by the Higher Achievement scholars. In addition to enhanced grades, test scores, and attendance, 75 percent of eighth-graders from the District of Columbia Higher Achievement program were placed in the area’s top high schools during 2003-2005. Higher Achievement is a national demonstration model for academic achievement during out-of-school time and is committed to making academic excellence a valued goal in underserved communities. For more information, please visit us online at www.higherachievement.org.
Recent Awards include:
· 2006 Johns Hopkins University – Excellence in Summer Learning Award
· 2005 Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management
· 2005 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Award
· 2006 CharityWorks Partner
· 2005 Excel Leadership Award – Honorable Mention
· Accenture/ NPower Award for Innovation in Technology
