Pittsburgh News & Updates
You're Invited to the First Annual Literary Love Poetry Performance on February 28th!February 5, 2013 -- Join us for our Literary Love Poetry Performance. Celebrate the spirit of love with our scholar poets as they perform their original love poetry and be reminded that talent is EVERYWHERE! Thursday, February 28th, 2013 6:45pm: Doors Open 7:00pm: Performance Kelly-Strayhorn Theater 5941 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15206 For questions, contact Drew Storms at 412-605-8448 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Mentors Needed for January 2013!December 18, 2012 -- Our Homewood Achievement Center is still in need of another 20 mentors for the second half of Afterschool Academy running from January 7th through mid-May. Please join us in teaching Math, Literature, or Seminar to a small group of academically enthusiastic 5th or 6th graders! Apply online now or contact Madison Bannon, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with questions. Now Accepting Scholar Applications for Summer Academy 2013December 18, 2012 -- Higher Achievement Pittsburgh is pleased to accept applications for Summer Academy 2013 beginning in June. Summer Academy is 6 weeks long, 5 days a week and combines rigorous academics with fun and exciting events and field trips around the city! Summer Academy also boasts an overnight college trip where Scholars get to experience college-life helping to make Higher Education a tangible and exciting goal! Apply online today or contact Madison Bannon, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 412-600-6358 with questions. WEATHER UPDATE: Pittsburgh Achievement Center's closed Tuesday, October 30thOctober 30th, 2012 -- Due to Hurricane Sandy, Higher Achievement Pittsburgh Achievement Centers will be closed Tuesday, October 30th. Please stay tuned for more updates via our national Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/higherachieve. WEATHER UPDATE: Pittsburgh Achievement Center's closed Monday, October 29thOctober 29, 2012 -- Due to Hurricane Sandy, Higher Achievement Pittsburgh Achievement Centers will be closed Monday, October 29th. Please stay tuned for more updates via our national Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/higherachieve. Stay safe in the storm! Pittsburgh’s First Annual Afterschool AcademyOctober 15th marks the day that Pittsburgh’s First Afterschool Academy opens its doors to our 75 Summer Academy scholars ready to start the 5th and 6th grade with a commitment to learning and achieving, higher! We are currently recruiting mentors to join our teams at both the Hill District and Homewood Achievement Centers located at UPrep/Milliones and Faison Arts Academy, respectively. Sean and Brian, our Center Directors look forward to the diversity and knowledge our Afterschool Academy mentors will bring to their Scholars and the Higher Achievement family. If you, or someone you know is interested in mentoring with Higher Achievement Pittsburgh please have them contact Madison Bannon at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it of (412) 377-2168. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Trib Total Media cover the inaugeral Pittsburgh Olympics of the Mind"As Olympic athletes flexed their muscles in London, more than 60 students from two Pittsburgh schools flexed their brains Friday at Higher Achievement’s first Olympics of the Mind." - Trib Total Media
Over Half Way to Recruitment Goals!We have about 60 applications for the 90 slots available (30 at our Hill District center and 60 at our Homewood center). Please help us get the word out to families and scholars so we can build an excellent first class for Higher Achievement Pittsburgh’s launch. Contact Wendy at 412-605-8448 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to set up a recruitment presentation for a group of 4th or 5th graders in the Hill District or Homewood or to recommend a scholar. Support Scholars by Donating Center SuppliesPlease consider supporting our scholars’ learning by donating an item from Higher Achievement Pittsburgh’s needed supply list. Your generosity makes a direct and immediate difference by providing our scholars with the tools they need to succeed academically. Click here for the complete supply list. Items can be mailed or brought to Higher Achievement Pittsburgh at 1604 Graham Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15235. Please call us at 412-605-8448 before bringing an item to assure staff are at the site. Thank you for your support! Thanking Pittsburgh Donors/GrantsHigher Achievement Pittsburgh’s scholars, staff, families and volunteers wish to thank the following institutional funders for their recent support and vote of confidence in launching our Pittsburgh Achievement Centers: American Eagle Outfitters Foundation, The Buhl Foundation, The Grable Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and McAuley Ministries. We are grateful to the United Way of Allegheny County for their provision of office space and supports during this launch phase of our existence (our United Way donor number is 10597441). Also, we thank the following for donating in-kind tickets or items for Scholars and volunteers:
Finally, we are grateful to Pittsburgh Public Schools and particularly the administrators and 4th and 5th grade educators at Pittsburgh Faison, Pittsburgh Miller, and Pittsburgh Weil. We thank them for their tireless efforts to identify and recruit excellent scholars and families and for allowing access to their buildings for the interviews and other outreach opportunities to students and parents. We look forward to continuing to work with them as we prepare to launch Summer Academy at Pittsburgh Faison and Pittsburgh Weil! Higher Achievement Impact StudyGroundbreaking new study shows that Higher Achievement has a significant impact on math and reading test scores. Read more. Higher Achievement Pittsburgh is already an award-winner!March 1, 2012, Higher Achievement Pittsburgh competed along with 9 other innovative Pittsburgh nonprofits in the 2nd annual PSVP Fast Pitch event for over $38,000 in prize money.  Nonprofits provided 3-minute pitches about their organizations and were judged on three criteria: 1) Innovation of the program, 2) Impact or potential for impact, and 3) Presentation effectiveness. There were two prizes determined by audience vote and one by judge’s vote based on the criteria. Higher Achievement won the “Pitching the Pitch” award based on the judge’s ratings! To read more, go to: Social Innovation Fast Pitch Website. To see Wendy’s award-winning pitch, click below: Dr. Linda Lane welcomes Higher Achievement to PittsburghDr. Linda Lane, Superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, addresses an audience of out-of-school time programs and other stakeholders regarding quality activities that lead to positive outcomes for students. Higher Achievement is welcomed as a partner in helping students achieve the Pittsburgh Promise. |
