50th Anniversary
Celebrating 50 Years
50 years ago, Higher Achievement began with a vision—that all students deserve equitable access to rigorous academic opportunities and unwavering support. That vision didn’t just remain a dream; it became a transformative reality that has shaped countless lives.
The time to broaden and deepen our impact for young people is now. The next generation of Higher Achievement middle school scholars are at a pivotal inflection point in their lives. Your gift today is an investment in their tomorrows.
Together, we can launch the next 50 years of bright futures
Double the number of scholars in our core program. Your gift will help to ensure this proven model continues its work to ensure more students in our communities graduate on time and ready for college.
Innovate on highly scalable elements. Your generosity will help us pilot high school placement advising and other innovations to increase our reach at a fraction of the cost.
Build an endowment to support scholars and alumni for the next 50 years. Your support is a direct investment in the next generation of Higher Achievement alumni as they become leaders and changemakers in their communities.
A Legacy of Opportunity
In 1975, Greg Gannon decided to take his love of education and his commitment to social justice to start his own nonprofit called the Higher Achievement Program—more affectionately known as HAP. Greg recognized that in DC many students had great talent and abilities but lacked access to opportunities; he hoped HAP would help provide the opportunities that had thus far eluded these students.
Our 50 Year History
Our history spans generations, schools, neighborhoods, and cities. Throughout it all, our commitment to our scholars has remained steadfast.
It all started with an idea: “What if ALL young people had the same access to opportunities?”
