THE STUDENT/PARTNER ALLIANCE
Posted by Gregory LaMorte
on Apr 14, 2011
On April 14, at our Thursday lunch meeting we had the pleasure of hearing Bruce Reitz speak about the Student/ Partner Alliance. Their motto is “Self Sufficiency Through Education.” Their mission is to support inner city high school students in New Jersey with tuition assistance and mentoring. Their aim is to increase their chances for college admission and scholarships, and to ultimately lead successful and productive lives.
Their premise is that education is the greatest means to long term self-sufficiency. They recruit like-minded “partners” willing to provide a four-year personal and financial commitment to motivated “at-risk” high school students residing in Newark, Jersey City, Bayonne, the Oranges, Elizabeth, and Montclair.
Through Student/Partner Alliance, each partner sponsors a student in a nurturing, results-oriented high school in that student’s local community. The result is of the combination of a private school education and the influence of a mentoring partner increases graduation rates from 50% to 98%!
The demographics of their students are as follows:
• Incomes range from $9K-$40K
• 85% of our students are from single parent homes
• 75% are African American, 20% Hispanic, 5% Asian
• Students are not the “best and brightest”; they are “at-risk” but motivated.
The schools are in Newark, Jersey City, the Oranges, Elizabeth, Bayonne, and Montclair.
Other goals include recruiting like-minded “partners” willing to provide a four-year personal and financial commitment and to recruit “Junior Mentors” who are recent college graduates to “set the example" for students in the program.
For more information you can contact Ellen Abel, Director of Development, of S/PA at spaofnjea@aol.com.