Mission Graduates

MISSION GRADUATES ("THE ORGANIZATION") IS A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT BENEFIT ORGANIZATION THAT INCREASES THE NUMBER OF K-12 STUDENTS IN SAN FRANCISCO WHO ARE PREPARED FOR AND COMPLETE A COLLEGE EDUCATION. FOUNDED IN 1972, INITIALLY CALLED ST. JOHN'S EDUCATIONAL THRESHOLD CENTER, MISSION GRADUATES WAS FOUNDED BY A MEMBER OF THE ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH AS A TUTORING PROGRAM FOR UNDER-PERFORMING NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN. THREE DECADES LATER, THE ORGANIZATION CLARIFIED THEIR COMMITMENT TO GETTING MORE YOUTH INTO COLLEGE AS A MEANS TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC EQUITY FOR LATINO, IMMIGRANT, AND BLACK FAMILIES.

BEACON CENTERS: ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO, THE ORGANIZATION PARTNERED WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO BEACON INITIATIVE AND CITY AND COUNTY FUNDERS TO DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE MODEL FOR PROGRAMMING THAT MEETS MORE THAN JUST THE ACADEMIC OR SOCIAL NEEDS OF YOUTH AT EVERETT MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT ALSO CREATES A SPACE FOR YOUTH TO DEVELOP INTO LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. BEACON CENTERS HAVE BEEN EXPANDED TO 27 SITES IN SAN FRANCISCO, INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATION'S SITES AT BESSIE CARMICHAEL, BRYANT, FLYNN, AND SANCHEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING EVERETT BEACON. OVERLAYING THE PROGRAMMING OF THE EXTENDED DAY PROGRAMS, THE BEACON CENTERS IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODEL APPROACH BY PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE HUB OF SERVICES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND AFTER SCHOOL. THE BEACON CENTERS SERVED 1,233 YOUTH DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022, AND EXPANDS THE LEARNING DAY BEYOND THE SCHOOL DAY, PROVIDING INDIVIDUALIZED ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS, BUT ALSO AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE FUTURE LEADERS CAN TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR EDUCATION, DEVELOP SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND BEGIN WORKING ON THEIR GOALS OF GRADUATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION.

EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM (EDP):THE EDP PROVIDES AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER EDUCATION TO ALVARADO, CLEAVELAND, AND MARSHALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THE THOMAS EDISON CHARTER ACADEMY, AND HELPS ALMOST 1,375 STUDENTS DEVELOP THEIR ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS AND INCREASE LITERACY LEVELS, AS WELL AS SHORE UP ACADEMIC SKILLS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE BELOW GRADE IN CERTAIN ACADEMIC COMPETENCIES. THE EDP EXTENDS THE LEARNING DAY TO ENSURE STUDENTS CAN TRANSITION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, LITERACY, AND ACADEMIC SKILLS NECESSARY TO EXCEL. THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF FIVE CORE COMPONENTS: ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AND GUIDED READING INTERVENTIONS; PROJECT-BASED ELECTIVE THAT INCORPORATE LITERACY-BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT EACH CYCLE, SPORTS AND RECREATION, COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES THAT FOSTER GROUP COHESION, BUILD SOCIAL SKILLS, AND MODEL RESILIENCY; AND AN EARLY COLLEGE AWARENESS CURRICULUM THAT PREPARES AND MOTIVATES CHILDREN TO PLAN FOR COLLEGE. THE ORGANIZATION IS IN THEIR THIRD YEAR OF IMPLEMENTING THE EDP AT MISSION HIGH SCHOOL AND JUST COMPLETED ITS' FIRST YEAR AT JUNE JORDAN SCHOOL FOR EQUITY. BOTH PROGRAMS REACH THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORT STUDENTS' ACADEMIC COMPETENCIES AND COLLEGE ASPIRATIONS, AND ENSURE MORE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE COLLEGE READY. THROUGH THESE TWO SITES, THEY WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT 893 STUDENTS.

COLLEGE TO CAREER: COLLEGE CONNECT (CC): CC IS A FAMILY-BASED COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS PROGRAM THAT LAUNCHED IN SPRING 2008. CC ANNUALLY RECRUITS 25 FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE BOUND HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS LIVING, OR ATTENDING SCHOOL, IN THE MISSION AND EXCELSIOR DISTRICTS OF SAN FRANCISCO WHO ARE THE FIRST GENERATION TO ATTEND COLLEGE. CC PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES RECEIVE SUPPORT WITH ACT PREPARATION, MATH AND ENGLISH TUTORING, PERSONAL STATEMENTS AND SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION COACHING, OBTAINING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, CHOOSING THE BEST COLLEGE THAT MEETS THEIR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC NEEDS, AND MAKING A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO COLLEGE WITH SUPPORT THROUGH GRADUATION. CURRENTLY, CC HAS 297 PARTICIPANTS SPREAD ACROSS 14 COHORTS; 101 ARE ALUMNI, 146 ARE COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND 50 ARE HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS. 81% OF THE COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM ARE STILL PERSISTING IN COLLEGE OR HAVE RECEIVED THEIR COLLEGE DEGREE, OVER THREE TIMES THE CALIFORNIA AVERAGE OF 23%. 89% OF STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM GRADUATE WITHIN 5 YEARS OF COLLEGE ENTRY. THEY HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS IN ENSURING THAT FINANCES ARE NOT A BARRIER TO A COLLEGE. THEIR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND ALUMNI RAISED OVER $6,200,000 IN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS, AS WELL AS APPLYING FOR ALL FEDERAL, STATE, AND SCHOOL FINANCIAL AID.JOHN O'CONNELL COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER (JOCCC): JOCCC IS AN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH JOHN O'CONNELL HIGH SCHOOL, TRADITIONALLY CONSIDERED A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL, WHERE THE STAFF ARE EMBEDDED WITH TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM. BEING IN THE CLASSROOM DURING THE SCHOOL DAY ALLOWS STAFF TO WORK WITH THE ENTIRE SCHOOL POPULATION OF 650, USING THE CONTEXT OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO DISCUSS CAREER AND HIGHER EDUCATION ASPIRATIONS. THIS MODEL PROVIDES FOR A MORE INTEGRATED AND HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ASSISTING STUDENTS WITH THEIR FUTURE GOALS, AS OPPOSED TO A SEPARATE COLLEGE AND CAREER OFFICE THAT FEW STUDENTS UTILIZE.MISSION COLLEGE AND CAREER PROGRAM (FORMERLY ASAP): MISSION COLLEGE AND CAREER PROGRAM IS LOCATED ON THE MISSION HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS AND PROVIDES COLLEGE ACCESS PERSISTENCE PROGRAMMING TO THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY OF THE SCHOOL. STAFF PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT TO 300 STUDENTS IN WRITING PERSONAL STATEMENTS, COMPLETING COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, SUBMITTING SCHOLARSHIP AND FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS, AND ENSURING STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION TO COLLEGE. IN-CLASS SUPPORT OCCURS THROUGH ADVANCEMENT VIA INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION (AVID), A COLLEGE PREPARATORY PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS IN THE "ACADEMIC MIDDLE". FURTHER, MCCP PROVIDES COLLEGE EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES INCLUDING CAMPUS VISITS AND SUMMER RESIDENTIAL ACADEMIC/LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.IMPACT GEN - IMPACT GEN WAS LAUNCHED AS A SERIES OF NETWORKING EVENTS FOR FIRST GENERATION, THIRD- AND FOURTH-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS LOOKING TO EXPAND THEIR CAREER EXPLORATION EFFORTS AND BE COMPETITIVE FOR CAREER-LEVEL OCCUPATIONS. IN ITS FOURTH YEAR IMPLEMENTING A COHORT-BASED MODEL OF STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES, IT HAS EVOLVED INTO A COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOLS, ALONGSIDE CAREER MENTORS FROM LOCAL COMPANIES. ULTIMATELY, IMPACT GEN IS CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS LIVING WAGE CAREERS SO THEY AND THEIR FAMILY CAN STAY AND THRIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

PARENT PARTNER PROGRAM:THE PARENT PARTNER PROGRAM INCREASES THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND COLLEGE PROSPECTS OF LATINO AND IMMIGRANT YOUTH BY NURTURING A STRONG CULTURE OF PARENT ENGAGEMENT TO 827 PARENTS ACROSS 11 SCHOOL SITES. THIS PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS THE ORANIZATION'S OTHER CORE PROGRAMS, ENSURING THAT PARENTS UNDERSTAND THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, HOW THEY CAN BE PARTNERS IN SUPPORTING THEIR CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC GROWTH AND COLLEGE DREAMS, AND HOW TO ADVOCATE THE BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S NEEDS. THE PARENT PARTNER PROGRAM PROVIDES PARENTS WITH SERVICES THAT INCLUDE: TECHNOLOGY MENTORSHIP, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE COURSES, ENGLISH LEARNER ADVISORY COMMITTEE COACHING AND ADVOCACY PREPARATION, PARENT SUCCESS WORKSHOPS, GENERAL FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CONSULTING SUPPORT, AND SCHOOL-WIDE MEETING AND PLANNING PREPARATION. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022 RECOGNIZING THAT PARENTS WERE STILL NOT ALLOWED ON SCHOOL CAMPUSES, THE PROGRAM FOCUSED ON VIRTUAL SUPPORT THAT COULD BE PROVIDED, TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT, FAMILY WELLNESS CALLS, AND WEEKLY FACEBOOK LIVE SESSIONS PROVIDING AN ARRAY OF TOPICS ON SUPPORTING STUDENTS IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY AND DEALING WITH THE IMPACT OF COVID-19.