"I eventually want to become an anesthesiologist so it’s been really nice to learn what steps I need to take to get there and what colleges will help me achieve my goal."
– Z, Second year mentee and junior at Denver East
Jump-Starting the American Dream
For the last couple decades social scientists and economists have been asking similar questions but from two different angles. They have wondered why it is becoming increasingly rare to see Americans lift themselves out of poverty. We saw the American Dream come true pretty consistently back in 1940. Back then a son or daughter had…
What If We Could Make Our Educational System Fair for Everyone?
College graduates are likely to earn almost double the average salary of high school graduates, so making sure every child has an equal chance to walk on graduation day is extremely important for our economy. If kids of low socioeconomic status have less chance to graduate from college, then our society breaks a promise to…
Minds Matter Senior Spotlight: Ndey
As an organization, we love to shine the light on those who deserve it most — our students. One of our graduating seniors this year, Ndey, began her journey in Gambia and now takes cultural challenges in the United States head-on to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor. She also wants to create a…
Connecting Teenage Decisions and College Graduation
Last month we wrote about one of the barriers that children from historically disenfranchised backgrounds encounter: the process of enrolling in college. Kids without access to a parent or adult with college experience are often required to perform the leadership and administrative responsibilities of enrollment on their own. For many, these hurdles become insurmountable, so…
One Reason Lower Income Students Don’t Attend College (And What To Do About It)
The recent college admissions scandal in which wealthy parents of students allegedly bribed and manipulated the admissions system for their children has served as a stark reminder to many people that our educational system can be stacked against children who don’t come from privileged backgrounds. Fortunately, our justice system is working to ensure that the…
5 Ways to Give Back to Colorado Kids in Need
Of all the ways to give back to the community, giving to children in need is among the best. It has been demonstrated repeatedly that relatively small contributions in childhood can significantly improve the course of that child’s life. It’s really not that hard for us to support children to break the cycle of poverty…