On a humid late afternoon in West Philly, students, teachers, counselors and family members gathered at the Sayre High School gym, where they were presented with pendants, swag, candy and information about all things college. Arriving from all over the city, students and family members spent the evening chatting with representatives from over 40 colleges and universities, discussing the particulars of test scores, application deadlines, financial aid and campus life. Promise Corps members brought students from High School of the Future and West Philadelphia High School, accompanying them around the room and making key introductions. Always on the lookout for more opportunities to increase student access to colleges, several CCAs reached out to representatives, scheduling both in-school presentations and college visits for the upcoming months.

As the evening progressed, Promise Corps students reported back to their CCAS, noting specifically how beneficial it was to hear about different course offerings, opportunities to get involved with extra-curriculars and volunteer service, as well as compare campus cultures between all of the represented schools. A senior from West Philadelphia High came back after 45 minutes of networking with a stack of brochures, pamphlets, posters and a host of new connections, admitting that her list of schools had doubled! Throughout the evening, Promise Corps members hosted a table of their own, informing students and families about all of the services offered in Promise Corps rooms. A group of 9th graders at Sayre were excited to sign up for the new Girls Who Code after school program, a club that will teach students how to construct websites and apps.

Most importantly, representatives from the Military and from several job training programs were also in attendance, providing opportunities and pathways for those students who are considering other options besides college. Promise Corps is thrilled to work with the Philadelphia Job Corps, an amazing resource available to Philadelphia citizens that not only provides job and skills training, but will also fund future educational pursuits at the Community College of Philadelphia. It’s an amazing resource for our students and we’re excited to collaborate in the future!

A big thanks to all those who participated and made such a successful night possible!