Charity Spotlight: Emerging Scholars
Some of the most briliant and influential minds in history came from nothing. Nevertheless, through ingenuity and hard work, they overcame rough beginnings to rise to greatness.
But they all had some kind of help along the way.
Emerging Scholars is a Washington, D.C., program that recognizes that bright children don’t always get a chance to rise. As a result, the world misses out on their gifts and talents.
So they do what they can to help.
Established in 2002 by a consortium of seven independent schools in the D.C. area, Emerging Scholars recognizes that there are countless students who exhibit exceptional academic and leadership potential, but who lack the preparation and financial means to attend a school where they will fully develop their capabilities.
ES was created to identify such students, help them earn admittance to and financial assistance from the top independent schools in the region, as well as prepare them to thrive throughout their academic careers with the guidance and support provided by what Emerging Scholars calls its two pillared strategy for success: Scholars Academy and Scholars Advancement.
Scholars Academy is a comprehensive 14-month program of academic, cultural, and social preparation, which prepares rising 5th graders for admission to Washington, DC area independent schools. Scholars Academy is intentionally demanding and ensures that graduates from the Scholars Academy are fully prepared to meet the rigorous requirements of independent school and excel within their challenging new environment. Knowing that they have earned their acceptance, graduates from the academy enroll in independent schools in the 6th grade, determined and equipped to thrive.
Scholars Advancement provides guidance and mentoring, monitoring of academic progress, identification of academic, internship, enrichment and scholarship opportunities; assistance with the transition from middle to high school and, later, into college; in addition to test preparation, portfolio building, interview rehearsals and more.
The results have been outstanding to date:
- Over 200 Scholars Academy graduates have successfully enrolled in over 50 DC metropolitan area independent schools, receiving over $20,000,000 in need-based scholarships.
- 100% of ES students graduate high school, many scholars having earned top honors and competitive grants, such as the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship and the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship.
- In 2015, 100% of Cohort 4 Emerging Scholars graduated high school and have been accepted to college, including such prestigious institutions as Columbia University, Duke University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary.
The Heisman Trust is proud to support Emerging Scholars in its quest to develop the academic and leadership potential of gifted young people from currently under-represented and under-served segments of society. To learn more about the program, go to: EmergingScholarsDC.org.
