LEGAL OUTREACH INC

IN 2023-24, LEGAL OUTREACH SERVED A TOTAL OF 397 STUDENTS, INCLUDING 159 STUDENTS IN THE SUMMER LAW INSTITUTE, 35 ALUMNI, AND 203 STUDENTS IN THE COLLEGE BOUND PROGRAM. WITHIN THE COLLEGE BOUND PROGRAM, WE CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT OUR SCHOOL-YEAR ACADEMIC ADVISORY PROGRAM, WRITING PROGRAM, CON LAW DEBATE PROGRAM, MENTORING PROGRAM, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM, PROFESSIONAL EXPOSURE PROGRAM, PARENTAL SUPPORT PROGRAM, COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM, TRANSITION-TO-COLLEGE, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM. WE FINISHED THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR WITH 199 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM (68 FRESHMEN, 56 SOPHOMORES, 40 JUNIORS, AND 35 SENIORS). OUR RETENTION RATE FOR THE YEAR WAS THUS 98%. WE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED ALL ELEMENTS OF THE MULTI-FACETED PROGRAM INCLUDING THE: 1) ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER; 2) STUDY AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM; 3) MENTORING PROGRAM; 4) CONSTITUTIONAL LAW DEBATE PROGRAM; 5) PARENT SUPPORT PROGRAM; 6) SATURDAY WRITING PROGRAM; 7) COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM, 8) TRANSITION TO COLLEGE PROGRAM, 9) COLLEGE SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR OUR COLLEGE FRESHMEN. SUMMER COLLEGE BOUND PROGRAMS, ALL OF WHICH WERE DONE VIRTUALLY, INCLUDED 10) SUMMER INTERNSHIPS FOR RISING 10TH GRADE STUDENTS; 11) SAT PREP PROGRAM FOR RISING 11TH GRADERS; AND 12) COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM AND COLLEGE PHILOSOPHY CLASS FOR RISING 12TH GRADERS.WE ALSO HELPED 100% OF GRADUATING LEGAL OUTREACH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GAIN ADMISSION TO A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE. WE STARTED THE 2023-24 ACADEMIC YEAR WITH 35 SENIORS. THIRTY-FIVE (100 %) COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AND EACH WAS ADMITTED TO AN AVERAGE OF 7.7 COLLEGES BASED UPON THEIR OVERALL PROFILE.REGARDING OUR FEEDER PROGRAM, THE SUMMER LAW INSTITUTE FOR RISING 9TH GRADE STUDENTS, WE ENROLLED 173 STUDENTS INTO THE INSTITUTES AT BROOKLYN (TWO INSTITUTES), CARDOZO (ALL FEMALE IDENTIFYING), CUNY, FORDHAM, NYU (ALL MALE IDENTIFYING), AND ST. JOHN'S LAW SCHOOLS (ALL FEMALE IDENTIFYING). THE RISING NINTH GRADERS AT EACH INSTITUTE ATTENDED THE PROGRAM FROM 9:00 AM - 3:00/4:00 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOR FIVE WEEKS. THEY WERE EXPOSED TO LEGAL OUTREACH'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE CURRICULUM, LAWYERS REPRESENTING VARIOUS CAREER PATHS WITHIN THE LEGAL PROFESSION, LEGAL INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS LAW FIRMS AND COURTHOUSES, AND THE PRACTICE OF LAW THROUGH THE CULMINATING EVENT OF THE SUMMER, A MOCK-TRIAL COMPETITION. EACH INSTITUTE WAS STAFFED BY TWO LAW STUDENTS AND A COLLEGE INTERN. OF THE 173 STUDENTS WHO BEGAN THE INSTITUTE, 159 (92%) SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE RIGOROUS FIVE-WEEK PROGRAM. THE ATTENDANCE RATE WAS 99%. OF THE 159 STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE PROGRAM, 140 (88%) APPLIED FOR ADMISSION TO THE COLLEGE BOUND PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-12.2023-24 WITHIN THE COLLEGE BOUND PROGRAM, SINCE 2020 WE HAVE FACILITATED A LEADERSHIP COMPONENT CALLED THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM. IN 2023-24, 129 OF LEGAL OUTREACH COLLEGE BOUND PROGRAM STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM, WITH 26 STUDENTS SERVING ON THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS AND SENIORS), AND AN ADDITIONAL 17 STUDENTS TAKING PART IN THE FRESHMAN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, A NEW INITIATIVE TO TRAIN AND PREPARE FRESHMAN FOR PARTICIPATION ON THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AS THEY MATRICULATE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE ENGAGED PHILLIBER RESEARCH ASSOCIATES TO CONDUCT AN EXTENSIVE EVALUATION OF THE COLLEGE BOUND PROGRAM. AMONG THE MOST RELEVANT STATISTICS FOR MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM WERE STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE PROGRAMS' USEFULNESS. STUDENTS PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING AVERAGE RATINGS WITH REGARD TO THE VALUE OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE COLLEGE BOUND PROGRAM: (1) KEEPING ON TRACK TO COLLEGE (91%) (2) PREPARING TO COMPETE AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL (92%), (3) IMPROVING ACADEMIC SKILLS (88%), (4) DOING WELL IN SCHOOL (81%). EACH OF THESE RATINGS IS WELL ABOVE OUR PROJECTION OF 70%. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, 96% OF THE STUDENTS SERVED CAME FROM MINORITY GROUPS AND 88% RECEIVED FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE LUNCH AT SCHOOL