OPHELIA J BERRY FUND INC PATHWAYS TO COLLEGE

PATHWAYS IS EXTREMELY PROUD THAT, CONTINUING A TREND THAT BEGAN WITH OUR FOUNDING AS AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT IN 2003, 100% OF OUR CLASS OF 2024 EARNED HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE. THESE SCHOLARS BEGAN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL TENURE DURING THE HEIGHT OF A PANDEMIC THAT DEVASTATED THE VERY COMMUNITIES TARGETED BY PATHWAYS, WHERE STUDENTS OF COLOR LIVING IN POVERTY ARE CONCENTRATED. DESPITE THE ONGOING EFFECTS OF COVID, OUR SCHOLARS PERSEVERED THROUGH UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES TO ACHIEVE MILESTONES THAT HAVE ONLY BECOME MORE ESSENTIAL IN THE MODERN ECONOMY. THE BLENDED-LEARNING NATIONAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM (NSP) SUCCESSFULLY SERVED STUDENTS IN GARY, IN, NEWARK, NJ, AND PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS. GUIDED BY THE RESEARCH-BASED, DISCUSSION-BASED PATHWAYS CURRICULUM, SCHOLARS DEVELOPED THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND HABITS FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE AND LIFE DURING VIRTUAL SESSIONS. PATHWAYS IMMERSED NSP SCHOLARS IN HISTORY, THE ARTS, SCIENCES, AND HIGHER EDUCATION PLANNING DURING COLLEGE AND CULTURAL TRIPS IN CHICAGO, IL, JACKSON, MS, AND PHILADELPHIA, PA. PATHWAYS PROUDLY EXPANDED ITS REACH IN GARY, IN, BY LAUNCHING ITS SCHOOL- BASED SCHOLARS PROGRAM AT ASPIRE CHARTER ACADEMY, WORKING WITH THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL TO GIVE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS MORE TIME TO PRACTICE SKILLS AND IMPACT THE WIDER COMMUNITY. PATHWAYS OPERATED A FOUR-WEEK SUMMER DISCOVERY 2024 PROGRAM AT ASPIRE, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOL AND PATHWAYS STAFF MEMBERS TO COORDINATE AND STRENGTHEN PLANNING AND SUPPORT FOR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL-YEAR PROGRAM. SCHOLARS ENJOYED THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPED FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, WHICH FOCUSED ON ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AND EXPOSURE TO HISTORIC SITES IN CHICAGO. IN ADDITION TO THE SCHOLAR VOICES ANNUAL LITERARY MAGAZINE, WHICH FEATURES ARTWORK AND WRITING BY NATIONAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM STUDENTS AND ALUMNI FROM PRIOR YEARS, PATHWAYS DEVELOPED A SPECIAL EDITION OF SCHOLAR VOICES TO CELEBRATE ASPIRE'S SUMMER SCHOLARS AND TEACHERS.