ACADEMY PREP CENTER OF TAMPA INC

ACADEMY PREP CENTER OF TAMPA IS A RIGOROUS PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS IN TAMPA, FLORIDA. ACADEMY PREP PROVIDES AN EXEMPLARY COLLEGE PREPARATORY MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION THAT INCLUDES EXTENDED DAYS, WEEKS, AND SCHOOL YEARS COUPLED WITH A WIDE ARRAY OF ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES. THROUGH OUR GRADUATE SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM, ACADEMY PREP CONTINUES TO SUPPORT OUR GRADUATES IN HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, AND INTO THEIR CAREERS, ENSURING SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS INTO EACH PHASE OF THEIR LIVES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)ACADEMY PREP STUDENTS ATTEND SCHOOL UP TO 11 HOURS A DAY, 6 DAYS A WEEK, 11 MONTHS A YEAR, WITH CLASSES OF APPROXIMATELY 20 STUDENTS OR LESS. ACADEMY PREP OFFERS A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF DEMANDING ACADEMICS AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES THAT OFFER GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO RIGOROUS EDUCATION IN ENGLISH, MATH, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE, ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CHESS, ART, MUSIC, AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES WEEKLY AS IMPORTANT PARTS OF THEIR ACADEMIC SCHEDULE. SEVENTH AND EIGHTH-GRADE STUDENTS ARE ADDITIONALLY REQUIRED TO TAKE SPANISH CLASSES AS PART OF THEIR GRADED ACADEMIC COURSEWORK, GIVING THEM TWO YEARS OF LANGUAGE FAMILIARITY AS THEY HEAD INTO HIGH SCHOOL. OVER 40 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES ARE OFFERED TO ACADEMY PREP STUDENTS EVERY AFTERNOON AS PART OF THEIR SCHOOL DAY, INCLUDING GOLF, CHESS, MUSIC, CHOIR, DANCE, GARDENING, DRAMA, YOGA, ROBOTICS, JOURNALISM, MARTIAL ARTS, AND COOKING. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS SPEND SATURDAYS ON FIELD TRIPS THAT INCLUDED KAYAKING AND NATURE EXPLORATION, VISITS TO ART, SCIENCE, AND HISTORY MUSEUMS, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROVIDE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS IN THE CLASSROOM AND FACILITATE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES THAT CONNECT ACADEMY PREP STUDENTS TO THE DYNAMIC AND DIVERSE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY. FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IS ALSO AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT - 40 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE PER FAMILY IS REQUIRED ANNUALLY.THE ACADEMY PREP MODEL ACHIEVES OUTSTANDING RESULTS. ACADEMY PREP STUDENTS SHOW SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ACADEMIC ABILITY THROUGH THEIR ACADEMY PREP YEARS. MOST ENTER AT OR LESS THAN GRADE LEVEL IN MATH AND READING. BY GRADUATION, 8TH GRADERS ARE SCORING AHEAD OF GRADE LEVEL IN MATH AND READING ON NATIONAL ASSESSMENT TESTS. 99% OF ACADEMY PREP GRADUATES HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL ON TIME. 85% OF OUR GRADUATES HAVE GONE ON TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, AND 5% ARE SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES.DUE TO OUR UNIQUE MODEL OF OFFERING FREE TUITION TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, WE DEPEND ALMOST ENTIRELY ON OUR DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS TO COVER OPERATING EXPENSES. OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENTS BRING IN APPROXIMATELY $1,200,000 IN REVENUE AND OFFER EXPOSURE FOR OUR ORGANIZATION TO 1,000+ DONORS IS CRITICAL DUE TO OUR ABSENCE OF A PARENT TUITION BASE. THE ROLE OF THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT EXTENDS FAR BEYOND FUNDRAISING. AT ACADEMY PREP, DEVELOPMENT ENCOMPASSES ALL EVENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AS WELL AS THE CULTIVATION OF MAJOR AND CAPITAL GIFTS, REQUIRING FRONT-END INVESTMENTS TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM BENEFITS. WE EXPECT TO REALIZE THESE BENEFITS IN FUTURE YEARS.ACADEMY PREP'S GRADUATES ARE THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THE SCHOOL'S SUCCESS IN TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF YOUNG, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS. OUR GRADUATES ARE SERVING AS COMMUNITY LEADERS AND WORKING HARD AS THEY STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF OUR STUDENTS FROM THE ACADEMY PREP CLASS OF 2007 ATTENDED HIGH SCHOOL AT BERKELEY PREPARATORY SCHOOL AND GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA IN 2015. HE WENT ON TO LAW SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LEVIN COLLEGE OF LAW AND WORKED AS A SUMMER ASSOCIATE IN 2017 AT A MAJOR LAW FIRM IN TAMPA. HE HAS SINCE PASSED THE BAR AND CURRENTLY PRACTICES COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE LAW AT A PRESTIGIOUS LAW FIRM.ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE IS AN ACADEMY PREP GRADUATE FROM THE CLASS OF 2007 WHO WENT ON TO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL AT TAMPA PREP AND GRADUATED FROM AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE IN GEORGIA IN MAY 2015, WHERE SHE MAJORED IN PHILOSOPHY AND MINORED IN WOMEN'S STUDIES. SHE STAYED VERY BUSY THROUGHOUT COLLEGE, COMPLETING INTERNSHIPS AT CHILD CARE AWARE OF AMERICA, VOICES FOR GEORGIA'S CHILDREN, AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTES. SHE INTERNED AT THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN IN WASHINGTON, D.C. HER PROFESSIONAL GOALS ARE TO HELP UNDERREPRESENTED WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN AREAS OF POLICY AND GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY. AFTER GAINING MORE WORKING EXPERIENCE, SHE HOPES TO RETURN TO SCHOOL TO STUDY LAW AND COMPLETE A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC POLICY.ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE IS AN ACADEMY PREP GRADUATE FROM THE CLASS OF 2009, WHO WENT ON TO ATTEND CARROLLWOOD DAY SCHOOL (CLASS OF 2013), THEN FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE SHE GRADUATED IN 2016 WITH HER BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN FAMILY AND CHILD SCIENCES AND A MINOR IN EDUCATION. SHE RECEIVED THE WOMAN OF SPIRITUALITY AWARD FOR HER PASSION FOR SERVING OTHERS, MADE THE DEAN'S LIST TWICE, AND RECEIVED A SCHOLARSHIP FROM THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION. IN 2019, SHE EARNED A MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. SHE STILL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN COMMUNITY SERVICE AS A MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TAMPA AND WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS COMMUNITY TAMPA BAY AND THE DREAM CENTER. IN THE FALL OF 2021, SHE BEGAN PURSUING A DOCTOR OF EDUCATION DEGREE IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, FROM WHERE SHE EXPECTS TO GRADUATE IN 2024. SHE CREDITS ACADEMY PREP FOR HER DRIVE TO SERVE OTHERS, SAYING, "I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ITS IMPACT UNTIL I ATTENDED ACADEMY PREP."ANOTHER ONE OF OUR GRADUATES CAME TO US WHILE IN FOSTER CARE AND LIVING IN A GROUP HOME. SHE GRADUATED FROM ACADEMY PREP IN 2011, WENT ON TO CHATHAM HALL, A PRIVATE BOARDING SCHOOL IN CHATHAM, VIRGINA, ON FULL SCHOLARSHIP, AND IS CURRENTLY STUDYING COMPUTER SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. SHE WAS ACCEPTED INTO A COVETED AND HIGHLY COMPETITIVE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH MICROSOFT TWO SUMMERS IN A ROW. ABOUT HER ACADEMY PREP EXPERIENCE, SHE SAID, "ACADEMY PREP DEVELOPS COMMUNITY LEADERS BY GIVING EVERY CHILD A CHANCE TO SUCCEED AND A CHANCE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT."