2019 ANNUAL REPORT CHAMPIONING CHANGE CELEBRATING TOMORROW’S TRAILBLAZERS OUR MISSION 3 DEDICATION 4 OUR REACH 7 OUR MODEL 9 OUR MISSION 2019 MEMBER SCHOOLS 10 AFFILIATED COLLEGES 16 For nearly 60 years, A Better Chance has been working to OUR SUPPORTERS 18 make our mission a reality—to foster the leaders of color our STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES 32 nation desperately needs. Through our incredible mission, the lives of 16,500 people of color have been forever TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE SUPPORT A BETTER CHANCE 36 transformed, empowering students to become forces of change and progress in our society. 3 DEDICATION Dear Alumni, Friends and Parents, Through the work of our talented staff, dedicated partners, and devoted National Board of Directors, 2019 was a strong year for A Better Chance. The progress we made created opportunities for nearly 500 talented students to reach their highest potential. For nearly 60 years, A Better Chance has been a preeminent force of change in our society. Through the incredible educational opportunities available through our program, the trajectory of over 16,500 lives has been altered. In 2019, 471 additional Scholars were placed at one of our 329 highly competitive Member Schools with $18.2 million in financial aid leveraged for their educations. Our devoted team made these placements possible while continuing to support the currently enrolled 2,206 Scholar community by providing summer enrichment opportunities, internships and leadership development workshops. We extend our thanks and appreciation to Sandra E. Timmons for her tireless leadership as President of the organization over the past sixteen years. While Sandra concluded her tenure in January 2020, her impact will long be felt. The 8,432 Scholars who matriculated to A Better Chance during her tenure, are a testament to her legacy as a champion of educational access and diversity in our nation. This annual report is dedicated to our resilient Scholars who are still valiantly pursuing transformative educational opportunities in the face of adversity. Their work is not in vain. One day, our talented students will become the leaders our society desperately needs and help form a more equitable society for all. Francisco Tezén President & CEO A Better Chance 4 5 FINDING UNDERSERVED TALENT! A Better Chance remains the oldest and only national educational access organization of its kind. Across the nation, our Scholars matriculated into 329 of the nation’s most rigorous and distinguished boarding, day and public schools through our signature College Preparatory Schools Program (CPSP), with 64 Member Schools enrolling 3 or more A Better Chance Scholars. We are persistent in our efforts to match the diversity of our country in our Member Schools by enlisting students across a wide spectrum of languages, ethnicities, genders, socioeconomics and parental education level. A Better Chance recruits ambitious and tenacious students who might otherwise be overlooked and creates opportunities to thrive in the enriching and rigorous educational environments fostered by our Member Schools. OUR REACH We proudly serve over 2,200 students selected for their academic excellence, talents, and potential. 6 7 2019 CLASS PROFILE OUR MODEL Although our reach spans the country, A Better Chance is a devoted team based in our GRADE DISTRIBUTION GENDER* NYC headquarters. Our Scholars primarily hail from metropolitan areas around the country, including; Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, New York, Boston, 2% Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. 58% female GRADE RANGE 17% 95 – 100 89 – 94 TOTAL ENROLLMENT ENTHNICITY 81 – 88 40% 2,206 Scholars 41% 75 – 80 ENROLLMENT 42% male 1,474 in Independent Day Schools 62% BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN 604 in Independent Boarding Schools 128 in Community Day Schools 16% MULTIRACIAL/BIRACIAL MEMBER SCHOOLS BY TYPE FINANCIAL AID LEVERAGE ADMISSIONS STATS 14% LATINO/HISPANIC 329 Member Schools Applications Received 2,003 203 Independent Day Schools $18.2 million in 106 Independent Boarding Schools Students Referred 827 20 Community Day Schools 8% ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER financial aid leveraged Scholars Accepted 600 for our new Scholars Scholars Placed 471 Founded in 1963 • Recruits students of color in grades 4 through 9 • Only national organization of its kind VOLUNTEERS EXTEND OUR CAPACITY We accomplish so much with the help of our 700 volunteers, made up of Scholars, parents, Alumni, schools and school leaders, A Better Chance community members, and corporate partners. Our community continually made our efforts possible by giving their time, talents, enthusiasm, programming space, and much more. 8 *For Matriculated Students 9 zPomfret School, Pomfret, CT MID-ATLANTIC REGION Lawrenceville, NJ zPortsmouth Abbey School DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV, oLower Merion A Better Chance 2019 MEMBER SCHOOLS Portsmouth, RI Southern NJ Ardmore, PA zThe Putney School, Putney, VT Abington Friends School, vzThe Madeira School, vRidgefield A Better Chance, Jenkintown, PA McLean, VA For 57 years, A Better Chance has placed talented students of color at some Ridgefield, CT vThe Agnes Irwin School, oMalvern Preparatory School, The Rivers School, Weston, MA Rosemont, PA Malvern, PA of the most competitive educational institutions responsible for fostering oThe Roxbury Latin School, Barrie School, Silver Spring, MD Maret School, Washington, DC many of our nation’s most prominent leaders. During the 2018-19 school year, we West Roxbury, MA The Beddow School, Accokeek, MD Media-Providence Friends School, o partnered with our 329 Member Schools to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in Simsbury A Better Chance, Burgundy Farm Country Day Media, PA Simsbury, CT School, Alexandria, VA zThe Mercersburg Academy, our educational system. Many of these institutions have been long-term supporters zSt. George’s School, vzChatham Hall, Chatham, VA Mercersburg, PA of our program. 16 of our schools are founding members and an additional one-third Middletown, RI ozChurch Farm School, Exton, PA vNational Cathedral School St. Luke’s School, New Canaan, CT The Crefeld School, for Girls, Washington, DC have partnered with us for nearly 40 years. Our critical work is only possible with vz zSt. Mark’s School, Philadelphia, PA Oldfields School, Glencoe, MD their continued belief that education is a key component to achieving equity in our Southborough, MA Doane Academy, Burlington, NJ The Park School of Baltimore, society. Their commitment results in life-changing opportunities for approximately 500 zSt. Paul’s School, Concord, NH Edmund Burke, Washington, DC Baltimore, MD oSt. Sebastian’s School, Episcopal Academy, zThe Peddie School, Scholars each year. Needham, MA Newtown Square, PA Highstown, NJ zSuffield Academy, Suffield, CT zEpiscopal High School, zThe Pennington School, z NORTHEAST REGION Tabor Academy, Marion, MA Alexandria, VA Pennington, NJ z z NY, Northern NJ, ME, CT, Commonwealth School, Hopkins School, New Haven, CT The Taft School, Watertown, CT The Field School, Washington, DC Perkiomen School, Pennsburg, PA NH, MA, RI, VT Boston, MA zThe Hotchkiss School, Thayer Academy, Braintree, MA Flint Hill School, Oakton, VA The Philadelphia School, z vz oAmherst A Better Chance, zConcord Academy, Concord, MA Lakeville, CT Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Foxcroft School, Middleburg, VA Philadelphia, PA Amherst, MA vConvent of the Sacred Heart, zKent School, Kent, CT Natick, MA Friends’ Central School, The Pingry School, vAndover A Better Chance, Greenwich, CT zKents Hill School, Kents Hill, ME Waring School, Beverly, MA Wyneewood, PA Basking Ridge, NJ v Andover, MA vzDana Hall School, Wellesley, MA zKimball Union Academy, Wellesley A Better Chance, Friends School of Baltimore, The Potomac School, McLean, VA o ozAvon Old Farms School, vDarien A Better Chance, Meriden, NH Wellesley, MA Baltimore, MD Princeton Academy of the Sacred z Avon, CT Darien CT zLawrence Academy, Groton, MA Westminster School, Friends Select School, Heart, Princeton, NJ Beaver Country Day School, zDeerfield Academy, Lexington Christian Academy, Simsbury, CT Philadelphia, PA Princeton Day School, vz vz Chestnut Hill, MA Deerfield, MA Lexington, MA Westover School, Middlebury, CT Garrison Forest School, Princeton, NJ o oBelmont Hill School, zDublin School, Dublin, MA zThe Loomis Chaffee School, Westport A Better Chance, Owing Mills, MD Radnor A Better Chance, z Belmont, MA vzThe Ethel Walker School, Windsor, Ct Westport, CT George School, Newtown, PA Radnor, PA z zBerkshire School, Sheffield, MA Simsbury, CT oMadison A Better Chance The White Mountain School, Georgetown Day School, Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr, Boston University Academy, zFay School, Southborough, MA Madison, CT Bethlehem, NH Washington, DC Bryn Mawr, PA z z Boston, MA oGlastonbury A Better Chance, zMiddlesex School, Concord, MA Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Germantown Friends School Saint James School, zBrooks School, Glastonbury, CT zMilton Academy, Milton, MA Wilbraham, MA Philadelphia, PA Hagerstown, MD z z North Andover, MA zGould Academy, Bethel, ME vzMiss Hall’s School The Williston Northampton Girard College, Philadelphia, PA The Sandy Spring Friends School, zBuxton School, Williamstown, MA zThe Governor’s Academy, Pittsfield, MA School, East Hampton, MA Greene Street Friends School, Sandy Spring, MA zThe Cambridge School of Weston Byfield, MA vzMiss Porter’s School Wilton A Better Chance, Wilton, CT Philadelphia, PA Sanford School, Hockessin, DC o o Weston, MA Greens Farms Academy, Farmington, MA Winchester A Better Chance, The Haverford