ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM THE BOARD CHAIR Dear High Jump Friends, Dear Friends of High Jump, As I reflect on my time as High Jump’s Board Chair, I am amazed by how much has been It is such an honor to be a part of the High Jump community, and I couldn’t have asked for a accomplished. Just a short time ago we were celebrating that the program was serving over 600 better first year as Executive Director. This past year I’ve gotten to know students, families, middle school and high school students in Chicago annually; that number has since increased to faculty, volunteers and donors who are ALL the heart and soul of this organization, and I am a total of 720 students served per year! It is truly incredible to know that High Jump is providing blown away by the dedication and support they have given to High Jump’s mission. life-changing opportunities to even more young people in our city. With over 1,500 alumni, High Jump’s impact has reached the farthest corners of Chicago and These opportunities are enabling students to thrive in their academic careers by providing them serves as the foundation for a lifetime of success, none of which would have been possible without with the knowledge of and equipping them with the skills they need to succeed in high school and the generosity of our supporters. The alumni I’ve met are true inspirations; one such student is beyond. In May, 143 eighth graders graduated from High Jump’s program and are now attending Alexa, who shared her story with me about starting her life in Chicago as a Mexican immigrant who competitive high schools throughout the country. Additionally, an estimated 98% of our high did not speak English. Thanks to High Jump she received a scholarship to an elite independent school class of 2018 are now attending four-year colleges and universities across the country. high school and today she is a Posse Scholar and freshman at Pomona College. When I asked Alexa and other alumni what words they would use to describe High Jump, here is what they said: This year we also welcomed Nate Pietrini to the team as Executive Director and his leadership is bringing the organization to new heights as it continues to grow. He has been a great representative Essential. Refreshing. Empowering. Opportunity. Diversity. of High Jump’s mission and has been effectively communicating the program’s impact to the Chicago community and strengthened our partnerships with schools, parents and stakeholders. These words resonated with me because they come from people whose lives have been directly affected by High Jump. I am proud to share that the numbers are growing; the program is changing My deepest thanks for all your support this year and throughout my tenure as High Jump’s Board more lives than ever before and accepted its largest cohort of 192 students this past summer. Chair. It has been an honor to help lead this organization and I look forward to continuing to support High Jump’s mission. Thank you for your support of High Jump’s mission to provide equal academic opportunities to the students who need it most in Chicago. I know that the investment in our city’s youth means Sincerely, a brighter future for all, and I look forward to sharing more High Jump accomplishments in the new school year. Sincerely, Tim Friedman Board of Directors, Chair Nate Pietrini, Ed.D. 2 HIGH JUMP Executive Director ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 3 IMPACT BOARD OF DIRECTORS 79% High Jump alumni have graduated with a 4-year degree compared to the national average of 46% of students who enroll and graduate.* CHAIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Tim Friedman Omid G. Bañuelos Nicholas K. Pontikes Katie Barber Janet Rauschenberger Since 1989 High Jump has served over IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR DD Danforth Burlin Scott B. Rose Priscilla Kersten Marc Cerone Stephanie Ross Sarah Cobb Diane Saltoun 1,500 students from across Chicago. CHAIR ELECT Sarah Cogswell Todd A. Smith Nicole Mann Vince Cozzi Natalie Spadaccini Rosenberg Randall Dunn Errett Van Nice VICE CHAIR Jamie-Clare Flaherty Ramon Villalpando High Jump provides Philip Nevels Wilkingson Germain Arla Gomberg EMERITI 350 hours of free academic enrichment programming SECRETARY Shelley Greenwood Diana Aixalá per student per year. Peggy M. Lim Cynthia Heusing Richard J. Almeida Mariana Ingersoll Bill Barker TREASURER Michael Kaplan Sally Carton Tom Meyers Erik King Paula H. Crown High Jump’s eighth grade class of 2018 Karen Krehbiel Charles S. Gofen received over John G. Levi Frank Hogan Deneese Walia Levin Langdon D. Neal $5.5 million in financial aid and scholarships. Sonya Malunda Eleanor Nicholson Dara Milner Richard E. Rothkopf Annmarie Neumeier Tina Wardrop In the organization’s history, High Jump Georgy Ann Peluchiwski alumni have attended over 185 college prep MISSION high schools across the country. High Jump equalizes access to education for Chicago middle school students who have exhibited academic ambition and potential and who are of limited economic means. With three campuses in Chicago, High Jump serves over 360 middle We provide academic enrichment, counseling and support to students of diverse backgrounds, school students representing 48 zip 62% of High Jump students with the goals of sending our participants to superior college preparatory schools, ensuring codes across the city. will be the first in their families their success while they are there, and enhancing their ability to gain admission to highly Additionally, we support over 430 to attend college. regarded four-year colleges and universities. High Jump alumni in high schools in Chicago and across the country. *National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Signature Report December 2018 4 HIGH JUMP ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 5 HIGH SCHOOL MATRICULATION 95% of High Jump’s eighth grade class of 2018 matriculated to top college-prep high schools. Below is a list of college preparatory public, independent, boarding and parochial schools to which our students matriculated: INDEPENDENT PRIVATE SCHOOLS CPS MAGNET/HONORS SCHOOLS Francis W. Parker School Back of the Yards College Prep, IB Program GCE Lab School Curie Metro High School, IB Program GEMS World Academy Kenwood Academy High School Latin School of Chicago Lake View High School COLLEGE MATRICULATION Loyola Academy Lincoln Park High School, IB Program Providence St. Mel School Morgan Park High School, IB Program Roycemore School Ogden International School, IB Program University of Chicago Laboratory Schools Prosser Career Academy, IB Program Walther Christian Academy Roberto Clemente High School, IB Program The long-term impact of the High Jump program is demonstrated by William Howard Taft High School, IB Program the continued academic success of its alumni in high school and their INDEPENDENT BOARDING SCHOOLS Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center enrollment into premier colleges and universities across the country. Brooks School George School CPS MILITARY ACADEMIES La Lumiere School Phoenix Military High School High Jump’s Cohort 24 graduated from high school in 2018 and 99% are Lake Forest Academy attending colleges or universities. Several students also received prestigious Lawrenceville School CPS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS college scholarships, including the Posse Scholarship. St. Mark’s School Senn High School, IB Program Suffield Academy Western Reserve Academy CHARTER SCHOOLS Below is the full list of colleges and universities to which these students American Leadership Academy have matriculated: PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS Butler College Prep Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Golder College Prep De La Salle Institute Hansberry College Prep, IB Program Arizona State University Loyola University Chicago Fenwick High School Soto High School Bennington College Marquette University Holy Trinity High School Central Piedmont Community College Morgan State University City of Chicago - Harold Washington College North Central College Marian Catholic High School PUBLIC SUBURBAN SCHOOLS Saint Ignatius College Prep Oak Park and River Forest High School City of Chicago - Malcolm X College Northern Illinois University Saint Patrick School City of Chicago - Wright College Northwestern University Saint Rita of Cascia High School Clark Atlanta University Occidental College College of Wooster Pomona College Concordia University Saint Xavier University CPS SELECTIVE ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS George Westinghouse College Prep DePaul University Southern Illinois University Carbondale Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Eastern Illinois University Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi John Hancock College Prep Emerson College University of Illinois at Urbana Jones College Prep Georgia Institute of Technology University of Illinois at Chicago King College Prep Grinnell College University of Michigan Lane Tech College Prep High School Hampton University University of Missouri-Columbia Lindblom Math & Science Academy Haverford College University of Pennsylvania Northside College Prep Illinois Institute of Technology University of Richmond Walter Payton College Prep Illinois Wesleyan University University of the Pacific Whitney M. Young Magnet High School Kalamazoo College University of Wisconsin - Madison Kenyon College Wellesley College Knox College Xavier University of Louisiana 6 HIGH JUMP ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 7 High Jump raised a record-breaking $960,000 HIGHLIGHTS IN 2017/2018 at the annual Spring of Opportunity Benefit. This year’s benefit co-chairs were Vince Cozzi, Karen Krehbiel and Peggy M. Lim. Sociologist and award-winning author Eve Ewing was the keynote speaker and gave a moving speech about the educational landscape of Chicago and its need for High Jump’s programming. Over 500 guests attended the event, including leadership from High Jump’s partner schools, Francis W. Parker School, the Latin School of Chicago and the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. In May, 143 eighth graders graduated from the High Jump program. High Jump accepted 192 students to be part of Cohort 30, its largest cohort to date. It was a competitive year with over 1,200 applications started.