Annual Report | 2015–2016 Where hope and hard work meet access and opportunity Our Founding Rainier Scholars was founded by Bob Hurlbut in 2000 on the belief that students most under- Education lies at the represented on college campuses deserve an equal opportunity to excel academically and become heart of changing a thriving leaders within our local community and beyond. life trajectory Access to high-quality education Bob Hurlbut | Founder lies at the heart of changing a life trajectory for students and their families. Rainier Scholars was created to ensure educational access for those students willing to work hard at a young age and make sacrifices to realize their long-term dream of earning a college degree. #hope 2 RAINIER SCHOLARS Keeping the Promise It is with gratitude and joy that I reflect on another year and give Thank you for thanks for what this community has helped us make possible through our work over the past teaching us that we 15+ years. It is nothing short of amazing have the power to think of hundreds of college graduates living, working and leading locally and around the country, the thousands of college Rainier Scholars has been the ongoing support acceptances accumulated for in my life that instilled the belief that hard the 8 cohorts who have reached work will be rewarded. Thank you for that milestone, and the hundreds more scholars in the pipeline teaching us that we have the power to who will soon follow in their overcome adversity and chase our dreams. footsteps to college and beyond. Elena Smith | Cohort IV As we strive from the beginning Nathan Hale High School | Class of 2012 of the program to help scholars Seattle University | Class of 2016 and their families discover a University of Washington Medical Center | Registered Nurse pathway of purpose through greater educational access and opportunity, we always keep in mind the long-term goal of cultivating lives of service and leadership. We are beginning to see the fruition of that vision in our alumni near and far who are now serving on non- profit boards, volunteering in educational settings and giving back to the programs and institutions which provided them with an opportunity to maximize their potential. Thank you for your sustaining support and commitment to providing access and opportunity to those scholars willing to work hard and dream big. The individual and community impact your gifts inspire will be felt for generations to come. Sarah Smith | Executive Director #pathwaysof purpose ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 3 Mission, Vision & Values OUR MISSION Rainier Scholars cultivates the I am surrounded by academic potential and leadership skills of hard-working, high expectations low-income students of color. By creating access and people who to transformative educational opportunities believe in me and providing comprehensive support to scholars and families, we increase college graduation rates and empower new generations of leaders. VISION Our vision is a legacy of successful and inspiring leaders who make a positive impact in our community and our world through: • Greater number of diverse students successfully graduating from top tier colleges • Increased pool of diverse and qualified candidates for high level leadership roles • Growing number of families of color who are advocates for quality education VALUES • Excellence • Perseverance • Integrity • Courage #opportunity I am surrounded by high expectations but also support and people who believe in me. My parents never had the opportunity to go to college. They believe education is a pathway to a better life for my sister and me. Lenin Torres Marquez | Cohort XIV Westside School 4 RAINIER SCHOLARS Our Challenge Never before has it been so difficult I appreciate myself for a young person to rise above the for who I am and economic class and life circumstances into which he or she what my future holds was born. It is sobering to realize As a student of color, the path to achieving my dreams that only 8-16% of lower- has not always been easy. Rainier Scholars provided income students will earn a college degree by age 25 the opportunity for my hard work to be channeled into and that within that group, Black academics and building confidence in my abilities. and Latino students are 2-3 times less likely to become college Raphael Diallo | Cohort II graduates. For those who are first Lakeside School | Class of 2010 in their family to earn a college Wesleyan College | Class of 2014 degree, the odds are even greater. Google | Associate Manager, Product Marketing Rainier Scholars is committed to addressing this critical issue. MEASURES OF SUCCESS 98% of our scholars have earned placement into college preparatory programs in both private and public school settings 85% of our scholars demonstrate leadership in school, professional and community settings 99% of our scholars have been admitted to four-year colleges and universities 87% of our scholars have earned a college degree within five years $50 million+ cumulatively earned in merit and need-based scholarships for high #defy theodds school and college ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 5 Partners & Supporters A child’s success is the result of efforts seen and unseen by the cast of Standing here today, people who touch his or her life. I can’t imagine my life The same is true of Rainier Scholars. Our work would without Rainier Scholars not be possible without Sky Sawyer | Cohort VIII the partnerships and Eastside Prep | Class of 2016 ongoing support of schools, Evergreen College | Class of 2020 organizations, businesses, foundations and generous individuals throughout the Pacific Northwest and across the nation. #community 6 RAINIER SCHOLARS School Partners I had moments where I 2016 marked another Rainier Scholars wanted to give up. But I I decided milestone. decided I did not want to be From 2002 to 2016, Rainier defeated. With all my I would not Scholars has rented space at Aki different support systems, Kurose Middle School and called it home. From the commitment I learned to not be afraid to be defeated and welcoming smile of ask for help. You have to Principal BiHoa Caldwell to the leadership and love of Middle know how to do that. School Principal of the Year Mia Williams, the hallways of this Sahreenah Glispie | Cohort VIII school have seen 14 cohorts of Seattle Prep | Class of 2016 Rainier Scholars. It’s where many St. Olaf College | Class of 2020 college dreams were born. Wednesday afternoons and evenings to all day Saturdays during each school year, we hosted countless recruitment meetings, family potlucks, student workshops and program PUBLIC, PRIVATE & INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS tours. This school has served as our home base for 14 years. Rainier Scholars works in partnership with public, private and independent schools to ensure students have access to college preparatory pathways. During the past 15 The changing bell schedule years our scholars have excelled in Highly-Capable, Advanced Placement, International prompted our move to South Baccalaureate and Honors programs in Seattle, Highline and Renton Public Schools. Shore School and we say goodbye to Aki with deep gratitude. We are equally honored to partner with the following private and independent schools: Annie Wright School The Hill School Seattle Country Day School Billings Middle School Holy Names Academy Seattle Girls’ School Bishop Blanchet High School Kennedy High School Seattle Lutheran High School The Bush School Lake Washington Girls Seattle Preparatory School The Cate School Middle School Shawnigan Lake School Deerfield Academy Lakeside School St. Bernadette Parish School Eastside Preparatory School The Northwest School St. Joseph School Emma Willard School Phillips Exeter Academy St. Michael’s University School The Evergreen School O’Dea High School The Thacher School Explorer West Middle School Oregon Episcopal School University Prep Forest Ridge School of the The Overlake School Villa Academy Sacred Heart Seattle Academy Westside School Special thanks to our school and community partners who provide in-kind contributions through facilities and program support: Aki Kurose Middle School Seattle Academy University Prep The Bush School Seattle University Whitman College The Northwest School South Shore PreK-8 School #collegedreams ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 7 School Partners #perseverance 8 RAINIER SCHOLARS School Partners Sometimes ‘‘to defy the odds’’ I realized I could takes on new meaning. determine my fate As Native American children living in poverty, Summer and help change Nanpooya and her siblings had the odds stacked against my family history them from the start. Family circumstances brought Summer and her four siblings to COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES ATTENDED a new home to live with their Agnes Scott College Johns Hopkins University St. Olaf College grandmother. As a senior at The Northwest School, Summer Allegheny College Kalamazoo College Stanford University anxiously awaited her college American University Knox College Suffolk University acceptances. Art Institute of Seattle Lafayette College Swarthmore College Bates College Loyola Marymount Syracuse University “With the help of Rainier Scholars and my grandmother, Bellevue College University Tufts University I realized I could determine my Boston College Loyola University New Union College Orleans fate if I worked hard enough. I Boston University University of Chicago Macalester College could potentially help change Bryn Mawr College University of Houston my family history…I see Manhattan College California Polytechnic State University of Michigan college as a ticket out of my Marist College University University of Notre Dame heartbreaking family cycle.” Middlebury College Carleton College University of Oregon Mills College And the best news of all? Carnegie Mellon University University of Pennsylvania Summer earned acceptance to Morehouse College Chapman University University of Rochester Pitzer College. The odds? Only Mt. Holyoke College Claremont McKenna College University of Southern 13% of those who apply gain Colgate University New York University California admission. An overwhelming Columbia University North Seattle College University of Washington moment of pure joy and emotion.