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 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 Seattle Girls’ School Bishop Blanchet High School Kennedy High School Seattle Lutheran High School The 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 Forest Ridge School of the 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. Connecticut College Occidental College University of Washington – Overcoming tremendous odds at every level. And creating a new Dartmouth College Pacific Lutheran University Bothell vision of what is possible for her Davidson College Pitzer College University of Washington – Tacoma brothers and sisters. Drexel University Pomona College Washington State University Eastern Washington Pratt Institute University Princeton University Wellesley College Emory University Santa Clara University Wesleyan University Eugene Lang College Scripps College Western Washington University Evergreen State College Seattle Central College Whatcom Community Franklin & Marshall College Seattle Pacific University College George Washington Seattle University Whitman College University Seton Hall University Williams College Georgetown University Skidmore College Yale University Gonzaga University Smith College Goucher College South Seattle College Green River College Southern Methodist Harvard College University Howard University Spelman College #choices Ithaca College St. John’s University (NY)

ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 9

School Partners

#engagingminds

10 RAINIER SCHOLARS

Internship Partners

INTERNSHIP PARTNERS At the Institute for Systems Biology, Feaven Aegis Living My mentor Berhe is using her college Amazon major in management Bates Science Research science and mathematics Beacon Development Group offers advice The Boeing Company to research health issues BlackRock in Seattle. Cambridge History Research (UK) when I need In Feaven’s internship, she Cascadia Capital worked with mentor Paul Cascadia Consulting Group Shannon, a senior software Center for Children and Youth Justice it the most engineer, to compile Epiphany School data to build a F5 Networks website that studies Facebook neighborhood health Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center data. This information Future Global Leaders will then be used Giddens School to study health Global Fellows (Taiwan) disparities and trends Google in Seattle. GrubHub Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center “I have taken a few Harborview Nursing computer science Honeywell Building Solutions classes and I am Hopkins Global Health (Mali) constantly trying to Institute for Systems Biology Seattle City Light become a better coder, which Jennifer West Showroom Seattle Nativity School is why I am thankful for this Juma Ventures Seattle Parks & Recreation internship. And I have a great Jumia (Ghana) Seattle Seahawks mentor! He’s very helpful and is always there to offer advice K & L Gates LLP Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative when I am struggling and need King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski Skanska it the most.” Kraft Skills, Inc. Kumon of Seattle South Seattle Emerald Landesa Stephen C. Grey & Associates Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance Sustainability Ambassadors Logic20/20 Swedish Neuroscience Institute MCM Transportation Choices Microsoft UCSD Science Research Miller Nash Graham & Dunn United Way – End Hunger Morgan Stanley UW ADVANCE Navos UW Dept. of Chemistry OfficeSpace UW Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability Pacific Continental Bank UW Global Health Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute UW Medicine Neurological Surgery PicMonkey UW Robinson Center Pike Place Market Venture for America Purpose.org (NYC) Vulcan Inc. Rios Cruz Washington Bus RSM US WhitePages, Inc. Russell Investments WSU Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance Salish Sea Science Labs Yale Science Research Screaming Flea Productions Seattle Aquarium Seattle Children’s Seattle Children’s Theatre #future possibilties

ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 1111

Business Partners

Corporate and business KEYSTONE PARTNERS BUSINESS PARTNERS partners are the Thank you to the following companies for their Thank you to the following businesses engine that can help depth and breadth of involvement, offering that offer support through grant funding, drive transformation financial support, employee engagement, matching gifts, event sponsorships, for Rainier Scholars internship opportunities and full-time pro bono services and direct or in-kind students. employment for scholars. donations. Amazon Anonymous Sometimes, partners truly ACG Seattle The Boeing Company exceed expectations. As a Active Construction Inc Keystone Partner, Amazon Google Ahlers & Cressman PLLC creates momentum in the lives of our scholars. As a company Honeywell AHT Insurance AI Industries Amazon engages with us Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance on every level: internships, Aldridge employment, grants, employee MCM Alex Dunlop Golf engagement, community events Skanska All New Glass and even a holiday surprise, AllianceBernstein LP donating $10,000 of Amazon program books and Apex Steel supplies plus Kindles Asian Bar Association of WA for our youngest scholars, strengthening Auburn Mechanical their love of reading Baird and learning. Bar Ferdinand The Benaroya Company Berntson Porter & Company PLLC Betschart Mechanical, Inc bgC3 LLC Billings Middle School BioControl Systems, Inc Blue Fern Development, LLC BMWC Constructors, Inc The Boeing Company Bonneville International Seattle Radio Group Brighton Jones LLC Burke Museum C/I Properties Canron Western Constructors Inc Cardea Services In Honor of Wendy Nakatsukasa-Ono Carney Badley Spellman, P.S. Cascade Investments LLC CBRE Charlie’s Produce Clarius Group, LLC In Honor of Hilary & Daniel Kaltenbach #commitment Cochran, Inc Collinear Group, LLC Cornerstone Advisors, Inc Coughlin Porter Lundeen Cupertino Electric Inc Custom Interiors Daniel Colvin Fine Art

12 RAINIER SCHOLARS

Business Partners

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP Magoosh St. Joseph School SPIRIT OF 12 PARTNER DBM Contractors Inc Marsh Private Client Services Starbucks Coffee Company Rainier Scholars is proud to team up DCI Engineers McKinstry Stoneway Concrete with the Seattle Seahawks and DeLille Cellars MCM Stratacore The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Delta Western, Inc Microsoft Surgent Inc as a Spirit of 12 Partner. Diamond B Constructors MJR Development Teatro ZinZanni Thanks to more than 200 Rainier Scholars Division 9 Flooring Montlake Capital LLC TechSmartKids students, families, staff, corporate DLR Group Moss Adams Wealth Advisors Thriving Elements partners and community supporters Endeavour Capital In Honor of Bradaigh Wagner TINYpulse who volunteered to distribute gameday programs at two home games, making our Expedia Inc Moz Tom Douglas Restaurants first season an overwhelming success. F5 Networks Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Turning Point Realty Advisors Fey & Grey Orthodontics, PLLC MultiCare Uber Technologies, Inc This partnership allows us to deepen our connections in the community, gain Firstline Systems, Inc Nintendo of America, Inc UBS Financial Services Inc Nordstrom visibility and receive financial support to Flourish Chiropractic Spa United Rentals further the Rainier Scholars mission of North Coast Electric Company Focal PLLC University Mechanical providing equitable access to a quality Foundation for Health Care Northwest Construction, Inc Contractors Inc education. Quality The Northwest School Valley Electric Co Foy Group Corporation OAC Services, Inc Value Village Gary Merlino Construction OfficeSpace Veca Electric & Technologies Georgetown Brewery Outerwall, Inc Virginia Mason Gerdau Reinforcing Steel Pacific Mobile Structures Inc Vulcan, Inc Goldman, Sachs & Co Pacific Portfolio Consulting LLC W.W. Wells Millwork, LLC Goodfellow Bros Inc Parker, Smith & Feek Inc Walters & Wolf Curtain Wall Google Inc Patriot Fire Protection Western Peterbilt Gramercy Cellars Paula’s Choice Skincare WhitePages, Inc Guardian Cellars Perkins Coie LLP Wine World & Spirits Harley Marine Services, Inc PicMonkey Yakima Steel Hello Robin Polygon WLH, LLC Hilti Precision Electric Group, Inc Holy Names Academy PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Ignition Partners Pugh Capital Management Interior Technology Inc Pyramid Communications ISEC Inc Queen Anne Real Estate Item House Incorporated Ranta CPA & Associates K & L Gates LLP Roscoe’s Ranch Ken Bobko Electric Company, Inc RSM US LLP KHS&S Contractors Salish Sea Sciences King & Oliason, P.S. Saltchuk KING 5 Saxton Bradley Inc KPFF Consulting Engineers Schuchart Landsman & Fleming LLP Seattle Academy Latent Image, Inc Seattle Children’s Leewens Corporation Seattle Interactive Legacy Group, Inc Seattle Mariners LexisNexis Seattle Seahawks #dollarsfor scholars Liberty Mutual/Safeco Insurance Seattle Sounders FC Logic20/20 Seattle University Long Painting Company Sequoyah Electric Loulay Sheraton Seattle MacDonald-Miller Facility Skanska Solutions Snyder Roofing of Washington, LLC

ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 13

Alumni Engagement

With over 125 college graduates, Rainier Scholars We have beaten alumni remain a strong community the odds. of support, and are now a growing network of career We are now the professionals in Seattle and around success stories. the country. Did you know the millennial generation will be the most We are the diverse workforce in U.S. history? Our Education Happy Hour role models. revealed many compelling themes Jasmine Beverly | Cohort IV that are at play for Millennials and employers in the workplace today. Garfield High School | Class of 2012 Goucher College | Class of 2016 A special thank you to our host EnviroIssues | Project Consultant WhitePages and our panel of guests including moderator David Niu of TINYpulse. With two of the panelists, Marisa Fang, Cohort I (Boeing) and Myles Jones, Cohort III (Amazon) representing employers as well as the Rainier Scholars program, their presence demonstrated the ultimate goal for which we hope. Once young 6th graders aspiring to go to college, they are now college graduates and young HR professionals guiding us and leading the way.

#finding my voice

14 RAINIER SCHOLARS

Alumni Engagement

ALUMNI On April 20, 2016 Thanks to those alumni who made a gift of financial support to Rainier Scholars in 2015 –16. we gathered for our Your example lights the way. signature event at the downtown Seattle Parirash Abdolhosseini Nam Ngo University of Washington | Class of 2015 Williams College | Class of 2014 Sheraton.

Nicolas Andrade Christina Norwich Over 1,200 people coming for Union College | Class of 2014 University of Washington | Class of 2013 lunch and inspiration were greeted by our high school Abe Bui Leonardo Rozal seniors proudly wearing college University of Pennsylvania | Class of 2014 Seattle University | Class of 2013 sweatshirts, and our soon-to- Ayda Cader Lina Thach be college grads with royal blue Dartmouth College | Class of 2013 University of Washington | Class of 2015 graduation stoles. Jennifer Cai Viché Thomas And seated throughout the Carnegie Mellon University | Class of 2015 University of Washington | Class of 2015 Grand Ballroom were Rainier Katarina de la Cruz Sigrid Santos Wu Scholars alumni – graduates Loyola Marymount University | Class of 2015 University of Washington | Class of 2014 who are now finding their way in the world in careers and in Marisa Fang Alan Zeng communities. As volunteers, University of Washington | Class of 2013 Occidental College | Class of 2014 as future board members, as Bisrat Gebre engaged citizens. And as Washington State University | Class of 2015 donors and supporters of Rainier Scholars. Maggie Khuu Middlebury College | Class of 2013 This was a full circle moment. Sallie Lau Williams College | Class of 2015

Connie Li University of Pennsylvania | Class of 2015

Jamie Li Dartmouth College | Class of 2013

Tiesa McElroy Knox College | Class of 2013

As a sixth grader, I stood on the steps of Aki Kurose Middle School with only one dream: to graduate from college. Today, I am a college graduate ready to take on the world with the empowerment and constant support that I have received from Rainier Scholars.

Nancy Tran | Cohort IV Garfield High School | Class of 2012 Bates College | Class of 2016 University of Washington | Research Assistant #lives of leadership

ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 1155

Contributors

Rainier Scholars is built FOUNDATIONS on a foundation of loyal Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Kinder Morgan Foundation Salesforce.com Foundation donors who understand BlackRock Foundation The Lissy Moore Foundation Satterberg Foundation they are investing in Brandon Roy Foundation Loeb Family Charitable The Seattle Foundation the future – providing Foundations opportunities to students The Chisholm Foundation Seattle Seahawks Lucky Seven Foundation Charitable Foundation who lack educational CHOICE Charitable Trust Medina Foundation Silver Family Foundation access and creating Davis Love Foundation Moccasin Lake Foundation Titcomb Foundation pathways to college The Dean Witter Foundation The Paul G. Allen Family United Way of King County degrees for generations The Foster Foundation Foundation Washington Women’s to come. George and Patricia Ann Fisher The Peach Foundation Foundation As we look back on fiscal year Family Foundation RealNetworks Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation 2015-16 and celebrate the Google Community Grants accomplishments of our scholars, Fund ofTides Foundation Rubens Family Foundation Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation we also gratefully acknowledge Harnish Foundation Safeco Insurance/Liberty Mutual Foundation our donors who made it all J E Fehsenfeld Family Foundation possible – over 1,200 generous individuals who support the work and mission of Rainier Scholars. A complete annual report is sent to all contributors. Due to donor privacy, our online version does not include individual donors by name. A print version is available upon request. As each cohort of college scholars graduate, all of our funders – individuals, businesses, organizations, and foundations – see proof that their investment changes lives.

#excellence

16 RAINIER SCHOLARS

Vision 2020 Update

Our most recent strategic plan effort, adopted in 2015, resulted A sense of belonging in the enthusiastic reaffirmation of our mission, vision and program, as well as several new and an opportunity initiatives focused on program development and organizational to achieve capacity building. The following is a summary of progress made within the 2015-16 timeframe. Earlier Start • Planning for programmatic shift to one-year earlier start nears completion and we look forward to welcoming rising 5th grade scholars in the summer of 2017 • Working with school partners to prepare for 6th grade school admission/entry point Multi-Generational African American (MGAA) Initiative • Hired Recruitment and Retention Specialist to focus specifically on our community of MGAA scholars and families • Launched MGAA family engagement and community building dinner series • Launched Young Brothers Society for MGAA males and developing similar cultural affinity group for young women Career Pathways • Completed program assessment for Computer Science (CS) and STEM fields • Recruited high-level volunteers to coordinate our CS pathway work • Developing partnership with TechSmart Kids to introduce CS in earliest program phase lence Organizational Capacity Building • Leadership Team participating in Bridgespan Leading for Impact professional development opportunity • Successful transition to Keystone Database and hiring of data manager • Adopted organizational and phase specific Key Program Indicators • Began planning process for enhancement of planned giving and endowment feasibility study

ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 17

Financial Statement

It’s an honor to serve Audited financial results for the fiscal year July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016. the families of Rainier Scholars, and to be part of a visionary learning REVENUE community that is willing Individuals $2,280,546 60.9% to do the hard work of Corporations $837,374 22.4% finding real solutions to education’s most Foundations $572,666 15.3% persistent problems. Other $53,328 1.4% Sumiko Huff Total Revenue $3,743,914 100.0% Academic Director

60.9% Individuals

22.4% Corporations

15.3% Foundations

1.4% Other

EXPENSES Programs AEP $984,081 27.5% ACSS $545,490 15.3% LD $581,321 16.3% CS $643,697 18.0% Total Program $2,754,589 77.1% Administration $232,244 6.5% Fundraising $586,805 16.4% Total Expenses $3,573,638 100.0%

77.1% Programs

6.5% Administration

16.4% Fundraising #high expectations

18 RAINIER SCHOLARS

Rainier Scholars

BOARD OF TRUSTEES RESOURCE COUNCIL As envisioned, these

Zander Doroski | Board Chair Emily Anthony graduating scholars bring Andy Jassy | Vice Chair Patti Brooke purpose and leadership to Diankha Linear | Secretary Julia Calhoun Reggie Brown | Treasurer Gregory Davis all communities to which Craig Dawson Susie Kang Algard* they belong. They are Joan Dawson Don Bacic* Dick DiCerchio role models and mentors Kristina Ota Belfiore Tom Ellison to our younger scholars David Clarke Matt Griffin Gemma Valdez Daggatt * Daniel Heu-Weller and sources of inspiration Rod Jones Leslie Magid Higgins to their families, friends Laura Orser Chris V. Kelly Rich Padden and communities. They Calvin Lyons Sujal Patel Sean O’Donnell are powerful examples of Gail Ransom Isabel Sheang Aaron Richmond what can be accomplished Craig Stewart John Snyder Joyce Taylor when determination, Robert Strong Jeff Wright Dr. Ed Taylor perseverance and Gary Young Chris Toher resilience prevail.

* Completed Board service in 2016 Laura Orser Board of Trustees

2100 24th Ave. S, Suite 360 | Seattle, WA 98144-4646 | 206.407.2111 | www.rainierscholars.org

#inspiration

ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 19