A blue door is the universal symbol used by Boys & Girls Clubs everywhere to let young people know they’re entering a welcoming space to have fun, be safe and learn. The afterschool programs offered every day in Clubs across the Washington, DC, area provide young people with an opportunity to develop real-world skills, build […]

When Shawn Hardnett decided he wanted to build a new school in Washington DC’s Wards seven and eight, he decided to do things differently. He wasn’t the first to envision a school to address long-standing gaps in educating Black and brown school-age boys, but he took the unusual step of talking to the community before […]

A year ago, if you talked to DC ninth-grader Jah’ere Kelley about math, he likely would have shrugged and grudgingly admitted he was stressed about school and, by extension, his future. Though the bright freshman at Ron Brown College Preparatory High School in Washington, DC, is just beginning to think about what he wants to […]

During her first pregnancy, Mercedez Milling-Robinson realized that she needed a different sort of care if she were ever going to have another child. Her first born, Marcus S. Robinson is doing well today, but throughout her pregnancy Mercedez felt her care was too impersonal — at times, even disrespectful. The ability to have caregivers […]

Based in Columbia Heights, Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) is a multi-service community anchor that has been supporting the social, academic, and career needs of young people since the late 1960s. In 2018, Lupi Quinteros-Grady took the reins as President and CEO. Ms. Quinteros-Grady has a 20-plus year history with the organization: she was a […]

As part of its broader commitment to support DC public and charter school graduates succeed in college, the Foundation invested $10 million in the DC Public Education Fund to launch DCPS Persists, a new program that provides college-bound DC Public Schools graduates with a support network to help them graduate from college. Starting with the class of 2020, students will be […]

Emily’s path to education began in the seventh grade as a volunteer tutor at Martha’s Table. She was paired with a student her age and grade to help with his homework.

In 1997, Lynette was suffering from alcohol and drug addiction. When she lost her job, she knew she needed to change her life. But she also knew she couldn’t do it alone. Lynette sought help at Samaritan Inns.