Support a Growing College Access Program
My name is Brittney Miles. I am a soon-to-be graduate of Kenyon College and I started a college access program in 2011 in Chicago. After our first year in the Cabrini Green neighborhood, we were very successful and I am looking to expand the program into other parts of Chicago. We focus on the individuality of each student. Everyone in the program receives one-on-one attention with all aspects of the college process. Beyond focusing on the ACT, college applications, the FAFSA, and scholarship essays, we also help in other areas. We include interviewing practice, networking workshops, and support for the students' extracurricular interests. The two seniors in the program have both been accepted into their first choice schools, as well as received scholarship offers from those institutions. I know my program works, and I want to help other teens in Chicago.
Your support will go to supplies for the students for during the program, costs for space rental, costs for local college visits, recruitment and advertisements for the program, and other things that can aid in our expansion. No money goes to anyone's salary, or any personal costs.
So far, I have been primarily doing this work alone. I have done the research about the benefits of these types of programs, made the advertisements, made the promotional videos, found the students, and I have been building relationships that can help our program such as with my city Alderman, college counselors and admission representatives. I have done all of this while finishing up my senior year of college in a different state. I do this work because I strive to make a difference in the lives of teens. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life and your support will go a long way. The work that I do is rooted in passion, but passion cannot, alone, take this program where I want it to go. My short-term (next 2 years) goals for this program is to be in at least 3 neighborhoods in Chicago, arrange an annual college fair open to all, offer internships for college students, and build a mentorship network between high school students, current college students, and college alums.
In just one year I have helped make a difference, and I want to continue doing this for the years to come. I'm asking you to help me in that endeavor.
