Steppingstone Scholars, Inc Awarded Wells Fargo 2018 Grant for Middle Grades Academy
Philadelphia, PA (8/14/2018) – Steppingstone Scholars is honored to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from Wells Fargo. Through Wells Fargo’s commitment to Philadelphia youth and deepening their support of Steppingstone Scholars, these funds will support the Middle Grades Academy (MGA) program and Steppingstone’s effort to address Philadelphia’s broken pipeline to college and the workforce. Steppingstone Scholars long-term goal is to build a K-12 pipeline of integrated college and workforce programs that focus on the catchment neighborhood schools in North and West Philadelphia with high-quality academic college and career preparatory enrichment in neighborhood schools.
“Wells Fargo has been a critical partner in our efforts to create a pathway to college and career in neighborhoods where the communities and students are being educationally underserved,” stated Sean Vereen, President of Steppingstone Scholars, Inc.
For the 2017-2018 School year, Middle Grades Academy (MGA) was implemented in Paul L Dunbar and Tanner G Duckrey in North Philadelphia and Morton McMichael in West Philadelphia. MGA students saw a 28% increase in PSSA scores and 30% increase in students admitted to special admit and city-wide high schools.
Steppingstone Scholars, Inc. brings its best practices, curriculum and partnerships, through the Middle Grades Academy, to bridge the gap in the college and workforce pipeline by implementing a STEAM-based curriculum that will narrow racial and socioeconomic gaps in access, preparation, and achievement in STEAM-related fields for low-income and minority youth. Steppingstone is working to create K-12 programming that creates a pathway to college and career with the support of Wells Fargo, the Middle Grades Academy will support and impact underserved students and families in North and West Philadelphia.
Wells Fargo awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process. “Wells Fargo is really proud to partner with Steppingstone Scholars, as we work to enrich students’ lives in the Philadelphia Region, stated Laura McCluskey, Customer Experience Strategy Leader, Marketing. “To watch traditionally educationally underserved children achieve academic success, due to Steppingstone Scholars’ comprehensive programming and brilliant staff is really moving. They create a connection with the students, also giving their families the full support needed to inspire the students to soar educationally, and in life.”
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About Steppingstone Scholars, Inc.
Steppingstone Scholars, working with families and school partners, provides rigorous educational programming and support for talented underserved students in the Philadelphia Region to achieve academic success, opportunity, and a college degree. Steppingstone’s programs focus on serving students ages 10-24, in order to help them be successful in middle and high school, and now through college.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $2.0 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,500 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 273,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 27 on Fortune’s 2016 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.