Supporting low-income students in the Bay Area with education, financial capability, and employment opportunities, Juma Ventures has been selected to receive a $300,000 contribution from AT&T’s Aspire Program. With its mission to help break the cycle of poverty by ensuring young people complete a four-year college degree, Juma has helped over 1,300 students every year realize their goals for success in high school and higher education. This contribution from AT&T will support the implementation of Juma’s Pathways program, an innovative youth development program that will measurably improve the high school graduation rate for low-income students in the San Francisco Unified School District.
“We are honored to work with Juma Ventures as its commitment to the youth of the Bay Area has made a tremendous impact on not only the students’ future careers, but also on the health of their local communities,” said Ken McNeely, President of AT&T California. “Juma has become a vital resource for underserved youth, and this contribution is one way that we can work with this imperative youth development program to help ensure the success of students and the success of our economy.”
Because of its solid record of proven results, Juma Ventures has been named as one of 47 recipients nationwide that will share in nearly $10 million from AT&T. With more than 1 million students impacted since its launch in 2008, the AT&T Aspire program is one of the largest corporate commitments focused on helping more students graduate from high school ready for college and careers. AT&T announced an additional quarter-billion-dollar expansion to the program earlier this year, bringing the total commitment to $350 million.
“We are very excited to be teaming up with AT&T to help under-resourced youth achieve their dreams of earning a college education,” said Dr. Marc Spencer, Juma’s CEO. “This contribution will go a long way in helping us provide our students with the tools and resources they need to overcome barriers and successfully transition into a life of higher education and greater success.”
Educators in schools and non-profits across the country have a unique understanding of the challenges students face in their communities. Through a competitive process, 47 schools and non-profits, including Juma Ventures, were selected from thousands nationwide. To learn more about all of the organizations that were selected, please visit www.att.com/local-impact.
Applicants were evaluated based on their accomplishments in serving students at risk of dropping out of high-school and their ability to use data to demonstrate the effectiveness of their work. After a rigorous and competitive process, Juma Ventures was identified as making a real difference in their community by supporting and motivating traditionally underserved students to stay in school and prepare for the next step in life.
"I went from not having any support at all, to supporting myself, to being supported by everyone at Juma,” said Joanna Sedillo, a Juma student. “The resources and opportunities that Juma provides have changed my life forever."
