FIRST GRADUATE
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Mission Statement
First Graduate’s mission is to assist San Francisco students in becoming the first in their families to graduate from college ready to pursue careers that are meaningful to them. We level the playing field for students of color, children of immigrants, those from challenging economic circumstances, and those otherwise disenfranchised in the dominant culture. We work to correct the inequity in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) between students of means with a family college-going tradition, and the 83% without. We provide educational equity for low-income minority children and youth attending San Francisco middle and high schools, leading to graduation from some of the best colleges and universities across the country. We achieve this mission by providing the same individual attention, educational assistance, and mentoring that are available to more financially privileged students at better-resourced schools.
About This Cause
First Graduate provides academic support and coaching for low-income students that spans seventh grade through college graduation. First Graduate works with middle and high school students who will be first-generation college graduates, with a focus on San Francisco students with the greatest need – those from households without a college-going tradition and who attend schools that are unable to provide them the assistance and resources they need to succeed in high school, graduate from college, and excel in their careers. Eighty-five percent of First Graduate’s 2020-21 students come from immigrant families and 91% qualify for free/reduced lunch. Both of our two Middle Schools fall within the bottom half of the Academic Performance Index. Our students are 99% persons of color: Hispanic or Latino (67%;) Asian/Pacific Islander (20%); Black or African American (7%) and Multiracial/Other (5%). We begin in Middle School as this has been proven to be the most crucial time to engage low-income youth. Students strengthen their abilities in math, language arts, science and technology; explore future college and career choices; attend college campus visits and participate in community service projects. They receive assistance in enrolling in academically rigorous high schools. We coach our High School Program students to ensure their completion of coursework to achieve CSU and UC eligibility. Students select classes that align with their intended college major. We provide standardized test preparation, college application assistance, financial aid workshops, summer enrichment opportunities and internships through our collaborative corporate network. The College Success Program prepares our students for academic achievement during their college matriculation. Advisors provide a sense of structure, training in habits for later job success, time management skills, financial literacy and money management and accessing academic and emotional support resources. We connect students to scholarships and assist with application coaching. Our Career Success Program prepares students for the workforce at developmentally appropriate levels from middle school through college, including: 1) Mission Leap - A virtual professional development fellowship where students work on resumes, cover letters, and networking skills; 2) Coach 3.0 - Alumni and volunteers coach students in keeping their grade point average above a 3.0; 3) Launchpad, career readiness mentoring in collaboration with Deloitte to help them get their first career-track job after college; 4) Career Fair where students can apply to jobs, network with professionals, and potentially be hired; and, 5) Alumni Network, connecting program graduates with one another and with college seniors about to enter the workforce. Throughout First Graduate’s history, 99% percent of our participating seniors have graduated from high school, compared to only 79% of all San Francisco County. Ninety-nine percent of our students enroll into college immediately after high school – the national average is only 46%. Ninety percent of First Graduate students complete the required coursework to be eligible for California 4-year public colleges, compared to 60% of SFUSD students. Finally, 75% of First Graduate students enrolled in 4-year colleges graduate within six years, compared to the only 11% national average success rate. Ten of our most recent 14 graduates have gone on to either attend graduate school or enter the workforce in the bio-tech field. First Graduate currently serves 376 students from middle school through college graduation. We focus on students of greatest need – those from households without a college-going tradition who attend low-resourced schools that are unable to provide the assistance they need. To date, 143 First Graduate alumni have graduated from college as the first members of their families to do so. By changing the expectations for low-income students and their families and making a college education attainable, we change the dynamics of families, neighborhoods, and communities. Together, we can make social justice a reality by ensuring that every student in San Francisco has access to high-quality learning experiences so that they can succeed in college and beyond.