To and Through College
“Sand Hill Foundation’s investment in collective impact work has allowed like-minded nonprofits to learn from one another, finding keys to success that have often proved elusive for many schools and youth organizations.” — Jeannie Johnson, Vice President, Programs
College Track is a national nonprofit, born in East Palo Alto, which has a simple mission: to empower students from underserved communities to graduate from college. How? Through a comprehensive 10-year program that starts in the summer before 9th grade and extends all the way through college graduation — with academic support, leadership training, financial and college counseling, and scholarships in between.
In 2014, a grant from Sand Hill Foundation through the Silicon Valley Out-of-School-Time Collaborative enabled College Track to integrate a new non-cognitive skill development program into its curriculum. These skills in kids — tenacity, optimism, self-discipline — are critical to success in the challenging learning environments youth face in underserved communities. College Track’s new program aims to foster social-emotional growth, alongside academic support.
Over many years, Sand Hill Foundation has helped College Track increase the scale and improve the quality of its programs in East Palo Alto. But the real benefit to our region is increased economic mobility. The majority of students served by College Track in this and subsequent years will return to the community to work, buy homes, and send their own children to college.
