CollegeTracks — Foundation’s New Signature Program

This past spring, the B-CC High School Educational Foundation added the award-winning B-CC CollegeTracks as a Foundation signature program to its continuum of essential programs that serve B-CC students. With this addition, the Foundation now enables the school to offer a range of academic support services for students: from the summer before their freshman year, throughout their high school years, to when they pursue post-secondary education options. CollegeTracks, started seven years ago by three B-CC parents, works with low and moderate income students who can succeed at college but may not get there simply because they don’t know how to apply to college or get financial aid. Few have adults in their lives familiar enough with the American higher education system to guide them successfully through an increasingly complicated system. Some are immigrants who face language and cultural obstacles. Most believe college is unaffordable.

CollegeTracks staff and trained volunteers work right at B-CC to ensure that students and families get inspiration, information and support to understand their postsecondary education op- tions, successfully navigate the admissions process, and secure the financial aid they need in order to attend college. Since 2002, CollegeTracks has worked with more than 540 students at B-CC, over 95% of whom have gone on to college or technical school. CollegeTracks received this year’s Montgomery County Board of Education Distinguished Service to Public Education Award for or- ganizations that have made exemplary contributions to public education in Montgomery County. According to Dr. Frank Stetson, Community Superinten11dent for B-CC High School, "This award is well deserved. CollegeTracks has helped make college a reality for students who might not otherwise be able to take advantage of such opportunities."

Started with $1,500 seed money from the Foundation in the fall of 2002, CollegeTracks was an all-volunteer effort for three years. In December 2005, on the basis of its success at B-CC, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation awarded it a two-year $90,000 grant to expand the program to Wheaton High School. With additional generous contributions from local government, charitable organizations, and individuals, and in- kind support from the school system, College- Tracks has had a paid staff at both schools for the last two years, allowing it to reach more students and deliver more comprehensive services.

"CollegeTracks is remarkably cost-effective, serving each student annually for less than $400," says Executive Director Nancy Leopold. "The return on this investment is huge – for the students, for their families, and for our entire community." To ensure that CollegeTracks will continue to deliver these essential services to B-CC students year after year, the Foundation made CollegeTracks a signature program and pledged to raise $50,000 for its annual operating costs.