Students used the Career & College Centers 74,657 times last year.
Erin Larson
Communications Manager
P: 612-455-1564
elarson@achievempls.org
Educating our children is the responsibility of our entire community. You can play your part in supporting Minneapolis students’ success, even when short on funds or time to volunteer.
If you’re a parent: get tips on becoming more engaged in your child’s future or attend a parent focus group. If you’re a student: apply for STEP-UP, research AchieveMpls-administered grants and scholarships, or visit your school’s Career & College Center. If you’re a business leader: pledge a job for STEP-UP students, or attend an AchieveMpls event. If you’re just concerned about educating our youth: sign up to get e-newsletters from AchieveMps featuring stories on the latest happenings in our schools.
No matter who you are, we hope you’ll join us in supporting the Minneapolis Public School students. They are our future neighbors, colleagues and friends and they deserve our help now.
If you do find time and want to work directly with the students, please visit our volunteer page using the link below.
As a 2008 graduate of North High, Sirmark Gentry has faced more than his fair share challenges in his 18 years. Having bounced from parent to parent and then foster parent to foster parent when younger, Sirmark found himself homeless for the end of his high school career. Sleeping on a different couch every night, he struggled to let go of family problems and start planning for his future. With the help of “Ms. Arnise,” the Career & College Center coordinator at North, Sirmark eventually found a more permanent home and got in to the STEP-UP Summer Jobs Program. He was excelling in school and in the two high-profile STEP-UP jobs at the University of Minnesota. At the end of last June, Sirmark was slated to speak to a group of business leaders at the Career & College Initiative year end celebration. Sirmark finished his speech with a bit of news – he had just learned that he was the recipient of a full scholarship, room and board included, to the University of Minnesota, beginning in Fall of 2008.