FHAP STORY
It is often said that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Schools located in low-income neighborhoods have endured decades of inequality – the residual effect of such inequality has created conditions where young people living in economically disadvantaged communities have very few opportunities to succeed. The perceived hopelessness of their situation encourages destructive habits and can be seen in statistics such as higher dropout rates, lower test scores, and higher truancy rates. In short, many of our youth are falling through the cracks. At St. Francis De Sales Foundation, we are committed to stopping this vicious cycle. Through our innovative programs, we are transforming countless children’s lives and that of their families.
We believe that change can never start too early. Our programs aim to empower our youth to excel in school and make positive changes in their lives. Empowering our youth to succeed involves providing mentorship and after-school programs for middle and high school youth that focus on education and job readiness.
The St. Francis De Sales Foundation’s long-term goal is to establish a learning laboratory that will be an invaluable resource center for young people, aspiring mentors, and community members. Until then, we will start by strategically partnering with local groups or organizations to deliver these services.
FHAP MISSION
FHAP’s mission is to change the lives of talented kids from low-income backgrounds by providing educational support from middle school through college and into careers. We also inspire talented young people to enter careers in education through our peer-to-peer model. Our goal is to create leaders who break the cycle of poverty in their families and effect positive change in their communities.
FHAP CORE VALUES
Our Core Values are the fundamental beliefs to which we uphold our scholars, staff, and community members. Our values are:
We learn and lead flexibly and constantly. The best leaders are constant learners. We are courageous in doing what is right and necessary. We are relentlessly curious about how to be better.
We embrace the sense of the possible. Every day is an opportunity to innovate, grow, and learn. We believe that making new mistakes means that we are stretching, and we are never complacent. We approach experiences with a sense of optimism, joy, and infinite possibility.
Relationships matter. Through the trust and confidence that we build in our community, we work together to accomplish great things. We nurture our relationships through a spirit of generosity and mutual respect. We celebrate our differences and that which unites us.
We model integrity. Our trust is placed in our community and each other. We operate with honesty, honor, and commitment to doing the right thing.
We are all in. We are highly engaged with each other, with our scholars, and with our mission. We work hard and aim high because we are deeply dedicated to changing our communities and the world. We do what it takes to get it done.
HOW IT WORKS
It’s an extraordinary commitment, and it’s not for everyone. Our scholars will receive concentrated summer and after-school tutoring throughout middle school, and that culminates with help on high school application tests. Scholars and their families will be trained to assess schools carefully, and we emphasize college prep standards.