COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAMS
Be A Leader’s College Access programs provide Arizona middle school and high school students with the knowledge, tools, and support system needed to pursue a higher education. Programming is broken down into two key program tracks; middle school programs designed to develop leadership skills, self-awareness and early awareness of postsecondary pathways and high school programs focused on providing critical and often privileged postsecondary information and support to students primarily attending Title 1 schools. Each track is facilitated through a year-long workshop series, and consistent guidance,through mentoring and individual advising. We host enrichment activities like College and Career Shadowing opportunities. The ultimate goal of our programs is to increase the number of students who pursue a higher education post high school.
BE A LEADER INSTITUTE: ELEMENTARY
(7th GRADE)
Be A Leader Institute Elementary (BLIE) is a program that creates a positive workshop space through its high school-focused curriculum. This is an 8 workshop program coinciding with the academic year that provides participants with the tools, resources & encouragement to attend college and be leaders in their communities. Students will develop a stronger sense of identity, confidence, and desire for life and high school success.
“I have learned a lot from the BLIE program! It helped me realize that I could be myself and taught me what it meant to be a leader and how that would help me help my family. I was a little shy at first but the program helped me get over it and taught me what I needed to do to get to college.”
VALEDICTORIAN CLUB (V-Club)
(8th Grade)
The Valedictorian Club’s (V-Club) focus is on the development of leadership skills, providing its participants with the tools to break down the barriers preventing them from finding a college degree a realistic goal and empowering students with the knowledge to plan their high school and college educational pursuits. Students will learn how to use high school as a platform to develop the leadership and academic skills necessary for entry into and success in college. To date, V-Club has promoted hundreds of students into high school with a strong sense of becoming college-bound, focused, and prepared.
BE A LEADER INSTITUTE: HIGH SCHOOL
The Be A Leader Institute High School (BLIH) program provides high school students with monthly workshops aimed at helping them embark on a college-going path. Our workshops are open to any high school student across the Valley and held at the Arizona State University’s downtown campus. Participants are encouraged to bring new friends each month to ensure their peers are also being exposed to our college-going resources. The Be A Leader Team facilitate small break-out sessions and each month students are exposed to a wide variety of careers through our monthly career panels. Professionals participating in our career panels represent a wide range of industries. Each Be A Leader Institute High School monthly workshops are open to any high school students to attend without the need to apply to the program. Our workshops are open to all 10th and 11th graders across the Valley, and you will develop knowledge and resources to pave your path towards college success.
“I have been attending the Be A Leader Foundation’s monthly workshops since I was in 7th grade. I am now a sophomore in high school with a 4.0 GPA also involved in JROTC and STUGO. I’m interested in becoming a neurologist and my favorite thing about Be A Leader is meeting new people.”
BE A LEADER FRESHMAN HUB (9TH GRADE)
Our Freshman HUB workshops are open to all 9th graders from across the Valley where you will learn how to succeed in your first year in high school through workshops and leadership opportunities as well as developing knowledge and resources to pave your path towards college success.
BE A LEADER HIGH SCHOOL CLUBS
Be A Leader Clubs are our way of directly working with high school students to develop a network of college bound students through high school campuses across Arizona. These clubs are student-led, school sponsored groups that focus on college educational aspirations and pursuits. The clubs support and encourage their membership to actively participate in the monthly Be A Leader Institute High School workshops and provide students with meaningful opportunities to help enhance their college-going journeys. Membership is open to all students who express a desire to achieve a college education!
For more information about our College Access Programs please contact Edith Betancourt, Manager – College Access Programs at edith.betancourt@bealeader.org
