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At the beginning of his senior year in September, Samuel DaSilva was in the dark about the college application process.
The senior at East Side High School said the process seemed “long-winded” at first, as he recapped his experience to a room full of Newark education leaders on Friday.
A soon-to-be first-generation college student, DaSilva wasn’t sure where to begin, and his parents didn’t know much about the process either. He also didn’t know about the types of scholarships he could apply for until NJ LEEP, a nonprofit working with first-generation and low-income students to help them reach college, explained the process to him and his parents.
Through a partnership with Newark Public Schools and a grant from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Foundation, the nonprofit will launch a school-based program next year at Central and East Side high schools to expand students’ access to college opportunities and support high school students like DaSilva.
“NJ LEEP staff spent a lot of time informing my family and I about the long-winded, multifaceted college application process,” said DaSilva at a press conference at Central High School on Friday. “Now that I’m in the midst of these applications, they are my guiding anchor and my guiding light in all of this.”
With application deadlines for colleges and universities approaching, students are busy thinking about what school they want to attend and writing personal statements while savoring their last moments of senior year. But even after students submit their college applications, those who are the first to go to college or come from low-income families face additional challenges, such as finding ways to pay for college, navigating the new Better Free Application for Federal Student Aid, understanding financial aid options, and deciding what to major in.
NJ LEEP will support district students in getting a college education by providing college resources and guidance to students at Central and East Side for the first time. The nonprofit has been in the community since 2007 and has previously supported students in their college process. The new partnership will allow NJ LEEP to connect with students and provide their services after school, at Saturday school, and during the summer at no cost to the district.
The nonprofit will hire district teachers and counselors who are familiar with the students, schools, and community to guide students before, during, and after the college process, according to NJ LEEP. They offer a range of services from SAT/ACT prep to opportunities to develop social-emotional skills, internships, field trips, and volunteer experiences.
Superintendent Roger Leòn on Friday said the district understands the necessary support system needed to get to college and by providing NJ LEEP’s program in two district high schools, they are providing students with “someone who understands all of the work.”
Ziven Lewis has also benefited from NJ LEEP’s resources. A sophomore at Central High School, Lewis has been a part of the organization’s program since middle school. He said his confidence has grown, his grades have improved, and he’s been able to manage his responsibilities while also playing football at Central High School.
“Seeing how much I’ve grown from last year, I am confident that I will be able to achieve the goals I have for myself. I’m excited to begin exploring life after high school,” said Lewis during Friday’s press conference.
Newark Public School’s Class of 2024 earned $169 million in college scholarships, and 48.9% of students in the Class of 2023 completed their freshman year in college, said León on Friday. The statistics point to the need to provide continuous support to students after high school, León added.
“The ultimate goal is not only graduating students from high school — we know we do that — but actually having them successfully complete college as well,” León said.
DaSilva, the senior at East Side, said NJ LEEP “changed the future outlook of his life” and has increased his confidence and public speaking skills through the nonprofit’s resources. He completed his college applications on Thursday and is a finalist for the QuestBridge scholarship, a program that provides full four-year scholarships to high-achieving students from low-income families.
He wants to attend Case Western Reserve University and major in mechanical engineering.
Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.
