Release Date: Nov 14, 2023
[DALLAS/FORT WORTH] – Last week, about 23,000 pre-K-12 students poured into 45 Uplift Education campuses to start the 2023-2024 school year. Uplift Education, the largest charter school network in Dallas/Fort Worth, began the academic term earlier than other schools’ traditional schedules, empowering local students to get a head start on their journey to success in college, career and life. Uplift Education equips students with the necessary tools to reach their highest potential in college and the global marketplace with no tuition costs.
During their first week, students and families learned about Uplift’s “A New Way to Learn & Earn” Scholarship Program, which gives 5th to 12th grade students to proactively earn up to $3,100 scholarship credits toward their college or career pathway after high school graduation.
“As a parent of a fifth-grader, I am very thrilled for the Learn & Earn program at Uplift. This program will allow students like my daughter the chance to chase their dreams while alleviating financial strain. It will be an awesome bonus that will get her to the next step in life like college,” said Erika Morales, an Uplift North Hills parent.
This initiative aims to positively reinforce great behavior, study practices, and participation in extracurricular activities, encouraging scholars to strive for excellence in every aspect of their education.
“‘A New Way to Learn & Earn’ Scholarship Program embodies our belief in continuous growth and development through education,” stated Yasmin Bhatia, CEO at Uplift Education. “With this initiative, scholars not only come to school to learn but also earn credits toward their future, positively reinforcing great behavior, study practices, and participation in extracurricular activities.”
Uplift Education’s Road to College and Career Team is devoted to guiding scholars through the challenges and opportunities that arise after high school, ensuring they are well-prepared for their chosen paths, whether that be pursuing higher education or embarking directly on their careers. The “New Way to Learn & Earn” Scholarship Program complements this dedicated effort by offering students and families an additional avenue of financial support to jump-start their journey.
“Uplift is addressing the financial barrier that often hinders our scholars access to higher education,” said Ana Belmonte, an RTCC counselor at Uplift Luna. believe this scholarship will bring our families closer to bridging the financial gap and allow our scholars to envision a brighter future beyond high school and pursue their dream college or a career program.”
The statistics speak to the success of Uplift Education’s approach, with a 52% six-year college graduation rate, easily outperforming the state and the country on college graduation of similar demographic students. The program has consistently nurtured scholars, helping them to thrive in college or transition smoothly into their desired careers, with many of them earning, on average, $5,000 more than their counterparts.
The program sets a clear pathway for students to earn varying amounts of credit each year, as shown in the chart below:
Also, Uplift Education supports its scholars year-round by prioritizing social and emotional learning (SEL), providing students with the tools necessary to navigate the complexities of their lives, empowering them to become compassionate leaders and change agents. Through SEL practices integrated into the curriculum, Uplift Education students consistently demonstrate increased self-awareness, improved interpersonal skills, and a heightened sense of empathy and resilience. While 80 percent of Uplift students are economically disadvantaged from underserved communities, 100 percent of graduates have been accepted to college since the first graduating class in 2002.
For more information about Uplift Education and the “A New Way to Learn & Earn” Scholarship Program, click here.
