Our Mission
Philadelphia Futures prepares students from low-income families to enter and succeed in college by providing mentoring, academic enrichment, college guidance and financial incentives. Working with volunteer mentors, donors, and school personnel, in direct services to students, in partnerships with educational institutions, and in advocacy activities in the broader community, the organization seeks to increase the percentage of Philadelphia graduates prepared for higher education, while simultaneously reducing the institutional barriers to their academic success.
Sponsor-A-Scholar
At the core of Philadelphia Futures is the Sponsor-A-Scholar (SAS) Program. SAS effectively helps promising students to succeed in high school and obtain their college degrees utilizing a multi-pronged approach. The SAS Program provides students with one-on-one mentors, academic support and enrichment activities, funds for college related expenses, and staff support through high school and college. The SAS Program has earned Philadelphia Futures national recognition, including Presidential citations as an outstanding volunteer program and an effective means of bridging racial barriers.
Additional Programs and Services
YouthWorks College Bound
YWCB provides summer and year-round academic courses on area college campuses for students attending Philadelphia’s comprehensive high schools. The curriculum is designed to help students build the skills they need for college and future professional employment.
College Guide for High School Students
Philadelphia Futures produces a unique resource, updated annually, for high school students in the City of Philadelphia. Step Up to College: Philadelphia’s Guide to the College Preparation, Application, Admissions & Financial Aid Process addresses the importance and feasability of obtaining a college degree, and provides resources and practical information to assist students and their families in planning for and being admitted to college. Philadelphia Futures distributes over 70,000 copies of the Guide, free of charge, to public, parochial, and charter school students in Philadelphia. Copies are also available in libraries, and from legislative offices and community-based organizations.
Customized Scholarship and Awards Programs
Philadelphia Futures works closely with businesses, individuals and other organizations to create scholarship and awards programs that recognize and reward college-bound high-school students in Philadelphia and neighboring counties for academic performance, community service and other positive behaviors.
