Congratulations to our class of 2013 scholarship recipients

This year, Farther Foundation will help 18 deserving high school students take a bold step toward a brighter future.  They come from neighborhoods that face challenges of crime, poverty, isolation and often despair. But these students are fighting the odds, confronting the challenges, seizing opportunities and preparing to succeed.

Meet our Farther Foundation class of 2013 scholars who will travel across the country and around the world to discover the best in themselves.

Students abroadJuan will trek to volcanoes and waterfalls, explore the language and culture, and provide over 70 hours of community service on an expedition to Nicaragua with The Road Less Traveled.

– “I’ve always been confined to the boundaries of the city’s south side. While this in itself is not necessarily bad, it’s not what I want my life to be.”

Ladasia will learn about writing and living on a college campus while participating in the summer writing program at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

– “I feel like I’m reaching my potential now that I’m on this new path.”

Froilan will spend 30 days in the Pacific Northwest on a backcountry expedition with The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) developing wilderness and leadership skills.

– “There are going to be numerous challenges waiting for me and with this experience, I would really see my potential grow.”

Tavaris will get a taste of college life while honing his writing skills at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

– “I work hard every day and try to overcome my past. I am a survivor.”

Ashanti and Christine will travel with AFS to Argentina and China respectively, live with local host families and practice their language skills.

– “It’s not uncommon for people my age to feel like they do not have the opportunity to see anything outside of the poverty filled city.”
— “If I can do all these things before going to college, I can inspire others to do the same.”

Clariza will spend three weeks with students from across the country on the campus of Davidson College in North Carolina experiencing rigorous classes and college responsibilities.

– “My family has financial problems. Because of that, people often try to set limits for me.”

Abigail and Nicholas will become certified SCUBA divers while learning conservation science and marine biology on a service program with The Road Less Traveled in the Florida Keys.

– “I love to be part of a team that has a positive goal of helping others.”
— “This trip is not a vacation, there will be early rises and important tasks to accomplish.”

Brittanie will join a Rustic Pathways program in Costa Rica where she will live with a local host family and learn the local language and culture.

– “I believe that people who travel think about things more meaningfully.”

Jasmine and Kadian will both experience the freedoms and challenges of university life while studying women’s issues at Brown University.

– “I love to be empowered with knowledge.”
— “I will be the first person in my family to graduate college.”

Alicia will spend a month on a Putney Student Travel expedition that encompasses both community service and unique cultural and wildlife experiences in Tanzania.

– “I want to work and affect the lives of the people of Tanzania.”

Gustavo will have a Big 10 experience during his three weeks of living and taking classes at Penn State University.

– “I selected this program because nobody in my family has gone to college.”

Lizbeth will visit Panama with AFS, provide community service and work on her language fluency.

– “I do hope to bring my experience back to my peers.”

Tyler will spend two weeks with Visions Service Adventures exploring the Dominican Republic on a program filled with service projects and cultural exploration.

– “I don’t believe it is possible to live a great life oblivious to the wonders of the world.”

Jerry will partake in sea turtle conservation and coral reef restoration with The Road Less Traveled on a service trip to the island of Bonaire in the Dutch Caribbean.

– “I believe that you really do get repaid for the good things you do in life.”

Jessica will join student from around the country on the Pine Ridge Sioux reservation in South Dakota as part of the In-Sight Photography Project exploring native culture through the arts.

– “I look forward to learn what inspires other people to take photos and to meet other teens who are also inspired with photography.”

Go Farther!
 

Summer learning narrows the achievement gap

At Farther Foundation we evaluate the success of our program in several ways. In the long-run, we believe the most telling statistics will be the high school graduation, college enrollment and college graduation rates of our program alumni. We are very pleased to report that 100% of our scholarship recipients have graduated high school, 95% have continued directly into college and all but one of those are currently enrolled. We look forward to seeing our first class of alumni graduate in 2014.

Another critical research finding that we recently saw reported by the National Summer Learning Association indicates that nearly two-thirds of the 9th grade achievement gap can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. So not only are the summer educational travel programs enabled by Farther Foundation inspirational to a student’s future goals and aspirations, they are foundational in preparing students to achieve every day in their ongoing education.

Go Farther!

 

 
 

Farther Foundation is a not-for-profit organization providing scholarships and support for economically disadvantaged students to participate in educational travel experiences that are significant and life changing.  Farther Foundation partners with schools and community organizations to identify students who demonstrate commitment to success through academic achievement, participation in support programs and a willingness to take a bold step beyond the familiar.