Reach for the Stars—Jesus (SEED LA ’26)

At SEED, we encourage students to reach for the stars—literally, in the case of aspiring aerospace engineer Jesus (SEED LA ’26). Jesus has seized the opportunities he has found at SEED LA, California’s first STEM-focused, public, college-prep boarding school. For example, last school year he traveled cross-country to Washington, D.C., to compete in the Mars Innovation Challenge.

“For my project, I adapted a piece in an international space station for Mars and modified it to make it more ecofriendly and to work in tighter spaces. I had to design my own model, make a video, and write an essay.” Jesus’ hard work and ingenuity earned him third place in a field of 5,000! In addition to the accolades, Jesus gained confidence by testing himself. “I was nervous to participate in the challenge, but through my own grit and perseverance, I stuck with it. I am proud of myself.”

SEED provides our students with the chance to shine by connecting them with one-of-a-kind experiences to nurture their talents and potential. In addition to the opportunities that SEED provides, we encourage students to cultivate and share their own interests. Jesus is starting a 3D printing club to share his interest in technology with his peers.

“The club I founded is a 3D printing club. The school has 3D printers, and I asked (SEED LA Head of School) Dr. Lewis if I could test them out. I first started using them on my own and then decided to establish a club. There are a lot of students interested in joining.”

Boarding School -- A Brand-New Experience 

The decision to enroll in California’s first public boarding STEM school was a leap of faith for Jesus. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but he is happy with the choice he made and the community he has found. “Receiving a boarding education is way different that I expected. I am really engaged in school. The teachers offer one-on-one support, and I love my counselors. They help me with my homework and give me great advice. They are always here to help me.”

During his time at SEED LA, Jesus has been exposed to possibilities for his future that weren’t on his radar before. “I love doing and creating things, but before SEED, I didn’t have a vision of becoming an engineer.” Now that he has found something that sparks his curiosity and challenges him, he is eager to pursue it further. “I’m looking forward to learning new material. I want to be an aerospace engineer, and I want to learn about the different jobs available with this path. This upcoming summer, I want to go to a summer program at MIT for their minority group STEM program. I also want to apply to NASA’s internship program.”

Full Speed Ahead – To and Through College

Jesus is looking forward to his junior year on SEED LA’s recently completed state-of-the-art campus. He will explore career paths, take AP classes, and participate in extracurricular activities such as clubs and sports. He will continue to visit college campuses, attend college expos, and get ready to apply to and enroll in the college of his choice.

As a future first-generation college graduate, Jesus is planning to utilize all the college knowledge and advising resources SEED offers to set him up for success. He has his sights set on several competitive colleges and universities, including Caltech, MIT, Stanford, UCLA, Princeton, and Howard University.

“I am excited about visiting colleges and learning more about the application process. My number one focus is getting ready for college—so I am looking forward to learning about financial aid and scholarships. I have already started applying for scholarships.” As Jesus continues on his path to, through, and beyond college, he will have The SEED Foundation supporting him every step of the way.  

Right-Fit Matters: On-Campus Disability Supports Contribute to College Success

Editor’s Note: This is the third article in SEED’s four-part series highlighting the role that high-quality on-campus student support services play in college success. In this installment, we discuss the importance of disability supports and how SEED partners with right fit colleges to ensure students have access to the services that they can benefit from—and are entitled to. To learn more about the importance of on-campus financial and academic supports, check out the first two articles in our series.  

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Right-Fit Matters: On-Campus Disability Supports Contribute to College Success

Editor’s Note: This is the third article in SEED’s four-part series highlighting the role that high-quality on-campus student support services play in college success. In this installment, we discuss the importance of disability supports and how SEED partners with right fit colleges to ensure students have access to the services that they can benefit from—and are entitled to. To learn more about the importance of on-campus financial and academic supports, check out the first two articles in our series.  

Self-Advocacy Starts at SEED

First-year college students have a lot to juggle. They must find their footing academically and socially while adjusting to the independence of their new environment. And for students with disabilities, obtaining accommodations and support is an added change. Luckily, SEED’s College Transition & Success programming and the disability support offices at right fit colleges empower students to make the most of their college experiences.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 21% of undergraduates report having some kind of disability—which can include physical disabilities, health conditions, and cognitive and learning differences. For these students to continue receiving essential support services while in college, they must know what services are available, how to find them, and how to ask for what they need. SEED graduates who require disability supports have a leg up when it comes to doing this type of self-advocacy because they start preparing with their SEED advisors long before they get to campus.    

Steps to Success

The first step to a successful transition for a student with disabilities and/or learning differences is finding a right fit college with strong on-campus supports. SEED endorses colleges that have well-designed, accessible, and available resources that help students thrive.

The next step is to prepare the required documentation. Many colleges require students to bring physical documentation with them from their high schools, including IEP’s (Individualized Education Plans) and testing results. Students often have a short window early in their freshman year to provide this information. College Success Advisor Kiaira Muhammad and her colleagues at all SEED campuses facilitate students submitting all required information before high school graduation. Since each college has different requirements, it is very helpful for students to have a seasoned expert like their SEED college success advisors to help them collect everything they will need. Making sure students can meet these requirements is an essential part of SEED’s summer advising.

Once students arrive on campus, it is up to them to take the step to connect with their respective office of disability support, self-identify as someone who can benefit from accommodations, and seek out the right resources. This is a barrier for some new college students, explains Ms. Muhammad. “Some students have that ‘bootstrap mentality’ and think they should just be able to do it on their own. They may also feel like they’ll be somehow singled out. Or, they may just feel they no longer need the accommodations that they used in high school.” It is ultimately up to the student to decide what they want to do, but when they have a SEED college success advisor and strong on-campus supports, they have the benefit of choosing to take advantage of a range of available resources.

Right Fit Colleges Partner with Students

Effective disability support services at right fit colleges partner with students who take the initiative to seek out services to identify the best resources for each individual. Ms. Muhammad has seen right fit colleges at work providing effective on-campus disability support for her advisees. These colleges excel at communicating with students, understanding their individual needs, and connecting them with support. “At Elizabeth City State University, where SEED Miami students have been successful, the office of disability support is proactive in their communication. For example, if they have on file that a student previously received services and saw that their grades are slipping, they will email the student informing them about services such as tutoring. Another example is Johnson C. Smith University. I was reminded how great their office is when I visited a few graduates during a College Outreach Visit. I saw them encouraging students to bring in documentation, offering testing if needed, and going through class schedules with students to help them figure out what kinds of accommodations to ask for in each class,” shares Ms. Muhammad.  

While all colleges are required to provide reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities, the quality and substance of those services varies. Right fit colleges have disability support services that are easy for students to find, have staff who are knowledgeable about how to support students, and are proactive about offering options best suited for each individual student. These colleges create an intentional culture of inclusivity that provides a sense of belonging for all students, including those with disabilities. SEED continues to seek out and highlight the work of our right fit college partners and their commitment to college success for all students.

To learn more about right fit college matching, and SEED’s College Matching Technology (CMT), click here or contact Vincena Allen, chief growth officer, at vincena@seedfoundation.com.

Right Fit Matters: The Importance of On-Campus Academic Supports

Editor’s Note: This is the second installment in SEED’s four-part series on the benefits of high-quality on-campus student supports. Here, we dig into the importance of academic support services such as academic advising, tutoring, textbook lending, study sessions, and instructional support which are designed to help students overcome barriers to persistence and degree attainment. Our first article covered what strong financial supports look like at right fit colleges, and why those services are so critical for college success.

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A Smooth College Transition—It’s Within Reach with SEED

SEED’s students gain many tools in preparation for postsecondary success. They follow a rigorous academic curriculum, including AP courses, dual enrollment at community colleges, and experiential learning opportunities. And in college transition seminars, they continue to hone their time management skills, determine a career path, and gain an understanding of academic expectations.

To ensure our graduates continue to have access to tools designed to help them excel, SEED’s right fit college matching process identifies colleges and universities that mirror our commitment to centering student needs. We have learned that right fit colleges and universities are deliberate about offering high-quality supports. For example, at a right fit college students can walk into a tutoring center and be quickly matched with a tutor in the subject area where they need help. These colleges also have writing centers where students can develop and sharpen their college-level writing skills. Ashley Bargeron, college success manager for SEED’s College Transition & Success (CTS) program, shared with us the importance of services such as writing centers, “First year students generally need additional support with writing at the collegiate level. So, with a writing center, its ideal for students to be able to access support, immediately and ongoing.”

In addition to offering strong academic supports, right fit colleges demonstrate additional key attributes: clear communication to students of all the services available and how to access them, and the capacity to serve students when they need it. Mrs. Bargeron explains the impact of schools that do not have the right fit criteria for student supports. “At these schools essential services don’t exist, they are not well known, or when a student tries to access them there is a waiting list.” Research by Tyton Partners found 60 percent of students were unaware of the on-campus supports offered to them at their college or university, which can negatively impact student retention and success.

SEED is committed to supporting the postsecondary dreams and goals of our students; therefore, our CTS advisors not only guide our students to continue their education at right fit colleges, but they also ensure that they are making the most of on-campus services. “Connecting with services on campus, including tutoring, is an important part of our College Outreach Visits. We go to offices on campus with our advisees. It serves as a way to bridge that gap, to help them figure out the questions that they need to be asking. Sometimes they need someone familiar to break the ice,” shares Mrs. Bargeron. A guide on postsecondary student success published by the Institute of Education Sciences What Works Clearinghouse explains how college students may meet barriers to accessing the services to overcome academic setbacks that can obstruct their path to college completion. The guide notes that, “Though postsecondary institutions might offer supports that could help students navigate these challenges, students are often unaware of these supports or might have difficulty accessing them because the supports are either limited or offered at inconvenient times or locations.”

Right Fit Colleges Are Key to Helping Students Stay the Course

The path to success includes leveraging the tools to build one’s capacity to achieve. SEED’s college transition and success advising, combined with our right fit college matching, contribute to the network of resources SEED graduates have at their disposal. We are proud to partner with the many colleges and universities that share our commitment to college success and completion for all students by providing on-campus supports which reduce the barriers faced by low-income, first-generation students.

To learn more about right fit college matching, and SEED’s College Matching Technology (CMT), click here or contact Vincena Allen, Chief Growth Officer, at vincena@seedfoundation.com.

Right Fit Matters: The Importance of High Quality Campus Supports

We are excited to kick-off a new series where we take a deep dive into the importance of high-quality on campus supports! This series will shine a light on supports associated with college financing, academics, disability, and counseling services. In this installment, we are highlighting what strong financial supports look like at right fit colleges, and why those services are so critical for SEED graduates—and low-income, first-generation students nationally. 

Right fit college matching is a cornerstone of SEED’s college success programming. Using years of feedback from our one-on-one work with SEED graduates combined with extensive data collection, we have learned definitively that low-income, first-generation students have the highest degree attainment rates when they attend colleges with a proven track record of high graduation rates for underrepresented students, generous financial aid packages, and high quality on-campus student supports.

Navigating College Affordability – SEED is Making it Possible

According to the Lumina Foundation, total college expenses including tuition, fees, and living expenses have increased 160% since 1980. Financial aid awards are not keeping pace with rising costs, leaving college students to figure out how to fill the widening gap. Considering these trends, it’s no surprise that financial difficulty is the number one reason college students leave school before earning a degree.

Despite these challenges, it is possible to pay for college without incurring significant debt when students have the right information, a great deal of persistence, and targeted support. That’s why SEED’s high school students and their families start learning about financing college early, and their college advisors help them navigate the process. Once enrolled in college, SEED graduates have to keep on top of their finances in order to persist through college completion. They build self-advocacy skills and maneuver on-campus financial resources with the support of their SEED advisors. “SEED advisors work in partnership with our graduates and families to help them better understand and move through the financial aid process. We also counsel them on the right questions to ask once enrolled in college,” says Quinton Lampkin, The SEED Foundation’s director of College Transition & Success.

SEED Identifies and Partners with Right Fit Institutions

SEED identifies partners at right fit colleges and universities who go the extra mile to help students finance their education. The teams working in the financial aid offices at these institutions are proactive in their support of SEED graduates. “Institutions we partner with and endorse as right fit go deeper and with intentionality about what they are offering students. They are meeting with students one-on-one and helping students identify additional funding sources to reduce student loan burdens,” explains Mr. Lampkin.  

SEED’s right fit college matching criteria identifies specific factors that define strong on-campus financial supports. This includes examining the median amount of debt that students are graduating with when they leave an institution. Financial aid offices that meet these standards provide accessible resources and work with SEED graduates to identify opportunities to lessen their financial burden. For example, many colleges and universities have scholarships available for students of different identity groups or majors. They may include microgrants for unanticipated expenses or funding for study abroad opportunities.  

Data continues to show that college degree holders are better positioned for increased earning potential, stable employment, homeownership, and many other positive health and life outcomes. At SEED, we know that the right knowledge, resources, and support network can drastically increase our graduates’ capacity to navigate financial challenges and complete college. On-campus financial aid offices play a critical role in college success, and we are proud to partner with right fit colleges and universities that share our commitment to college completion for every student.

Delayed FAFSA Rollout Burdens College Bound Students

Without financial aid, a college degree is simply not an option for low-income, first-generation (LIFG) students. Delays and failures in this year’s rollout of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) have left millions of college-intending students and their families in a dilemma. This includes SEED students who are planning to start college this fall, and graduates currently enrolled in college.

The FAFSA is Critical

Completion of the FAFSA is a major predictor of college intention and college enrollment. It determines eligibility for financial aid, including Pell Grants, federal loans, state aid, and many scholarships. Additionally, colleges use it to determine their financial aid awards for students after they are accepted, allowing students to make informed college financing choices.

At SEED, our students begin learning about financial aid in their junior year of high school and kick off their senior year ready to apply and to evaluate the full cost of college—with the goal of amassing little to no debt. As soon as the FAFSA is released—which is traditionally in October—our students are working with their college counselors, attending FAFSA completion nights with their families, and submitting their forms as early as possible. This advance preparation is key to building a manageable plan to pay for college. Unfortunately, this year’s challenges with the FAFSA, including its late December release, have piled added stress and doubt to an already complex process. “Enrolling in college is such a major decision for our families and the delay with the FAFSA is creating a level of uncertainty. There is a resurgence of the national narrative that college isn’t worth it and the debacle with the FAFSA seems like one more proof point that the college pathway is not for them,” shared Quinton Lampkin, director of college transition & success.  

FAFSA Overhaul was Overdue

The idea to streamline the FAFSA was a good one—and long overdue. The FAFSA Simplification Act, passed by Congress in 2020, was intended to make the arduous process of applying for aid easier onstudents and families. It reduced the number of questions from 108 to 46. It significantly increased the number of students who are eligible for the maximum Pell Grant award (Pell Grants are government grants of up to $7,395 available to students with the greatest demonstrated financial need). It also reduced the burden on students who have been homeless or in foster care. “While this has been frustrating and challenging, the revisions to the FAFSA are positive. Sitting down and doing the form with students has been much more efficient. Another benefit is the expansion of the Pell Grants. The changes have moved the needle on something that has been a barrier for low-income students for a long time. Anytime there is an overhaul of a system there are going to be glitches. What has been difficult is the scale of impact,” says Mr. Lampkin.

Mounting Setbacks

The delays continue to have cascading effects. College financial aid offices will not receive FAFSA application information from students until March at the earliest. This means college-bound seniors will not know how much colleges expect them to pay until sometime in April. Many colleges require students to commit and pay deposits by May 1 which leaves precious little time to make one of the most significant financial decisions of their life. Though some colleges have moved this date later, as college success professional associations such as the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and others have urged, students cannot rely on extra time.

The FAFSA is not just for high school seniors. Enrolled college students also must fill it out every year. To continue their education, SEED graduates such as college junior Harri-Anna (SEED Miami ‘21, Howard University ‘25) need to plan and budget carefully. “The delay of FAFSA has definitely impacted me as a current college student. I normally am prepared to submit my FAFSA no later than December, but with the delays I have just recently completed everything. I am a bit worried because I have never done it so late and I am not certain if there will be any changes to my financial aid,” says Harri-Anna.  

SEED Scholars and Staff Persist

This is what SEED does. We have been at the forefront of ensuring that our students have what they need to get through the financial aid process, including the critical component of the FAFSA. When the award notifications finally come in, our college success advisors are going to do what they do best. They will review the letters with our high school seniors line by line, calculate tuition and living costs, scholarships, and loan amounts so students can make the most informed decision. We are in constant contact with our graduates as they figure out how they will finance their path to college completion. And we will be with graduates through the summer and all school year to help them through hurdles as they arise. “We are fortunate that our students can trust that our counselors and advisors will do our part. We are going to work with them to get everything submitted. However, I am concerned for other low-income, first-generation students that don’t have the same resources that SEED students have,” shared Mr. Lampkin.

Legacy of Success: Eboni-Rose Thompson, SEED DC '04

My experience at SEED was formative. And as a graduate of the founding class, I had a very unique experience that even my sisters who attended later didn’t have. I like to say, “I grew up in a start-up.” The combination of what it takes to build out a place—physically and programmatically—while you’re living there is an experience, kind of like building the plane while you’re flying it. Because it was an innovative idea, they were always looking to make things better—there was a high tolerance for change. I keep that in mind in my public service and my job—I want to make progress that our people can be a part of. I often ask myself, “What are the levers I can help pull to make sure kids have the same investment I’ve had in my future?”

SEED being a small school really shaped my experience. My relationships with the adults in the SEED community were also very important to me. How could they not know us in such a small community? I still know them well now. I actually live right down the street from SEED, and I represent the school as the Ward 7 Representative to the DC State Board of Education, so I have a continuing relationship with the school.

Two of the experiences that most shaped me while I was at SEED were the opportunities to go to Greece and Australia. My time overseas piqued my interest in international relations, with the idea of joining the Foreign Service. In Australia, we learned about Aboriginal cultures, among other things, which in turn led me to take a look at the dynamics around race and culture in the U.S. It was eye-opening, and I still think about it to this day. It continues to influence me in the work that I do.

When it came time for me to go to college, I chose to attend the University of Pennsylvania. I liked that it was in a city and away from home but also close enough for me to get back if needed. My transition to Penn was fairly smooth and didn’t really feel like a shock. I studied international relations. With 9/11 still fresh in people’s minds at that time, classes in international relations were a lot about security versus people and cultures, which is what I was drawn to after my time studying abroad. By the end of my time at Penn, I realized it didn’t really feel right to go somewhere else and do something else when there was already so much need at home. Instead of going into the Foreign Service, I started working for DCPS, supporting neighborhood schools, then with Save the Children, and then America’s Promise, and now I do consulting on social impact. I also serve as President of the DC State Board of Education and am very involved in my community.

In my work with the State Board of Education, I strive to help provide the kinds of opportunities SEED gave me. It is not lost on me that DC has one of the lower graduation rates but highest rates of graduate degrees in the country. I want to build access to the highest degrees and incomes attainable for kids growing up in my world , to put them on pathways to be part of a thriving DC . I can’t see the opportunities  and not want them for other people, the same way SEED envisioned a future for me and my classmates.

Legacy of Success: Jaron Bell, SEED DC '04

Jaron Bell (SEED DC ’04, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ’11)

My mother found SEED because she wanted something better for me. I had a negative outlook on teachers and education after getting kicked out of multiple schools. So, at eleven years old—and despite my resistance—I was enrolled at SEED.

While at SEED, I was pushed academically and socially. They helped me discover a love for reading, history, and science. They took us on retreats to places such as West Virginia to develop social skills like leadership and team building. As members of the Student Government Association, we gained analytical skills by visiting other boarding schools to determine if any components should be implemented at SEED.

The adults that we were surrounded by were key to the success of me and my peers—and to SEED’s success. We knew they were invested in us and wanted to see us prosper. Mr. Lloyd served as a father figure for me. Mr. Rubenstein, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Tamiyo made learning fun and engaging. And Ms. Brynlee took me from a kid who struggled with reading to a confident learner who sought more books to read. I know that SEED has one of the best educational programs in our country.

After I graduated from SEED, I enrolled at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. As a freshman, I was ahead of my classmates because of the academic rigor that SEED provided. I also had members of the SEED community—from peers to counselors—there to support me. The SEED community stuck with me when challenges arose that forced me to stop out of school. My commitment to not quit coupled with their encouragement and motivation led me to reenroll and to finish my degree in social work.

I love SEED. Beyond academics, I gained a family. Despite my initial reluctance, I know that my mother made the right decision for me. So many of my friends I knew growing up who didn’t finish school are either in jail or no longer with us. Without the safe environment provided by SEED, I am not sure where I would be. Today, I am focused on being a good father and on developing an afterschool program for young Black and Brown men. I hope to be a good role model to these young men and to provide them with a positive outlet.

As I approach 20 years since my SEED graduation, I appreciate my experiences—many of which continue to guide me today. I am proud to see that SEED has stuck to its mission and that many more students across the country will also benefit from SEED’s programming. 

SEED Stories: Jackie Echavarria, SEED Parent

Jackie Echavarria, mother of two graduates from The SEED School of Washington, D.C. (SEED DC), joined the SEED community 25 years ago. As a parent from SEED’s first graduating class, she discusses her journey with SEED and why—a quarter century later—she chooses to stay involved and feels, “…SEED has a solid foundation and is something great to support.”

I learned about SEED from my daughter, Sophia, in 1997. After a SEED representative visited her elementary school, she was dying to enroll at SEED. But because SEED was a new idea in our community, I needed to learn more about it. So together we went to the Children’s Museum on a Sunday afternoon, and we met Raj, Eric, and Lesley. After their presentation, we agreed to give SEED a chance and applied for the lottery. I can remember Sophia saying, “See mom! I told you this was great.” She was really hammering it in.

I have always wanted my children to get what they desired, and because I knew how much enrolling at SEED meant to Sophia, I prayed that this door would be opened for her. I had a sticky note in my minivan that said, Pray for Sophia, and every day, I would look at it. When Sophia’s lottery number was called, it was such a relief! And two years later, our son Julian was enrolled at SEED, too.

As SEED began to serve students in our community the road was a bit bumpy—there were kinks that needed to be worked out. But we hung in there, and they figured it out. I felt comfort in knowing that they were doing everything that they could in service of our children. I always had a million questions, and they always had answers to put my mind at ease. And to support the process, I volunteered as much as I could. I wanted to be a partner. Lesley has told me that “I never lost faith.”

Twenty-five years later, I am still grateful for our SEED experience. My kids enjoyed it, so I enjoyed it. They received a stellar education, graduated college, traveled, and met people from all over the world. Today they are both thriving.

I invite the community to look at SEED’s track record; it speaks for itself. They have planted seeds in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Florida, and now California, and these seeds have grown and are taking root. SEED’s students and graduates are excelling—their positive impact is undeniable.

SEED Stories: Rosalia G-H Miller, Board Member

Eight years ago, Rosalia G-H Miller joined The SEED Foundation’s board of directors after learning about our work from two long-time friends of SEED. Since then, Rosalia has been essential to the success of our development and governance committees by supporting our fundraising efforts and by creating opportunities for other community members to connect to our mission. 

One key element that has kept Rosalia engaged is the positive impact that our educators are having on our students. “The incredible work that our faculty and administrators are doing to teach our kids life and academic lessons is what keeps me committed to SEED! I have witnessed the results, and I am inspired.” 

Rosalia enjoys immersing herself in the hustle and bustle of our schools. “It's super exciting to watch the SEED students traveling in the hallways, going from room to room to the next class. They are excited and curious to learn!” When she sees students going through their school days, she can see them walking towards their future as college graduates.  

With partners such as Rosalia, SEED can continue to create a supportive college-prep boarding school environment for every one of our students. “SEED helps students grow carefully, developing strategies about how to learn, and eventually helps them flower into responsible citizens making a difference in their communities. It does the same for caring individuals who believe in the SEED mission. I am so happy that I joined over eight years ago.”

SEED Stories: Cendy Vides, Founding Director of Family and Community Engagement at SEED LA

Cendy Vides, the founding director of family and community engagement at The SEED School of Los Angeles County, shares her story and what fuels her commitment to the students and families of the SEED LA community.

I am the first in my family to graduate from high school, a four-year university, and a master’s degree program. I am the daughter of my Mami who, in search of the American dream, left my sister and I with my grandmother in El Salvador. I was four years old, and my sister was two. It was not until I was eight years old that my Mami had finally saved enough money to bring me to the United States. I raised my hand to my grandmother when asked if I was ready to go, and my journey with a coyote had begun.

Years later, in my freshman year English class, I heard a presentation on a college prep program and all the opportunities it offered. I wasn’t sure what I was joining, but all I knew was that I had to do better for myself and to honor the sacrifices my Mami had made. I decided to join Upward Bound and spent six weeks of every summer preparing to go to college. I even had internships at the California State Capitol and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. I knew that my Mami could not offer me these traveling opportunities or guide me through the college prep process, because up until this day, she does not know how to speak English.

Ever since I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I have dedicated my professional career to guiding, mentoring, and supporting first generation, low-income students and families in their pursuit of a college education. This work matters! As I was searching for an organization where I could continue to grow, I came across The SEED School of Los Angeles County (SEED LA) and The SEED Foundation. I immediately connected with the SEED values: Respect, Responsibility, Perseverance, Integrity, Compassion, Gratitude and Growth. And I told myself: Wow, those are values that I live by, not just professionally, but personally, as well. I remember seeing the videos about the impact a college-prep boarding high school was going to bring to Los Angeles. I thought, “This is like my Upward Bound, but instead of an afterschool and summer program, it was the entire 24-hour, five-day-a-week preparation for college.” I immediately wanted to be part of this new model that was coming to make a difference in so many students and families' lives. I knew so many families in LA would benefit from a college-preparatory boarding school option.

My first day at The SEED School of Los Angeles County was March 2, 2023. I started as the school operations manager but quickly transitioned to the director of family and community engagement. During our first New Student Orientation training, our CEO Lesley Poole told us, “Working at SEED means you will work harder than you have ever worked before, but it will all be worth it!”. And she was completely right. Since my first day at SEED LA, I have worked endless hours supporting our staff, students, and families. I do it because I love it, because this work is changing generations to come, and because a college degree opens doors and opportunities that many of us and our kids would have never been exposed to. The long hours are so worth it when you hear a family reflect on why they chose SEED LA. In a parent panel recently, a mom of one of SEED’s Class of 2026 students said, “My husband didn’t graduate high school, I barely graduated high school, but now I know that my son will be the first in our family to graduate college.” This is the impact! This is the why!

SEED LA is important for our scholars and families because it will give them the opportunity to graduate from a four-year college or university. The support that they will receive while in college is unmatched by any other high school in California. It is important because our families would not be able to afford a boarding high school otherwise. It is important for those families that feel that their students are safer at SEED LA than their own neighborhoods. It is important for the families that need additional support and guidance. It is important for the student that feels that SEED LA is home. Our students' lives will forever be positively impacted, and their trajectories will change generations around them and after them.

Being the first in my family to graduate from a four-year university and now being one of the founding staff members to start and open the first tuition-free, college preparatory, STEM high school in California is a dream come true. Since our opening on Sunday, August 28, 2022, we have welcomed 188 families into our SEED LA home. Our first 76 founding scholars have already changed the Los Angeles landscape. They have invested over 4,680 hours in preparation for college through our 24-hour, five-day-a-week model. They have established our first clubs and sports teams, and they have gone on many field trips. They traveled to Miami to pitch their business ideas at the Grant Cardone Enterprises 10X Kids Pitch Off and came back with $22,000 to start their own businesses. Eight of our scholars traveled to Brazil on a two-week experiential learning trip. Our programming for families ensures that they are on this journey with us every step of the way. We have hosted the Gratitude Dinner, the Dream Ceremony, Parent University Day at UCLA, Parent Support Workshops, and more.

I am grounded in my work through the stories of our SEED LA families because I care. If you had told me as a little eight-year-old girl that left El Salvador in search of my Mami where I would be today, I would have not believed it.

SEED Stories: Michelle Williams, SEED DC

Michelle Williams is the family engagement specialist at SEED DC. She embodies SEED’s community focus through her work building deep connections between students’ networks of support at home and at SEED. Williams’ SEED journey started as a temporary assignment, but has turned into 20-plus years of service.

Why did you choose to join the SEED Community? [or: How did your SEED journey begin?]

If I said that I first chose to come to SEED because I knew about its mission or that I saw them on Oprah, that wouldn’t be true. The truth is, I had just lost my job, and I was planning to stay home with my young children and return to school. Instead, after just two weeks of unemployment, I got a call from Ms. Poole, who at the time was the director of the Office of Admissions and Parent & Community Relations. She asked me if I would come in to work a temporary job for 3-4 months. I said yes because it would be helping a friend. That was 20 years ago. This has been the longest temp job I’ve ever had!

As to why I have stayed, there isn’t one specific reason. SEED just grows on you. I like being part of something that has made such an impact on the lives of so many students and families. And now, after 20 years, I do believe in the mission.

Why do you believe SEED’s mission matters to the families we serve?

Think about it: “To provide an outstanding, intensive educational program that prepares children, both academically and socially, for success in college.” This is the very core of who we are. It is our identity. It is our culture. It is our purpose. It is the very foundation upon which we stand to serve every scholar and partner with every family that walks in our doors. Believing in the mission is how we continue to build community and align ourselves toward the same goals, within our network, respective schools, departments, classes, houses.

Believing in the mission matters. It is vital to our success. “We are the SEED.”

What are some of the key milestones that you have been a part of in your time at SEED?

In 20 years, I have witnessed 20 graduations, two successful Middle States accreditations, the shift from middle & high school to high school only, and three new SEED campuses I’ve seen graduates become husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, teachers, doctors, receive advanced degrees. Some of the graduates have even become my coworkers.

I never imagined that my temporary assignment would last for 20 years, but I’m glad it did. Like I said earlier, SEED just kind of “grows on you”. I can only hope that I have had as much impact on SEED as SEED has been on me.

The SEED Foundation Announces New Heads of School : Ms. Roseyn Hood and Dr. Leah Skinner

Each school year at SEED, we welcome new families, students, faculty, staff, and leaders into SEED’s schools. Two of the 2023-2024 school year’s newest community members are SEED DC head of school, Roseyn Hood, and SEED Miami head of school, Dr. Leah Skinner. The SEED Foundation is excited to welcome these two transformative education leaders to the SEED Network leadership team. Ms. Hood and Dr. Skinner each bring a wealth and range of experience to their respective roles.

Ms. Roseyn Hood comes to The SEED School of Washington, D.C. (SEED DC), in her 29th year as a public educator and leader. Her career spans three states and positions from the classroom to the national level. Most recently, Ms. Hood served as the Vanderburgh School Corporation’s chief diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging officer in Evansville, IN. Prior to that, she was the associate commissioner of strategic partnerships & innovation for the Colorado State Department of Education and director of operations for Denver Public School’s Beacon Network Schools. Ms. Hood began her career in the Phoenix area, where she spent over two decades at the classroom, building, and district levels. As a principal and assistant principal, she increased access and participation in accelerated courses, extracurricular activities, and college exposure activities for her students.

Ms. Hood’s passion for education is grounded in the belief that every learner must be afforded the opportunity, experiences, and environment to maximize their full potential and that the role of education is to ensure all are intentionally prepared for an expansive, challenging, and rewarding future including the post-secondary arena. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Religion from Duke University and an Master of Arts in Educational Administration & Supervision from the University of Phoenix.

Dr. Leah Skinner brings 25 years of experience advocating for underserved students and families to the SEED Miami campus. Dr. Skinner has been a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and education leader in the Greater Atlanta area since 2006, most recently serving as the head of school at The Boyce L. Ansley School, a tuition-free school for children and families who have experienced homelessness. Her areas of expertise include curriculum and instruction, training and development, family engagement, trauma informed practices, school operations, and building culture.

A dedicated and experienced educator, Dr. Skinner is committed to fostering an environment of high academic standards, collegiality, commitment, and trust. She believes that a rigorous and sound education is the impetus to lifting students, families, and communities out of generational poverty. Dr. Skinner holds a Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Los Angeles, a Master of Arts from Pepperdine University, an Master of Science in Educational Administration from National University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from Argosy University.

Ms. Hood and Dr. Skinner have hit the ground running in their new positions, immersing themselves in SEED’s culture and value, and building strong connections with their communities. We look forward to seeing the impact these exceptional leaders will have on our growing network.

SEED Stories: Vincent Carter-Bey, SEED MD

Vincent Carter-Bey, director of student support at The SEED School of Maryland reflects on the history of SEED Maryland and his personal journey of fourteen years with SEED.

Together the SEED Foundation is celebrating over 25 years of shaping the lives of students, families and staff members across the SEED Network. Our to and through mission has given so many students an opportunity to be successful both academically and professionally. When I reflect on the progression of SEED MD and the amazing experiences I've had during my tenure here, I think of old saying the phrase “you need to know where you came from to know where you are going”..

In August of 2008 The SEED School of Maryland opened its doors to roughly 80 sixth-grade students and families at 200 Font Hill Avenue in Baltimore, a site with its own history. SEED MD took over the vacant property formerly known as Southwestern Senior High school. Southwestern was a Baltimore City public school that opened in 1971 and closed in 2007. It was one of Baltimore city's largest high schools, and at one point they were the host to multiple schools due to city school renovations. Southwestern’s mascot was the Saber and their school colors were burgundy and gold which SEED MD adopted—and we still have the original burgundy and gold wall in our gym. Not long after the closing of Southwestern, Baltimore city leased the property to The SEED School of Maryland. SEED was the first public boarding school in the state, and was getting attention across all the counties within Maryland. It was new for our state, but luckily we had our sister school in DC we could lean on for guidance. As you can imagine, or have witnessed, onboarding the first class to experience a public boarding school in the state is a huge accomplishment. The thought that a public school would provide support, services, and a safe 24-hour, five-day-a-week learning environment was mind blowing for our community. The school had a mission focused on college and beyond that allowed students to live, learn, and succeed without the typical distractions or barriers they could face in their neighborhood settings. SEED is special and there is no place like it. Although SEED MD inherited a building in a system that was faced with challenges, our mission was the foundation of the culture established at SEED and that’s why we are here still celebrating our wins as a school and a network.

The idea that your school will grow from 80 to 400 students was overwhelming, and it seemed like light years away, but the years went by fast.. SEED MD’s beautiful 52-acre campus has come a long way since 2008! It’s hard to fathom that we were all learning and in office spaces stationed in trailers. We had one shared dorm, empty fields of dirt/grass, a portable outdoor basketball goal hanging on a limb, and Whiting-Turner signs everywhere you looked on campus. Whiting-Turner was the construction company working on our campus renovation projects. They started with dorm B, moved to the academic building, followed up with the dining hall and finished the gym. To this day, Bill Whiting is an active member of our board of trustees who continues to work with SEED MD on campus projects.

Before the additional funding to do external opportunities like international travel and overnight camps, our staff had to get creative, which is what led to the start of camp Stovall. It is one of my fondest memories. Students would get excited in the spring to participate in Mr. Stovall’s annual overnight camp on the field. This reminded me that it's not about the amount of money or material things that establish your culture, it's the people in the building that care, who foster and build positive relationships and who provide meaningful, memorable experiences.

In 2009, my journey with SEED began as a Student Life Counselor. I was ecstatic to be a part of something so special and I built great bonds with my Virginia Tech boys, but at the time I didn't realize how much SEED was actually helping me. Who would have known that those experiences would have helped me to be a better father, a better man, and a better professional. I was blessed with great supervisors, leaders, and mentors to support my growth within the organization, and for that I am truly grateful. The ability to be a part of students’ development and watch them grow is my satisfaction. The icing on the cake is watching students I met in 6th grade walk across the stage as seniors with several college and university acceptances. It is a surreal feeling to know that you played a part in their accomplishments.

Sometimes I get the question: what keeps you coming back to SEED after fourteen years? My answer is always the same: it's not work when you love what you do and you're passionate about it, and I also tell them that SEED is not for everybody. We are unique, and from the words of one of my favorite rap groups Mobb Deep “Survival of the Fit Only the Strong Survive”, because this work is hard but rewarding if you stick with it. If you live in the moment, love what you do, and continue changing lives for the students and families that we serve, you will never work a day in your life.

SEED Stories: Ebony Grant, The SEED Foundation

Ebony Grant grew up in Washington, DC and attended college in Miami. Her time in both cities gives her a unique perspective on the needs and potential of the students and communities she serves as senior administrative support specialist at The SEED Foundation. Ebony, the SEED Network 2023 Core Values Staff of the Year award winner, is committed to SEED’s mission because she wants every student to have the benefits of the strong support system and educational opportunities she had growing up.

What brought you to SEED?

I have a background in public service. In Miami, I worked for City Year and Public Allies after I graduated from college. When I moved back to DC, I went back to school to get a masters in Public Administration. I knew I wanted to work for a nonprofit and I was looking at several organizations, but SEED stuck out to me because of the mission and the vision. When I was doing my research before my first interview, it just struck me--like, this is literally how I live my life, how I try walk my path both professionally and personally. And from the first interview to now, it just clicked. The work we do is so meaningful and important, especially for communities of color and marginalized communities.

I feel like it’s the best decision that I've ever made professionally to come to SEED and to work with everyone here. It’s very fulfilling to move the mission and vision of the organization forward.

As someone who has lived and worked in Washington, DC and Miami, what is your perspective about why SEED matters to the students and families we serve in those cities?

I grew up in DC. I actually went to school right down the street from SEED, and I had friends that went to SEED and saw the experiences and opportunities they had. I was fortunate, I had a really solid foundation—a Mom who was an educator for 30-plus years who ensured that we went to schools that would ground us and prepare us for the future. But I also saw the struggles of some of my peers who didn’t have that support at home.

To have a place like SEED, that provided a 24-hour learning environment where they could stay on campus and not be subjected to what was going on in their neighborhoods makes such a difference. Because kids can too easily get roped into things that will take them down that path, you know--the school-to-prison pipeline is real. That’s why SEED is important to me, that I get to be a part of that system that tries to deconstruct that for minorities and people of color.

Miami is really different culturally than DC, right?

Miami, which has a large Latinx population, and large Caribbean and Haitian populations, the students that I worked with in those communities, for most of their parents, English is their second language. So a lot of these students are learning on their own how the nuances of being not only first-generation college students, but also first generation Americans.

So the support that is needed to guide them on a path to success is super crucial. How they navigate life, their successes can break generational curses and bring generational wealth into the families. And I feel like the work that SEED does is a roadmap to guiding these students. They may not know anything about what a college or university is like. They don’t know how to get financial aid or grant money. So there are a lot of things that these students need help and guidance with, and the work SEED does helps to propel these students to college, and to college graduation because they have a support system of college success advisors and teachers and mentors. And I think that's needed especially in spaces where students can get into things that are bringing communities down, and not helping the kids within the communities thrive.

That was why I did City Year in Miami. I wanted to provide that type of stability, to be that anchor for students who weren't getting that at home necessarily. To show them there is a way, and it may not be an easy road, but it's a possibility and it's something that you can do too.

The community work that I did with the Opa Locka Community Development Corporation when I was with Public Allies was a really good opportunity for me to go within those communities and also provide my story and say, hey, you know, yeah, I had this privilege, but I want to provide my knowledge to you so that you all have the same access.

Miami, which is based in Miami Gardens the most underserved neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County. Yeah. Quite frankly is shocking to see that you can go from Miami Beach to that within minutes.

What keeps you going?

I would say the team, and the impact. Honestly, the team. Vincena (Vincena Allen, Chief Growth Officer/Interim CEO of The SEED Foundation) said to me the other day, “you always give me a list of everything that you do, but think about the impact. You may be in the background, but that doesn’t mean that everything you're doing doesn't come to the for forefront.” And that's how I’ve been framing my work recently, just asking myself ‘what's the impact of the work I do?’

I see all of the wins across the network: Our scholars that are matriculating to college, I just get so excited hearing about how many schools they got accepted to, how many scholarships they received. Seeing our scholars really thrive and survive while at SEED and post-SEED, hearing all of those stories and knowing that the work that we are doing doesn't go unnoticed. That our students are really benefiting from the work that we do.

As we look back on the last 25 years, we’re also looking ahead. What vision do you have for SEED for the future?

I am super excited about the college matching tech tool. The vision that I have for SEED is that we reach more students outside of our network across the country and provide them with information and data around what colleges and universities will best fit them. That we help them diminish or eliminate the financial burden of higher education, which is such a barrier—quite frankly, it’s robbing people of money that they don't have and possibly won't even see in their lifetime. I know the work we're doing around the college matching tech tool is already super beneficial to our students and our network, and I feel as though once we get the ball rolling and launch, it will bring that same benefit to students outside of our network, especially students that come from low-income communities of all races and backgrounds. So I'm so excited to see where it takes us as a foundation.

Every Moment Matters: Paving a Pathway to College Success

“I love being at SEED!”

For Elizabeth P. (SEED MD ’29), a seventh-grade student at The SEED School of Maryland (SEED MD), her next step after elementary school was clear. “My cousins and sister were enrolled at SEED MD, and they were all getting good grades and making college plans. My dad wanted the same opportunities for me.”

Her family’s choice to enroll Elizabeth at SEED MD has already begun to pay off. During her first year, she pushed beyond some of her fears, delved deeper into her love for math, and developed strong connections with several of her teachers, counselors, and peers. “I did so much as a sixth-grade student. I played basketball. I did a tap and step performance in front of the school, and I began to understand math better. My teachers make learning fun. For example, at the end of the school year, they hosted a Fun Day where we could redeem points that we collected during the school year. With my points I was able to get an iPad.”

As she moves into her second year at SEED, Elizabeth is most excited about her math courses. “I love math. This year, I want math to twist my mind. I really want to be challenged. I’m also eager to work with my teachers and to see how they will push us to think differently.”

At only twelve years old, Elizabeth has clear goals for her future and knows what she needs to be successful. She also has her sights set on one college in particular. “I’m proud to be a SEED MD student. I hope that being here gives me a direct pathway to college—including scholarship opportunities and a strong support system of adults that I can talk to when I need. Luckily, I’m already close with my student life counselor. I told her that I want to visit California and she showed me pictures and videos of UCLA. I learned a lot about the school and look forward to visiting it during a SEED college tour.”

At SEED, our scholars’ college bound journeys start early. Together, with your partnership, we can continue to serve as an ally for generations of young people seeking the educational resources and guidance they need—and deserve—to thrive.

SEED Stories: Luna Otero, SEED Miami

In Luna Otero’s SEED story, the director of talent management at The SEED School of Miami reflects on the significant milestones in SEED Miami’s evolution and her own personal journey. Through obstacles and triumphs, SEED Miami’s close-knit community has embodied SEED’s core values of persistence and growth.

2013: the year I was introduced to the concept of a tuition-free, public, boarding school. As I sat in my chair during a staff meeting at my previous place of employment, I listened as our VP of Programs spoke of the arrival of what we all considered the answer to all of the challenges we had experienced as a team attempting to succeed at improving academic, and social-emotional outcomes for underserved youth across the county. At the moment, it remained a thought - a possibility. However, before I knew it, I received an email informing me that SEED Miami, a gift to our community, was looking for a Director of Admissions and that was when my SEED journey began. A journey that would challenge me to grow - professionally, emotionally and spiritually.

24 hours a day, five days a week: The gift of time we provide students and families.:

We were tasked with enrolling 60 6th grade scholars in order to open our doors. We had less than 12 weeks to finalize our student application with the state, engage with over 100 families, convince them that they should trust us enough to leave their child in our care 24 hours a day / 5 days a week even though we did not have a school to show them at the time. We assisted them as they maneuvered through the governmental systems that would give them access to the documents they needed to complete their child’s application. We sat next to them in their living rooms getting to know who they were and showing them that we were invested in them and, ultimately, ensure we had enough applicants to hold a lottery by the deadline.

104: The number of names we entered into our first lottery, which allowed us to open our doors in August 2014 with 60 SEED scholars. At the onset, it seemed like an impossible task, but with the commitment of the SEED network members near and far, the relationships we built together as the founding SEED Miami Team, and the tenacity of our families and scholars, we did it. We made this gift possible - we played a small role in leveling the playing field for our most underserved children and opened the doors of Florida’s first and only college-prep, public boarding school.

As I exited the parking lot the first night we opened, I looked up through the windows of the school building and saw children getting to know each other, joyfully playing around, fixing their rooms, talking to staff and engaging freely, not knowing that they had just embarked on one of the most important journeys of their life. Eleven-year old children who walked blocks and blocks on their own to get to community events to learn more about SEED, who confronted the fears of their parents and guardians and challenged them to believe in what we were doing and advocated for themselves, because they knew this was something different. It was at that exact moment that I felt such an immense sense of pride that I played a small role in giving these children that gift and with that pride came an even larger sense of responsibility to them.

2021: The year I was honored with the opportunity to watch those same children walk across the stage as they received their high school diplomas and prepared to go off to college. Getting to that moment had not been an easy feat for any of us.

Seven: The number of locations we have called home since 2014.

For years, we would navigate between two separate locations day after day--lugging suitcases, medication bins, staff, children from one place to another.

We settled into our first home - an office where a handful of us came together to prepare ourselves for what we were about to embark on.

Into our second, because there was a vision but the universe had a different plan.

Into our third, because we were given the opportunity to be on a college campus.

Into our fourth after we grew out of our third.

Into our fifth after a contract ended.

Into our sixth as a result of being flooded and destroyed by Hurricane Irma.

And finally into our seventh, because we finally found our place.

We now exist in our home - one home - with close to 300 students.

SEED changes the odds - no matter the circumstances. We push the envelope and play a pivotal role in leveling the playing field for our most underserved youth. We do it because we care, because we know it is what is needed and we do it differently, because change never comes from doing things like everyone else. We are controversial and I love that about us.

Nine: The number of years that have passed since we opened our doors in Miami. Today we are here to celebrate the impactful, revolutionary and soul-shaking work that we have done and continue to do as a network in communities around the nation.

As individuals and as a community, we understand the responsibility that we have to each other, our scholars, their families, our local communities and generations to come and we take pride in our role in education reform. We take our work seriously and this is why I joined SEED and why I continue to choose SEED.

Building Community Across Cultures

At SEED, exposure opportunities are an essential component of learning. Through our summer travel programs, students immerse themselves in different cultures and build identity as global citizens. Thanks to a partnership made possible by SEED champion and board member Vasco Fernandes with Onda Solidaria, SEED students have been traveling to Brazil since 2017. (Onda Solidaria is a Brazilian nonprofit that provides learning and recreation opportunities for young people in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and the village of Santana do Deserto.) 

This July, students and faculty from SEED DC, SEED MD, and SEED LA embarked on an eye-opening adventure, where they traveled from city to country, made connections with their Brazilian peers, and learned about sustainability and community building. Victor Onuchukwu, a recent SEED MD graduate, (SEED MD ’23, Loyola University Maryland ’27), and Cordell “Amaru” Mimms (SEED DC ’11, Morehouse College ’16), SEED DC graduate and SEED LA manager of expanded learning and arts programs, joined 19 other SEED community members (faculty, students, and graduates) on this ten-day excursion. 

Mr. Mimms knows personally how travel can shape a young person’s identity and future path. As a ninth-grader at SEED DC, he went to Greece with the SEED DC Greek Scholars program. Since that first study abroad program, he has traveled the world as an artist and an educator, leading youth programs in Hong Kong and Honduras. Now guiding the next generation of SEED students, he says, “Having this opportunity was just awesome. It feels like my own SEED journey has come full circle.”

Mr. Mimms and his colleagues led students on several experiential learning excursions while in Brazil, one of which included meeting a group of conservationists. “They talked about the history of the lagoon, the wildlife, and how they had restored the quality of the lagoon’s water and brought back indigenous flora and fauna. We also met fashion designers who were making recycled clothing. They showed us how sustainability can be a way of life,” said Mr. Mimms. The practical environmentalism left an impression on students. “The way people in Brazil live intertwined with nature was an eye-opening experience for me,” said Victor. 

SEED students also had multiple opportunities to engage with Brazilian students at Onda Solidaria community centers. They played sports, shared music, danced, and used translators, phones, and phrases that they picked up along the way to communicate with each other. Specifically, they alternated teaching each other dances from traditional to contemporary to capoeira. Victor was moved during these and other performances such as African drumming because of how they identified with his roots as a person of African descent. As someone who grew up in Nigeria until the age of eight before moving to the United States with his parents, he said, “Seeing a part of my culture and how it connected with my Brazilian peers really resonated with me. I was interested in learning more from them and them from me. They were some of the nicest kids”.   

These opportunities to learn from and build connections with people across the world made for an enriching learning opportunity. As SEED LA Head of School Jubria Lewis said, “It shows students that the global society is available to them—we want them to think about their global footprint and to consider that as they plan for their futures in college and beyond.” 

It also enables our students to develop a lens for cultural awareness and acceptance. “For Black and brown people, for children of the diaspora, we have way more in common than we do differences. I saw that what happens in Southeast DC happens in Southeast Asia, Brazil, and Honduras. People there were going through the same struggles as some of my family members. Seeing this shared experience through travel made me feel less alone and less isolated—and reminds me that we have a global responsibility.” said Mr. Mimms. 

College Success Advising Puts the Freeze on Summer Melt

Why would a student who put in all time and effort required to get into college—taking the right classes and tests, writing essays, filling out applications and aid forms, and even making their deposit—then not take their place at their chosen college just a few months later? In the time between collecting their high school diploma and the first day of college classes, many students across the country veer off the college track. SEED’s college success advisors counter this phenomenon, known as “summer melt”, by helping SEED graduates stay on top of all the deadlines and details leading up to their first semester of college.

While exact statistics on summer melt across the country (high school seniors who commit to college but don’t end up enrolling) are hard to collect, a Harvard Study of multiple school districts puts the range at 10-40 percent, with indications that it is highest in districts with higher amounts of lower-income students. Research done at the University of Virginia and the National Student Clearinghouse, estimate the summer melt rate at 20-30 percent. While some of those students will end up matriculating in a semester or two, students who enroll in college immediately are more likely to attain a degree. 

Low-income, first-generation students are especially susceptible to summer melt because of financial challenges and less access to knowledge about the ins and outs of college requirements. Targeted support during the summer months can increase the percentage of college-intending students who arrive on college campuses, which is why SEED college success advisors use summer advising to help SEED graduates stay on track. 

When college-track students graduate from high school, they tend to lose the support of college counselors who helped them manage the college application process. During the summer, colleges flood the mailboxes and inboxes of incoming first year students with information on housing, orientation, class registration, financial aid, and medical forms, many with deadlines that, if missed, can derail college plans. If a student is the first in their family to attend college, their families may not know everything they have to do and be able to help. “For many low-income and first-generation college students, the summer before their first year of college is nerve-wracking. Between endless paperwork and financial aid decisions, some students never matriculate,” explains Marcela Rodrigues-Sherley in Chalkbeat New York.

SEED graduates can sidestep many of these challenges because of the way SEED’s college success advising model works. Advisors are already working with SEED students while they’re in high school, so by the time summer rolls around, students have an understanding of what they need to do, and an advisor to help them stay on track.   

Summer advising kicks off in the spring of senior year, says college success advisor Kiaira Muhammad. “We try to complete as much as we can by the end of senior year—immunization records, housing, enrollment, financial aid, figuring out what items you need, how students are getting to campus, and figuring out where parents will stay if they’re coming from out of state.” By going over the details together, students and advisors can strategize and plan out what they need to do. Then, through the summer advisors and advisees stay connected and tackle what arises as they move forward.

Even with the most solid plans in place, unanticipated problems do arise. As an example, one of College Success Manager Ashley Bargeron’s advisees called her frantically when a bill arrived from her school with an extra $6,000 on it. They were able to sit down together and go through each line item, where they discovered the school had mistakenly charged out-of-state tuition to the in-state student. Ashley was then able to help the student pull together additional residency documents the school needed and get it sorted out. 

Financial stress is a major contributing factor to summer melt and stopping out (when a student starts college but then leaves), so college success advisors spend a lot of time working with students, families, and financial aid offices, including proactive summer outreach. Over the summer, Kiaira says, “I start acclimating myself with the financial aid departments and who I’ll be talking to there because some of these people move mountains for our students.” 

Going from high school to college is a major life change. SEED college success advisors provide the support that’s critical for so many students to navigate the period between walking off the stage with their high school diploma to walking onto the grounds of their college campus. SEED’s College Transition and Success programming is designed to guide graduates to and through college—and there is no summer break from making sure our graduates have everything they need to achieve their dreams! 

SEED Stories: The Da’Costa Family

“SEED is my village,” says Michael Da’Costa, the proud mother of five grown children, all of whom graduated from SEED DC and from college.

When Ms. Da’Costa was first introduced to SEED DC, she was looking for a school that would offer her children a safe place to go as well as a positive environment in which to learn and grow. As a single working mother of ­five children, she was concerned with her children’s safety as they traveled to and from school as well as what they were exposed to while at school. SEED was an answer to her prayers. While it was difficult for the close-knit family to adjust to being apart from each other during the week, Ms. Da’Costa had faith that SEED was providing her children with a safe learning environment, and that knowledge brought her great peace. “God blessed our family with SEED.” She prayed about her decision to send her children to SEED and felt that God put all the pieces in place and guided them to this opportunity.

As her first SEED student, Alex, settled into the new structure and rigor of SEED DC, Ms. Da’Costa encouraged her daughter to persevere through homesickness and the trials of adjusting to a new school environment. As each of her other children became old enough to attend SEED, Ms. Da’Costa was happy that they could be in the same place together. She picked SEED not only for the safety it offered, but also for the opportunity for her children to develop independence. Once they were at SEED, they were able to shine and make the most of their experience. Ms. Da’Costa liked that her children learned to strive and became excited to learn. They became motivated to ­excel at SEED, which was quite a transformation from their early educational experience and the more challenging early days they experienced as they adjusted to SEED. “They wouldn’t have made it at a regular school, given the kinds of things that were happening. They have made great accomplishments because of SEED.”

Ms. Da’Costa credits the teachers and staff at SEED for the strong mentoring relationships her children experienced. Since their father was not a strong presence in their lives, it meant a lot to Ms. Da’Costa that her sons had caring male mentors who could support them as they grew and matured and who could share insights with her about parenting teen boys. In addition, her children were able to experience their city, sampling local restaurants and trying new things. When they are together, her children reflect on their stories and experiences from their time at SEED. They still want to stay in touch with mentors, teachers, and staff from SEED, seeking them out when they return home. Those relationships also inspire her children to be involved with SEED in order to provide support to the next generation of SEED students, further building the SEED village that the Da’Costa’s and all other SEED families belong to.    

Not only did her children get to explore their city, but they were able to explore the world. “Their dreams became big once they went to SEED,” Ms. Da’Costa said. “They could visualize doing certain things around the world and then go accomplish them.” Even though she has never been on an airplane, Ms. Da’Costa secured passports for all of her children so they could travel. Since graduating from college, one of her sons, Dakoda, is now working in IT in Austin, Texas, and her youngest daughter, Dakara, lives with her husband on an Air Force base in Italy. Her children are encouraging her to fly—she has motivation to give it a try to go see where her children are living now! They want to broaden her world in the way that she helped broaden theirs, giving them the wings to fly by sending them to SEED.

When Ms. Da’Costa reflected on her goals for her children, she said wanted them to go to school and promised them she would ­find a way for them to go to college afterwards but wasn’t sure how to accomplish that goal. With the support of SEED and their college counselors, teachers, and mentors, they were able to explore the best ­fit for each of her children as well as to access the financial support to fund their college experiences, helping Ms. Da’Costa make good on the promise she made to her children.

Ms. Da’Costa and her children made a commitment to their SEED experience, and SEED has continued their commitment to the Da’Costa family—and the hundreds of others who have gone to SEED—well beyond their graduation from high school. Ms. Da’Costa summed that connection up by saying, “It’s just like family.”

SEED Stories: Darian Tucker

Constantly educating myself is critically important to me. As an African American male, I must take extra steps to ensure I build the network, skills, and knowledge to succeed in today’s society. Knowing this motivates me and led me to my journey at SEED.

My path to SEED started at Baltimore’s Annual School Choice Fair—an annual fair where families and students can learn about the middle and high schools available for enrollment. Attending this fair was valuable to me because I wanted to go to a school with a quality education that would help me with my goal of getting to college. At the fair, SEED was one of the schools that really caught my eye—I was intrigued by the boarding component. And after I toured SEED MD’s large campus, I began to imagine myself staying in one of the dormitories. I knew SEED was the place for me. However, it took my parents a bit more convincing—but when they learned about the academics, Sparks (extracurricular opportunities to explore interests and passions), and study abroad programming, they began to come around.

I enrolled at SEED MD in 2016 when I was eleven years old. I immediately developed close bonds with my peers, teachers, and counselors. I felt like I could go to them with things that I didn’t feel comfortable discussing with anyone else. I considered SEED home.

Most kids growing up in my neighborhood haven’t attended professional football and baseball games—and they especially haven’t traveled to Brazil to learn about other cultures, languages, and experiences. I also developed a love for the performing arts and joined SEED’s Showstoppers theater troupe. We performed the classic story Sleepy Hollow and gained a better understanding of the arts through a program with the Baltimore Center Stage.

My journey at SEED led me to study nursing and theater arts at Albright College in Pennsylvania. I am currently in my freshman year. Transitioning to a predominantly white college in southeastern Pennsylvania has been challenging. But my seven years of living away from home at a boarding school, the support of my SEED college success advisor, and the generous fi nancial aid package off ered have helped to make the adjustment a bit easier. I have also joined the African American Society and Domino’s Club and look forward to exploring Albright’s study abroad program once I have gotten accustomed to campus life here. These resources serve as an outlet and a way for me to connect with peers that share some of my interests and experiences.

I don’t have many male role models in my family that graduated from college, so I felt like earning a degree was something that I needed to do. I’ve worked hard to get here—I deserve to be here and I thank SEED for helping to put me in the position to make a difference in my family.