NEW Scholars is our college readiness program for local, underrepresented youth who want to be the first in their family to graduate from college, but lack the understanding and resources to get there. Starting in sixth grade and continuing through 12th grade, we ready these students and their families for success on the path to higher education and acceptance into college.
Through college visits, service learning, reading and writing activities, college prep support, grade and assignment monitoring, and parent workshops, NEW Scholars breaks down barriers to higher education that exist for so many low-income and first-generation students.
By participating, students also earn up to a $5,000 scholarship, but the financial incentive is just a bonus: We arm them with practical knowledge and the tools they’ll need to succeed in middle school, high school, and into (and through!) college. With our support, our NEW Scholars are changing the course of their future.
Currently serving almost 200 middle and high school students in the Green Bay area.
Our NEW Scholars consistently outscore their peers on standardized tests.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Providing an in-depth commitment to our students and parents, with over 127 program hours devoted to each family every year.
Leadership
Service Learning
Reflective Writing
The NEW Scholars college readiness program creates opportunities for students to develop a strong moral foundation on which to learn and grow. Our program facilitates a culture of inclusion and acceptance by engaging students in activities that help them become a positive role model, show responsibility and initiative, lead with self-confidence, value others, and demonstrate cultural acceptance.
College Visits
Pre-College Programs
Steps to College
Through NEW Scholars, students have an opportunity to explore the many options available to them as they follow their path to college. By visiting colleges and attending summer pre-college programs, our middle and high school students have the rare chance to experience a college campus and get a taste of college life, while delving into topics that interest them. We even include our parents in college visits, allowing the whole family to learn and ask questions together. NEW Scholars helps students take the necessary steps throughout middle and high school that will prepare them for success in college.
Grade & Assignment Monitoring
Writing
Reading
By engaging students in activities that help them build positive homework and study habits, NEW Scholars shows kids how to be successful in school. Our staff regularly monitors our students’ progress grades and the status of their outstanding assignments, and, with their parents, creates a game plan for getting any missing/late work turned in. We also help students strengthen and fine-tune their writing skills through reading responses, answering targeted prompts to develop their own narrative, and participating in reflective writing activities.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Summer Pre-College Programs
Standardized Testing and GPA/Grades
While it’s important to support students by encouraging educational and personal growth, NEW Scholars knows how critical it is for parents to be involved and educated, too. Each month, we gather our parents for workshops that help them learn ways to support their college-bound child through middle school, high school and on to the college/university level. Workshops are delivered to parents by our bilingual NEW Scholars staff, and provide information and resources relevant to their child’s specific grade level.