Higher Achievement

10/07/2026

Higher Achievement's annual Going Places event puts the FUN in fundraiser!

Get your ticket today to:
🎤 Hear from alumni speakers during our scholar-led program
🍽️ Enjoy food, drinks, and music
🎓 Celebrate our amazing scholars and invest in their bright futures!

Tickets and more information: www.higherachievement.org/going-places

10/05/2026

When students have the support they need, they show up.

In the 2025-2026 school year, only 5% of Higher Achievement scholars in our DC centers were chronically absent, compared to 41% of their peers. That means our scholars were 88% less likely to be chronically absent, underscoring the powerful role of consistent engagement and support in keeping students connected to school.

Want to make a difference for students in our community? Learn more at www.higherachievement.com

09/30/2026

We're grateful and honored to share that Higher Achievement has been awarded a grant from Amtrak's Community Investment Program for the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program!

This program is committed to leaving a positive, lasting impact on the West Baltimore neighborhoods closest to the project, and we're proud to be among the community organizations selected to receive this award.

At Higher Achievement, we believe every middle schooler deserves the opportunity to thrive. This investment will help us support scholars at our Mt. Royal Achievement Center as they build strong academic skills, confidence, and lasting relationships with mentors who believe in them.

Thank you to Amtrak for investing in the young people of West Baltimore. We're also inspired to stand alongside fellow awardees who work every day to strengthen this community, including Parity Homes, Dent Education, Wide Angle Youth Media, and Green Street Academy. Together, we're building a future where opportunity doesn't depend on zip code.

09/28/2026

Get your tickets today for Higher Achievement's Going Places annual fundraiser!

The evening will feature a 45-minute scholar-led program followed by food and drinks, music, and mingling with others in the Higher Achievement community.

Our scholars are driven and brilliant — and right now, we have a critical opportunity to scale our proven program to meet them at one of the most pivotal moments of their development. Join us in celebrating our scholars and help invest in their bright futures!

Tickets and sponsorship opportunities: https://higherachievement.org/going-places/

09/09/2026

🌟Alumni Spotlight!🌟

Oluwatunmise “Aph” Ogunbanjo found community, confidence, and opportunity at Higher Achievement, experiences that continue to shape her path today.

Evenings at Higher Achievement centered on connection. "The only independent activity was study hall,” remembers Aph. “Everything else was working with others, one-on-one or in a team.” Aph and her peers built community and confidence through collaborative activities like constructing a tower out of dried spaghetti, establishing culture teams and chants, and competing in group tournaments like “Olympics of the Mind.”

Aph credits Higher Achievement with helping her pursue challenging opportunities, particularly as she explored high school options.

“Higher Achievement was the first experience I had with realizing I should go after opportunities, even if I didn't have full confidence yet. I love art, and my mentor and Mr. Mike encouraged me to apply for an art program at Northwestern High School. I didn't think I was good enough to get in, but I got accepted. It was the first experience I had realizing that I should go after opportunities, even if I don't think I have the skills.”

That growth mindset guided Aph through high school, and now into college as she starts her freshman year at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

“I take a lot of pride in being a Higher Achievement alumni because Higher Achievement is such a great organization. Higher Achievement was more than a study program or afterschool program, it's a community that you're forever a part of. I want to give back because of how much they played a part in helping me during middle school.”

Read more on our blog: https://higherachievement.org/alumni-spotlight-aph-ogunbanjo/

08/24/2026

Mentors make a DIFFERENCE! In just one hour a week, you can:

🎓Empower scholars to identify their talents and pursue their dreams.
💼Broaden your professional skillset.
👥Build lasting relationships.
🧑‍🏫Connect with talented youth in your community.
💪Help scholars build confidence in their abilities.

Learn more about becoming a mentor and apply today: https://higherachievement.org/mentor/

08/13/2026

We are beyond grateful to Target for selecting Higher Achievement as the community-based organization to participate in its Back-to-School Supply Drive!

Through this incredible opportunity, 75 Higher Achievement scholars and their families received backpacks filled with school supplies, along with $100 Target gift cards to support their back-to-school shopping.

Opportunities like this make a meaningful difference for our scholars and families. As we prepare for a new school year, we want to ensure that every scholar has the resources they need to walk into the classroom feeling confident, prepared, and ready to succeed.

Thank you, Target, for your partnership and for investing in our scholars and families. We are so grateful for your support and for helping our community start the school year strong!

08/12/2026

Longtime Higher Achievement mentor Ms. Sandy understands the important support role mentoring plays in a student’s life.

“Our scholars have teachers at school, and I’m not their teacher,” says Ms. Sandy. “I feel like what I bring to the table is an opportunity to share advice, be present, and be a sounding board for scholars.”

Ms. Sandy strives to create a space where young people feel seen, supported, and valued. Her scholars know they can count on her to be there for them, week after week, and year after year.

Ms. Sandy recognizes that mentors do not always get to see the full impact of their efforts, but she thinks of mentoring as an act of planting seeds. “We may never see how, or if, that seed blossoms. We just have to hope that at some point it continues to be nurtured.”

After years of mentoring, she knows that those seeds matter. Former scholars return to share their achievements, reach out to stay connected, and reflect on lessons they continue to carry with them.

When mentors like Ms. Sandy make a commitment to show up, to listen, and to encourage, the seeds they plant take root and flourish.

Read more about Ms. Sandy's mentoring experience, and apply to become a mentor yourself, on our website: https://higherachievement.org/mentor-spotlight-ms-sandy/

08/07/2026

Higher Achievement CEO Lynsey Wood Jeffries was recently featured in the Washington Business Journal! In the feature, she shares how mentoring first connected her to Higher Achievement, and how it continues to be a driving force for community-building and long-term impacts for our scholars.

Read the full feature here: https://bizj.us/1qqheq

Mentoring was meant to be a one-night-a-week commitment for Lynsey Wood Jeffries. It turned into a career with Higher Achievement.

08/05/2026

Higher Achievement recently hosted a new opportunity for rising 9th graders: the 9th Grade Bridge Retreat, a three-day experience bringing together scholars from DC, Baltimore, and Richmond at American University.

During workshops, scholars practiced algebra skills, completed a literary analysis of Romeo and Juliet, heard from a panel of Higher Achievement alumni and Office of the State Superintendent of Education Superintendent, Dr. Mitchell, explored problem-solving skills for real-world scenarios in high school, and identified capabilities and interests that would serve them in the next chapter of their educational journey.

Scholars left the retreat ready for the transition to high school, and with a glimpse into the college experience. Scholars toured campus, spent the night in dorms, and built connections with students from other schools and cities.

We are grateful for the community partners, alumni, staff, and supporters who made this experience possible for scholars! Thank you to American University, Podium RVA, Spark the Journey, Partnership for the Future, College Track, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, and all of our alumni panelists and workshop facilitators.