Onward We Learn
Institution:
Onward We Learn
State:
Rhode Island
Academic Level:
Community-Based Organization
Issue Area:
Access
Program Focus:
College Prep, Mentoring
Website:
Key Personnel:
Andrew Bramson
Contact Info:
Overview
Onward We Learn, Rhode Island's largest and most comprehensive college access program, aims to increase high school graduation, college readiness, and college completion for students from the state’s low-income communities. The program focuses on reducing remediation rates among college-going students, promoting early college coursework, and improving families' knowledge of post-secondary options. Latino students make up 69% of those served, with a majority identifying as first-generation and living predominantly in Spanish-speaking households. The mission of Onward We Learn is to prepare and inspire young people to become the first in their families to attend and complete college. From the time they join through their early years of college, participants benefit from the steady, nurturing presence of caring adults and engage in programs that emphasize academic enrichment, personal development, career exploration, and college preparation.
Program Description
Onward We Learn supports students, especially Latino or Hispanic, from grades 6-12 and into their first postsecondary year through a comprehensive framework focusing on Academic Support, Social and Emotional Development, College and Career Exploration, and Postsecondary Preparation. They serve 4,000 students annually, prioritizing urban core communities like Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Woonsocket, and parts of Cranston.
The organization recruits from 20 middle schools and supports students in 22 high schools with 11 middle school advisors, 11 high school advisors, and 4 mobile advisors. Onward We Learn offers over 60 programs addressing academic, social, emotional, and career needs. They engage over 1,400 families yearly through meetings, college visits, forums, and workshops, enhancing parents’ financial literacy and advocacy skills. All family programs are conducted in Spanish and English. Onward We Learn provides direct college scholarships, awarding over $19 million to more than 2,000 Latino students, and since 2001, has distributed over $50 million in scholarships to 7,500 participants.
Outcome
High School Graduation Rates: Between 2010 and 2017, students’ on-time high school graduation rates increased from 69% to 86%, exceeding the state rate of 84%.
College Enrollment Rates: During the same period, students’ immediate college enrollment rates rose from 50% to 84%, significantly higher than the state rate of 59%.
Latino Student Outcomes: Analysis by Drexel University shows that Latino students in the program are:
7.4% more likely to graduate high school on time
27% more likely to immediately enroll in college
43% more likely to persist to a second year of college compared to Latino students in the comparison group.
