Elevation Scholars Receives Investment from Helios Education Foundation
Elevation Scholars received a $650,000 philanthropic investment from Helios Education Foundation to further its mission of providing wraparound support to high-performing, high-need students from Central Florida as they navigate the college application process, matriculate into the nation’s premier academic institutions, and graduate with a four-year degree.
The three-year commitment will help Elevation Scholars expand support, including:
- Wraparound support for students attending college out of state, including travel expenses for school breaks and seasonal clothing
- Expanded collaboration with Central Florida businesses to promote paid internship opportunities for students during college and career options after graduation
- Fully funded visits to top-tier universities, including flagship universities in Florida, for Title 1 high school students
- Creation of a College Success Coach position to support students through graduation
“Our goal is to nurture and support these students so that they don’t undermatch, which is what occurs when high-performing, high-need students attend lower ranked colleges than their academic performance warrants,” said Scott Lee, President of Elevation Scholars. “When a student who would have undermatched instead matches in their college choices, they gain a lifelong pool of relational and academic resources upon which they can draw in service to their communities.”
In addition to the services enhanced by the commitment, Helios Education Foundation’s investment will help Elevation Scholars expand to additional students and schools in the region, with a goal of increasing the number of high schools serviced from five to nine over the next several years and returning a positive economic impact for the region that far exceeds the program’s expenditures.
“We are proud to partner with Elevation Scholars to support high-performing, high-need students from Central Florida as they pursue a postsecondary degree,” said Paul J. Luna, President and CEO of Helios Education Foundation. “The student supports provided by Elevation Scholars will help close attainment gaps and transform opportunity for these students and their families.”
The investment is not the first involvement for Helios Education Foundation in Elevation Scholars’ work. “This new partnership is a continuation of a multi-year relationship from which the students and staff have already benefitted greatly,” said Lee. “Helios has become a deeply invested thought partner for us. The wisdom and advice they have shared over the past several years has been invaluable to us, and this commitment is a testament to our shared vision for the future of education.”