Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) NYC College Prep
About the iMentor Partnership
This academic year marks the beginning of iMentor’s partnership with KIPP NYC College Prep. iMentor and KIPP share a mission of working in high school to improve each student’s college success. It is no coincidence, then, that KIPP is engaged in iMentor’s College Success Program. Students will be matched with a mentor during their junior year and continue the relationship through their sophomore year of college. One of the most unique aspects of the partnership with KIPP is the possibility for pairs to renew their match after four years with KIPP Through College, another iMentor partner.
iMentor sessions occur within the school’s College and Career Readiness class and is co-facilitated with KIPP advisory staff, with curriculum designed to be complimentary rather than duplicative. The combination of strong support from KIPP administration, a highly engaged student population, and the efforts of iMentor’s staff assigned to the school, this partnership is on pace to significantly impact the trajectory of college persistence statistics
Travel Directions
- 1 Train to 137th St.
About KIPP NYC College Prep
At the heart of KIPP NYC’s mission is a commitment to prepare students for success in college and in life. KIPP NYC's success is rooted in a few core principles that guide everything they do:
- High expectations. KIPP raises the bar for students and teachers alike. They operate on the belief that all students are capable of remarkable learning and growth and that the talented KIPP team can and will find a way to achieve those results.
- Empowered Staff. KIPP values the can-do entrepreneurial spirit of its principals and teachers; these individuals are given the authority and flexibility to make key decisions about staffing, curriculum, and instruction. Every school team is challenged to use its skill and creativity to drive continuous improvement and success for every student.
- More Time. There are no shortcuts at KIPP NYC. The KIPP school day starts earlier and ends later than at other schools. Half-day classes are also held on many Saturdays in addition to summer school for all students. Extra time allows for more rigorous academic preparation – and for fun, diverse co-curricular activities and field trips to round out the learning experience and motivate students.
- Character Counts. KIPP staff believes that success in school and in life depends on character. During each school day, in every lesson and every interaction, as much focus is placed on developing character – traits such as zest, grit, self-control, hope, love, gratitude, social intelligence and humor – as on academic preparation.
- Through College – and Beyond. A dedicated KIPP Through College team exists to support students after they graduate KIPP NYC schools – to help them meet the challenges of getting a college degree and becoming successful professionals
Fun Facts
- In 1995, KIPP started its first middle school, KIPP Academy, in the Bronx. Their goal was to graduate students with the strength of character and academic abilities needed to succeed in life – and in so doing, to prove what is possible in urban schools.
- Fifteen years after opening their first school, KIPP NYC is still making – and keeping – the same promises. KIPP NYC has grown to serve more than 1,700 students and 750 alumni; 83% come from low-income families, 97% are African American or Latino and all are selected by lottery.
- KIPP promises to do whatever was necessary to help students succeed, and explicitly asks children and their parents to make similarly rigorous commitments upfront.
- KIPP’s College and Career Readiness curriculum was designed to compliment the iMentor College Success Curriculum.
