Creating Access to Pathways for Success...

An individualized and holistic approach, because everyone’s path is different and success does not always look the same.

What?

CAPS Scholarship supports students in continuum from their junior year in high school, to and through their postsecondary educational track, whether 4-year, 2-year, or vocational, until completing the first year in their career.

Who?

  • Our Students

    are highly motivated individuals selected during their junior year of high school who face certain challenges to pursuing their desire to a postsecondary education such as financial need, personal or family hardships, grades not reflective of fortitude and/or being a first-generational student. Students must be recommended by community collaborators or identified by program staff. The selection process is by invitation only.

  • Our Mentors

    are advocates for the student. They are there to offer social-emotional and executive support as the student navigates any challenges along the journey to and through postsecondary education to starting a desired career. Click here for more information on how to become a mentor!

  • Our Collaborators

    are community organizations that offer support to our partners including Communities in Schools-Charlotte, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, DeKalb County Office of Youth Services, DeKalb County School District.

  • Our Partners

    are Carolina Youth Coalition in Charlotte, NC and College AIM in Atlanta, GA, two exemplary organizations working as a collaborative cohort to develop and administer the day to day program by recruiting, training and managing the coaches, mentors and students. Click here for more information about our partners.

  • Our Funders

    are The Merancas Foundation who provided the original call to action for the CAPS Scholarship coupled with seed money. The foundation is so grateful to have found partners with such well aligned missions and similar resolve to develop the program in a collaborative manner. The Foundation will continue to provide ongoing funding, general support and direction. The goal is to create a program that is both scalable and replicable, with the potential for additional funders in the future. Click here for more information about the Merancas Foundation.

How?

A comprehensive approach providing:

  • through comprehensive programming offered by local partner organizations that specialize in postsecondary education prep, access and persistence.

  • through workshops with a focus on soft skills, executive functioning and financial planning as well as postsecondary education and career counseling

  • through one-to-one mentors who provide individualized support, hold students accountable and act as their advocates. Click here to become a mentor!

  • through gap (last dollar scholarship) and incidental emergency funding for postsecondary education.

    This scholarship will cover the balance after the Pell grant, institutional aid, and other scholarships at any in-state, public postsecondary institution. (the amount varies depending on applicant need)

Why?

90% of kids who grow up in poverty but graduate from college, will not live in poverty as adults. -The Pew Charitable Trusts: Economic Mobility Project, 2012

There is an urgent need to support students who may fall below the thresholds of other scholarship opportunities.

 

Without ongoing one-to-one wrap around support any extenuating circumstances can easily derail a student’s path forward.

 

Hundreds of thousands of young people transition to adulthood without the skills, experiences, and credentials needed to build careers and lives of their choosing.​

There are many viable paths to post secondary success, and they are often not linear.

 

Systemic barriers have perpetuated racial wealth disparities for generations.

 

Postsecondary education has the power to help close generational wealth gaps.

 

Funding rarely covers the entire cost of education leaving students with the burden of taking out loans.

 Our Impact!

We envision that 100% of our students will graduate debt free from their postsecondary educational path and land on a career of their choice.