The mission of Project GRAD is to ensure a quality public education for all students in economically disadvantaged communities so that high school and college graduation rates increase.
Project GRAD Houston
1510 Jensen Dr.
Houston, TX 77020
832-325-0325 (main)
Mailing address:
Project GRAD Houston
PO Box 15568
Houston TX 77220-5568
Walk for Success
Project GRAD’s flagship event, the Walk for Success, utilizes thousands of volunteers on a Saturday morning each fall to conduct a door-to-door campaign visiting the homes of every new ninth grade student’s family in high schools, every new sixth grade student’s family in middle schools, and targeted grade levels in elementary school in order to inform them of the college expectations of this program and to encourage their involvement with each child’s school. At this event, ninth graders and their families actually sign a “contract” that enrolls them in the scholarship program.
Project GRAD’s 20th Annual
WALK FOR SUCCESS
On the morning of October 25, 2008, approximately 5,000 community volunteers will visit almost 8,500 homes of Houston’s inner-city, at-risk students. This annual event is called Walk for Success and is hosted each year by Project GRAD in cooperation with the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and Communities In Schools organization. The purpose of The Walk is to let parents know that their child attends a HISD school that offers GRAD services and the GRAD scholarship program.
The scholarship program is the capstone of Project GRAD Houston, a nationally recognized education reform effort, that provides additional resources to school districts, teachers and families. Today, Project GRAD Houston partners with 66 HISD schools with 45,000+ participating students. Since its inception, Project GRAD Houston has offered over $14 million in college scholarships to 3,500+ Houston ISD students.
This year’s 20th Annual Walk for Success door-to-door campaign will visit 9th graders’ homes in five HISD high schools – Davis, Yates, Wheatley, Reagan, Houston – during which students and parents are asked to sign a pledge that will make the student eligible for a $4,000 non-competitive scholarship when they (a) graduate in four years or less with at least a 2.5 GPA, and (b) attend two GRAD sponsored college institutes during their high school tenure. Volunteer walkers will also visit homes of elementary and middle school students that are within the same attendance zones as these high schools delivering the message of college and career awareness partnered with campus specific information.
Project GRAD Houston staff members, Communities In Schools personnel, HISD teachers, and community volunteers will meet at each of the aforementioned high schools at 9:30 am and will begin their door-to-door home visits by 10:00 am after a short video training. Volunteers visit homes in groups of 3 or 4 with at least one group member familiar with the school and the neighborhood. Each group has the names, addresses, and maps of the 6 – 8 students/families who have been notified that The Walk group is coming. Volunteers return to the high school about 1:00 pm for a free celebratory luncheon.
Walk for Success Contact Information:
Paula Roe, Director
Parent and Community Engagement
832.325.0375
proe@projectgradhouston.org