Aim High

Great experience and wonderful staff! Excited to see how many more people they help. Highly recommend Aim High.

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I became involved with Aim High about 1 year ago after I experienced the Aim High Magic after a Visiting Day. These events are an opportunity for Aim High graduates to share their stories and how the free summer enrichment program was impactful to their lives.

The particular story I heard was about a young man from a challenging neighborhood with limited support at home. Through grit, determination, and opportunities like Aim High this individual was the first to attend college and is planning to become a doctor.

This magic story, among others, is proof that the Aim High Magic is real, and these efforts have a beneficial impact on our society.

Aim High is truly one of the best non-profits I've had the opportunity to work with. They are passionate about what they do and stand behind their mission 100%. When working with the staff and students, it is easy to see the high quality and caliber of support in their impact. Whenever someone is looking to volunteer for a non-profit, I recommend Aim High every time.

I found out about Aim High a year ago and immediately understood the importance of this organization in the Northern California community. I chose to get involved with Aim High for many different reasons. They collect solid data on their programming that makes me confident that their impact is far-reaching. The Aim High community is a great group that sticks around because they have all been affected by the "Aim High Magic," which is a very real and very touching aspect of the organization.

Aim High was essential to my success as a student and pre-teen. Coming from a public middle school, one-on-one attention was rare and extracurricular activities were disappearing. At Aim High I was given the opportunity to engage directly with teachers and young-adult mentors on a daily basis. Creative activities beyond the classroom were just as important as academics. Most of all, Aim High provided a community where each student was recognized for their individuality and encouraged to express themselves. I'm so grateful for Aim High and am honored to continue to support the program.

AimHigh does an amazing job of working with students, empowering them, building their self confidence, and coaching them on soft and hard skills to set them up for success.

I can attest to the transformative power of Aim High’s work. They are a positive force to be wreckened with! Support them!!

I am from San Fransicso and I graduated Aim High after three summers. Aim High has helped me step out of my comfort zone since it is a comfortable place where I know that someone is always there to help me and listen to me. I even returned back to Aim High to become a volunteer, a teaching assistant, and a teaching intern. Whether I was a student or a member of the staff, I was always welcomed with happy faces and people offering to help me to the best of their ability. Thank you Aim High.

I'm writing as a parent of a child who benefitted greatly from participating in the Aim High program during the summer. It gave her confidence, and also made sure she was better prepared and focused on going to college. Her teachers and friends in the program have made a life long impact. Aim High has also been helpful once she was in high school to identify scholarship opportunities and ongoing learning. The outreach of the staff and teachers is amazing.

I have served on the board of Aim High for two years, and have constantly been amazed with the quality of the organization. The program is rooted in a culture of support and high ambitions, which I've found to be prevalent at all levels of the organization. I've also been very pleased with the organization's efficiency. Dollars go very far with this group, and it couldn't be for a more worthy cause. I couldn't be more enthusiastic about Aim High: great people + great culture + great model + great need + great execution = great results.

Aim High was just two years old, serving about 70 students on the Lick-Wilmerding High School campus, when I arrived as the school's head in the summer of 1988. It has been a great privilege to be involved with this extraordinary program for the past 28 years and to marvel at its growth -- first partnering with San Francisco's Urban School, then with SFUSD and to become an independent non-profit organization in 1998 that now serves over 2,200 students at 18 campuses. Throughout, the "Aim High Magic" has touched thousdands of deserving young people and hundreds of aspiring (and inspiring) teachers. Having witnessed Aim High enriching, indeed shaping, so many lives over the years, it is a pleasure to serve on its board, and my wife and I continue to designate Aim High as our #1 philanthropic beneficiary. Al Adams, Head, Lick-Wilmerding High School 1988-2011

As a Board Member, I write this Top-Rated review with pride and commitment. As a mission driven organization that continues to thrive after 30 years of service to the community, Aim High continues to elevate and innovate as the Gold Standard for free summer learning and enrichment!!! This past summer Aim high served 2181 students, provided summer jobs for 524 staff and graduated 509 rising 9th graders.

Aim High is an organization that stands out amongst the crowd. As a new board member, I was drawn to serve because Aim High is changing lives for students, teachers and broader communities. In the summer of 2016, we served over 2,200 students and employed over 500 educators across 17 sites in the Bay Area. 500 Aim High students graduated this year and we are proud to have successfully transitioned them from middle school to high school.

As a board member, I see that Aim High is highly efficient and a well-run organization. The passion and leadership of the Aim High staff is evident in everything they do. Whether it’s crafting a stimulating yet fun curriculum for students or ensuring a high return on investment for donors, the staff is thoughtful and purposeful in their decision making. I strongly encourage new donors, teachers, parents, local school districts and students to get involved.

Celebrating 30 years of service to students from lower-income neighborhoods throughout the Bay Area, Aim High is peerless in terms of the impact it has. It serves over 2100 students every summer, graduating over 500 of them to a successful transition to high school. Employing over 500 paid staff each summer, it is one of the largest teacher professional development programs in the Bay Area. By employing graduates of the program as teachers, it encourages the next generation of teachers and leaders, and creates a cycle of improvement in the communities that it serves. More than an "education" non-profit, Aim High truly does provide life changing opportunities during the summer and beyond, for its students, their teachers, and the neighborhoods that the live in.

It is with pride and humble gratitude that I have been a part of the Aim High family for 15 years. I started as a site director in Chinatown. During that summer, we were to celebrate a mile-stone year of my Co-Director, Matt Reno. As I interviewed students, teachers and parents for anecdotes and appreciations about Matt, I'll never forget what Deborah (an intern at the time) told me. She said, "Matt Reno saved my life. I was an Aim High student but got side tracked and wasn't going to return. I was getting into trouble, failing out of school, and disconnecting from my family. Matt came and found me and encouraged me to return. I got back on track and haven't lost site of what's important to me since. He is why I graduated, became a TA and am now a teacher here." This is one of many Aim High stories. All of which are a testament to the incredible families Aim High serves, the fantastic teachers Aim High employs and the tremendous impact Aim High makes while building community. Congratulations on 30 years, Aim High!! We will all benefit from many more!

My first introduction to Aim High was many years ago when it was operating under the auspices of Lick Wilmerding High School. I watched the program in action one day, and was stunned by the high quality of the program. I am an independent school educator, experienced in evaluating curriculum and the way it is delivered by teachers. What I saw that morning, delivered free to under-served middle school children, equaled, and in some areas, surpassed the very best middle school independent programs. The specific markers I looked for were all there: teachers skillfully calibrating their methods, minute by minute, as the lessons proceeded; intensely engaged students accepting the challenge of stretching themselves so that they were creating the knowledge, finding the answers, instead of being told them. I watched happy kids in a nurturing community realizing that learning is self empowering. So when Aim High became an independent not for profit organization, I became a board member.
Since that time Aim High has grown to serve 2,200 students. And, by diligent, data-based evaluation, both internal and external, has consistently refined and improved the program. Moreover, by intentional, carefully considered strategies, Aim High has managed its growth, not only to serve more children, but also to grow continually stronger as an organization with ambitious plans to expand to 6,000 students by 2020.
Research tells us that middle school is critical. Research also tells us that children in low-income situations fall behind academically in the summer. Thus Aim High's focus is exactly where it should be: an exemplary summer program of academics and youth development for under-served middle school children.

I am a board member at Aim High and proud to be associated with a high functioning organization that has consistently delivered outstanding programs to Bay Area students for over 30 years.

As a donor to Aim High, I am delighted with the incredible efficiency of its operation - expanding both the breadth and depth of its services each year and being responsible stewards of the organization's mission.

I have been on the board of Aim High for 12 years. Other reviews on this site posted by students, parents and teachers eloquently attest to Aim High's impact and excellence. Everything I have seen of the program over many years is consistent with these assessments. I would like to add my perspective as a person who has seen Aim High primarily as a board member, and also as someone who has served on many boards so can evaluate Aim High within that context. Aim High is one of the most highly functional organizations (whether for profit or nonprofit) that I have ever seen. There is a deep commitment to organizational integrity and development, a continuous practice of honest self-evaluation and self-improvement and a rigorous discipline of grounding key decisions in mission and core values. All of these attributes have allowed Aim High to expand its impact through the growth of program size and the expansion of its served geography while also maintaining high quality. These attributes also make Aim High a wonderful steward of donor dollars, ensuring a strong return on investment in the program. I cannot recommend Aim High more highly to a student, a parent, a teacher or a donor.

I had such an amazing experience working as a Teaching Intern at Aim High. An amazing staff, amazing kids, and an amazingly well run and thought out program.

Congratulations to Aim High on 30 years of outstanding summer programs for children in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond! Your programs change lives!

Aim High has been a part of my life since 2006. I started out as an eager and shy incoming 6th grader in the program. After completing all four years of the program as a student, I returned to volunteer and teach every summer after that. It's been a decade and my excitement level still remains at its peak when summer rolls around. I've watched my students, peers, families, and myself evolve because of this program. Individuals finally have a reason to enjoy not only school, but learning as well. The program has inspired me to not only value education, but it has also inspired me to one day become an educator as well.

Aim High has been a part of my life since 2002. It is why I got into teaching. I treasure my friendships, my colleagues, and my experiences from Aim High. Also their leadership team is dedicated, inspired, and has a growth mindset. I never left a meeting or a day at Aim High where I didn't say 'that was worth it'.

I can tell you firsthand that Aim High changes lives. Not only the lives of the students who participate, but also those of the educators who get to work with them. The Aim High framework provides youth with the authentic environment for rigorous and fun learning each summer. Its students return year after year to soak in the magic of hands-on projects, college and career field trips, and the exploration of engaging learning. Aim High provides our most vulnerable student populations with enrichment beyond measure, keeping them academically, emotionally, and physically safe and secure, loving learning and building community!

Aim High is my favorite place to be! I teach middle school in San Francisco and have been fortunate enough to be part of the Aim High family for four beautiful years and counting. We walk out of staff meetings saying, "Wow, that was amazing!" Our kids leave summer session saying they wish it would never end. These statements are unheard of in the world of education, yet at Aim High, these sentiments are common; they are the norm.

I have watched Aim High change the lives of families for 20 years now: in San Francisco, in the Tahoe area, and in Oakland. This program, who works with low-income middle school students and their families, is powerfully effective and relentless in its goals to broaden the opportunities available to our students.

I've worked at an Aim High site for three years, in different roles. My experience has been nothing but positive. My time with this program has helped mold me into a better educator and learner. I wish I had the student experience because the things we teach and the way we teach at Aim High is amazing. Families continue to bring their kids to our program because we make real impact during the summer and we prepare students for the road ahead on their educational journey.

I started working at Aim High in 1996. I spent 6 summers teaching and/or directing. I am now an administrator in a DC independent school and am consistently trying to bring the inclusivity, integrity and community I learned at Aim High to my schools. I'm amazed at how many of my most respected colleagues began their careers at Aim High! The program not only serves amazing students who may not have as much access as they deserve, it also inspires fantastic educators.

I've worked with Aim High now for 9 years. They are easily the reason why I became an educator. This is a place where teachers are allowed to be the creative and passionate educators they are supposed to be. The students get smaller classroom settings and learn in all different types of modalities. Even though I'm in a school year-round, I never see my work at Aim High over the summers as mundane or dreaded. I want to be there on Mondays, greeting students and playing four-square with them on the yard. Not only does the program show positive results and change lives, these students come back because they love Aim High so much. They become volunteers and then teachers themselves for the non-profit. That's the kind of dedication and loyalty that only top-tier programs can attain.

I am one of the first original graduates of Aim High when the program first began & both my younger sister & brother are also graduates. I had an amazing experience being a student. I loved the teachers & staff. In general I loved being a part of the program. The education I received there helped me throughout the years as a student when I returned to school. They helped me grow as a person & helped gain confidence. If there was an Aim High where I live now or if I was living in the Bay Area. I would put my kids in the program, because I would want them to have the wonderful experience like I did.

Attending Aim High was one of the best decisions I had ever made in my life. I am who I am because of this program. In middle school, I was very behind in terms of my math skills, and had always hated math as I never had a good math teacher. If it weren't for the great teachers at Aim High, my middle school math skills would be non-existent. I learned all my M.S. math skills from Aim High teachers. Also, my teachers actually cared. When I was upset due to something from home or from school, they were always there for me and so were my friends. Ever since graduating the program, Aim High has done nothing but provide me with more opportunities of growing work and volunteer experience, and the staff and teachers there are all incredible people that I have learned so much from. I hope Aim High continues to help students like myself and many more!

I have heard great things about this organization. I am a firm believer in providing our children a safe learning environment and support system to help them achieve their goals. Thank you Aim High for what you do for our future generation.

I have never before felt so connected to my line of work. Aim High's vision and commitment to serving students and the community at large is inspiring and I count myself incredible fortunate to be part of such an inspiring, compassionate and dedicated organization.

This summer, I experienced Aim High for the first time working as a teaching assistant in 7th grade humanities. Upon entering the program, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had never worked closely with students before, and did not know what my experience would bring. After my six weeks with Aim High, I can truly say that becoming a part of this community changed my life and my perspective on the world. Each day, the 60 students that I worked with brought incredible energy, passion, and life to the classroom. I was so grateful for the opportunity to work closely with these students and help them make the most of their time at Aim High each day. I was awed by the way in which Aim High helps even the most reserved students to become enthusiastic about coming to AIm High each day. Aim High creates a truly magical community in which all of its members, students and adults, learn and grow from each other. As a high school student, my time at Aim High opened my eyes to so many new perspectives that I had yet to learn about. Working as a teaching assistant this summer helped me realize a passion for teaching and learning that I did not know I have, and now as a senior in high school this year I approach learning in entirely new ways. It was amazing spending 5 weeks this summer watching the students I met achieve so many incredible things in and outside of the classroom. Aim High gave me a passion for learning that I hope to be in touch with my entire life.

Working at Aim High after attending the program as a student, gave me the opportunity to positively impact others and has helped me develop into a confident, independent, self-expressing individual.

My son attended Aim High for three summers. He was challenged, engaged, and social. It was a lifesaver as far as helping him to get ready for high school and keeping him busy with friends during those challenging summer months. He experienced the most freedom as well which helped him to feel more mature and responsible. Aim High is great at celebrating milestones and little successes. I felt they knew my son well.

I was a student at Aim High, so I can personally say what it was like, unlike the adults here who are saying how wonderful Aim High is with no experience whatsoever. In Aim High, I was bullied. I was called names and harassed a little, but the adults never noticed a thing. Why should they? The boy doing the bullying in question was so smart and funny. My first years were fun, at least, but the bullying got to me. Thats my story anyway. I know it doesn't help Aim High, so I am sorry for that.

I'm so grateful that Aim High exists: it provides such a vital service & community for middle school kids. The folks at Aim High are dedicated to offering rigorous, yet flexible curriculum, the teachers work incredibly hard, and the result is a space for students to explore intellectually and socially during the summers. I've been lucky enough to collaborate with Aim High on curriculum development, and have been blown away by their commitment to the students. I have no doubt that kids who attend Aim High are more prepared for high school and college than their peers.

Aim High is a Summer Enrichment program unlike any other. While Aim High receives some credit (still not enough) for the amount of work it does for the children it serves, it also does a supreme job of developing rising educators.

I joined as a Teaching Intern fresh out of High School. Aim High's teaching model is a unique one; teachers are split up into teams of either two or three, with one Lead Teacher and an Intern and/or Assistant. This model provides a plethora of benefits. I teach a class called Issues and Choices, in which we create a classroom culture that promotes College and Career Awareness, as well as Social Emotional Learning (bullying, empathy, goal setting, problem solving, etc). The very nature of our class requires forming close connections with our kids. One of the benefits of our teaching model is there is a teacher in every classroom that every student can relate to. Not every person likes every person; this extends to the classroom. Not every student is going to relate to me, its a simple reality. By having two other talented people teaching with me, we can guarantee that connection, and in turn the student buy-in.

I spent the first two years as an Intern, learning closely from an AMAZING Lead Teacher. Aim High provides an environment where young folks who care can jump in, gather best practices, and explore the world of educating our undeserved youth. Seasoned teachers are able to not only share their ideas, but improve upon them with profound support. I have a not-unique story when it comes to Aim High. When I started, I was an International Relations major, dabbling in education. After two summers at Aim High, I transferred schools and became a Child Psychology major. The amount of bright, talented individuals that Aim High has lured into education from other fields is innumerable. I personally know one Civil-Engineer-to-Dean-of-Students, and am introduced to countless others every summer.

Aim High's success goes beyond the summer classroom. They create and prepare rising educators, and veteran teachers bring new tools and techniques to their school year. In this way, they not only benefit the students they serve during the summer, but likely thousands more.

It is easy for me to say that stumbling upon the Aim High family nearly seven years is one of the defining moments of my life. Please help ensure another 29 years of Aim High serving our communities.

Aim High is like no other non profit I know. They truly honor their mission and vision and create a safe space for young people to learn, grow and feel like a part of a community. What makes Aim High so unique is their commitment to academic excellence, culturally relevant curriculum and a holistic approach towards youth development. I have worked in a variety of educational setting and no where else have I felt as supported and encouraged to grow as a teacher than I did at Aim High. For both the students and teachers, Aim High is something we look forward to all school year, that one place where we can feel nurtured and inspired to be our best.

Aim High is a life changing experience for students growing up in the concrete. Every summer, hundreds of students interact with passionate teachers, critical subjects, and build confidence and new friendships. Because middle school years are some of the most challenging, Aim High is a wonderful academic program that helps students become into young adults. As a Lead Teacher for the past two years, I've been able to work with young minds and see how much Aim High impacts their life. I honestly believe Aim High transforms students lives forever, because school should be fun and challenging at the same time. This is the mission and magic of Aim High and I'm so happy that I get to be a part of this amazing program.

Aim High is a life-changing experience, both for the students who participate in the program and for the team of teachers, volunteers and supervisors who support them. I first came to Aim High as a brand new teacher (full of common first-year teaching anxieties). I received so much support, both from central office and from my site supervisors, that I felt prepared and confident to go in and lead the classroom on the first day. Each summer that support and sense of community continues to grow, which I believe is directly reflected in the number of team members who decide to return summer after summer. Our students also return summer after summer, as Aim High provides them with a sense of community and belonging, and with the academic confidence they need and rightfully deserve. There is something truly magical about being able to create such a special environment among staff and students in such a short period of time, but those involved with Aim High can attest that magic is not only real, but contagious.

I have taught with Aim High for 2 summers. The quality of collaboration and investment of teaching and site director staff is outstanding and makes for an empowering and creative teaching environment. The Aim High magic is real and keeps me coming back. Students really get the opportunity to find their creative outlet and explore what inspires them.

Aim High creates an incredible supportive space that helps students and teachers alike learn. As a teaching intern getting my first experience at the front of the classroom, I felt encouraged to share with the community and I certainly got as much out of my summer there as any of the students.

This was my first summer at aim high. At first I didn't believe in the "AIM HIGH MAGIC" but its true I felt it! Its REAL!!! and This was just a great experience. I loved it I hope I can return

Aim High has been a part of my heart since 2001 when I began working as a TA. It did not take me long to realize how special of a program it was, one that truly brought "magic" to middle school students' summers. Aim High's fun and challenging classes combined with memorable assemblies and field trips are just a few things that set it apart from traditional summer school. And though academics is a huge focus of the 5-week program, Aim High also realizes the importance of social emotional learning, especially during the formative middle school years. Classes like Issues & Choices help students learn and reflect about themselves and the person they want to become. Graduates who return to volunteer and later teach just goes to show how much of a impact Aim High has had on their lives!

Volunteering at the satellite campus in Tahoe, I am very grateful to see this program in the community where I grew up. The kids that are enroll in the program are very lucky to do so as I wish it had existed when I was younger. The impact that it has made in my community is tremendous and I am excited to see the youth of my community succeed in reaching their academic and career dreams.

In summer of 2009 our great journey with Aim High started. I did not know the great impact this summer program would have in my kid’s life. Aim High means a lot for our family because it is a program where my child changed her perspective of learning, come to have a fun while learning and had challenging experiences to mention some of the great skills that this program had given her. The extraordinary results were noticed right away. The kid that hardly used to speak soon was standing in front of people giving a science presentation, besides that she improved her math, writing, reading, and improved and grown her love for science. It was amazing to see. After the first summer she used to count the days for the following summers and was ready to learn those skills that would help her succeed during the school year. My little girl is in her last year of high school and she is doing wonderful and now she is ready to put in practice what she learned about the path to college in Aim High! The thrilling experience for my child with Aim High has not yet finished because this past summer she came back to the program as a teacher’s assistant where she continued not only to keep learning but putting in practice the great knowledge that one day was taught to her. Now she is getting ready to come back next summer, still counting the days. In addition, I would like to add that our youngest child is now experiencing the greatness of Aim High. Seeing your children growing, excited, prepare, happy, learning in a program like this one means the world for you as a parent. All I would like to say is: THANK YOU very much Aim High for a great program that help to “Reach for a Dream.”

Aim High truly makes a difference in the lives of middle school youth from underserved Bay Area communities. At this critical time in personal development, Aim High serves over 1700 students with an engaging, challenging summer school experience. This tuition free program combines rigorous academic coursework in the morning, followed by an afternoon filled by creative, artistic, and athletic activities.
Our Board members each "adopt" one of our 15 campuses, where we get to know the directors and teachers and witness what makes these summer school experiences come alive. With our public schools so financially challenged, Aim High has assumed a key role in the strengthening the fabric of these communities. It's an honor to be involved!

I personally attended Aim High for all three years, and later returned as a teaching intern for 8th grade science this past summer. I can confidently that if it were not for Aim High, I would have never even heard about all the different high schools, let alone colleges, that were available for me to apply to and possibly attend. Aim High really opened up a myriad of doors on how I could possibly go about my life, and therefore allowed me to really explore my passions and interests.

As a student, I remember myself quite literally changing from a very apathetic person into an extremely positive and enthusiastic person. Aim High teachers were always very enthusiastic and very kind to me. Honestly, it felt like the "student-teacher" hierarchy got blurred because the teachers were also people I could confide in. They weren't simply superiors; they learned just as much from and about the students as the students learned from them.

As a teaching intern, teaching at Aim High has been one of the most rewarding jobs I've ever had. I finally got to implement and exude enthusiasm and positivity to students who might have been like me as a middle schooler--and hopefully affect their lives in a positive way. As an intern, I taught alongside an experienced lead teacher who allows me to lead some classes daily. Later into the summer, I also formulated my own lesson plan which I implemented in class on my own--my first time fully teaching a class by myself. Outside of the classroom, I found students sometimes talking to me about what was going on in their lives--making me realize the importance of having interms (typically college students) and TAs (high schoolers), who would be closer in age to the Aim High students.

The design of Aim High, from it's part-academic and part-elective portion, to the staff that is hired, is well thought-out to provide the best experience for middle school students. Aim High not only enhances the educational and academic experience into a fun one while preparing students for the upcoming school year, but also discusses real topics and issues that people face in their daily lives.

I attended Aim High as a student and I can honestly say that the experience shapes who I am as an adult today. The supportive academic and social community that Aim High provides to youth is invaluable. The guidance and opportunities the program provides year round to its students is indispensable. As a 29 year old I still consider myself an Aim High Student, and will forever be a part of the Aim High community.

Aim High has been an amazing experience for my son. The young men and women that taught there were excellent mentors and eventually encouraged my son to volunteer as a TA..something he never saw himself doing. After a summer of full time volunteer work, my son returned the following year as a paid TA and was thrilled to have the opportunity for a meaningful summer job and some income.

The staff is very devoted and challenges and encourages the students to expand their vision of what they are capable of.

The program was also a life saver for me when I was a single mom and didn't want my middle schooler unsupervised during the summer. To know that he had guidance and academic support set my mind at ease while i was at work. The tutoring offered by high schoolers during the school year was also extremely helpful.

This is an outstanding program! Thank you!

This organization has it all--it brings joy and a love of learning to the students it serves, provides an engaging, supportive and creative environment for teachers and volunteers, proven data-driven results, thoughtful and smart leadership, and most of all it has so much heart. This is an organization to support, admire, and love.

I have worked with students in Aim HIgh for over 20 years and have seen amazingly positive results. Aim High has changed the lives of many students and teachers for the better. Aim High is a great program that teaches kids how to learn and teaches new teachers how to teach. I am proud to be a part of Aim High.

Aim High stands alone in what they do for middle school students and their families in the Bay Area. I cannot say enough about the magic that infuses all that happens on an Aim High campus summer after summer. Students gain confidence and pride in their academic work, their abilities, and themselves. It's impossible to overstate the impact this program has had, and will continue to have, in the lives of SF youth and their parents and caregivers. Educators are given the tools they need to succeed, while important connections are forged for students with local schools, community organizations, and corporate partners, all eager to be involved in changing lives through shaping a life-long commitment to learning. I am so proud to be a supporter and friend of Aim High, and will be rooting for Aim High students, families, and educators always!

I am a school social worker and former teacher. I work with middle school students in San Francisco and have seen lives changed by this amazing summer program. Students blossom during the five weeks they spend at Aim High. They come back to school with stories of exploration, new friendships, new interested, increased motivation, and smiles on their faces.

I wish every student I worked with during the academic year could experience what they call the "magic" of Aim High.

I have been involved with Aim High for the past six years, first as a Teacher and now as a Site Director. As an educator, Aim High has been a great source of inspiration and motivation. Friends would often ask why I never took summers off since summer vacation is often considered a "perk" of a teacher's schedule. The truth is that I didn't take summers off because I found my summers at Aim High to be very invigorating and refreshing. I had the freedom to be creative with developing a curriculum that was project-based with lots of hands-on learning opportunities. I worked with a group of educators who were dedicated to social justice and committed to instilling a love of learning and curiosity in our students. It was very rewarding to be part of the many "ah-ha" moments that our students would have over the summer. The sense of community at Aim High kept me coming back every year. Now as a Site Director, I really appreciate the opportunity to support new teachers in developing skills and discovering best practices. Taking charge of the program logistics has also been a great learning opportunity for me. Summer after summer I continue to feel invigorated by the impact that Aim High has in the lives of our students and our staff. The level of student engagement and support at Aim High inspires students to develop a new confidence in themselves. It challenges them to try new things and take their learning to new levels. Staff members are also inspired by their experience at Aim High. They form meaningful relationships with students as mentors. They see how their hard work has an important impact in the lives of students and their families. Many staff members decide to pursue education as a career based on their experience at Aim High. I feel very lucky to be part of such an amazing organization.

By giving teachers the skills and experience to positively influence the lives of this group of children at such a critical age, Aim High not only gives those children who attend their summer program better odds of successfully completing high school, but also lets Aim High teachers keep the momentum going as the continue to use their skills during the school year to help students.

I worked as a 7th and 8th grade teaching intern for Aim High last summer. It was my first out of college job and I am so happy that it was. Being a part of Aim High gave me extended experience teaching, mentoring, and building relationships with students that I had not previously been exposed to. Working at Aim High strengthened my desire to work in education.

It really is magical!

I have worked at AIM High for the past two summers and they have been incredible. There is truly something amazing about the energy that is present at the AIM High campuses during the summer. The teachers are enthusiastic and love the work that they do. And that energy rubs off on the kids as well. The kids really get into their learning and their activities because of the relationships that they have with their teachers and with each other. AIM High is great because it helps kids continue their growth academically over the summer, which better prepares them to start the new school year, but the true "AIM High magic" lies in the fact that the kids really look forward to coming to a place where they are loved and a place that they enjoy! AIM High holds a special place in my heart and I can't wait to go back this summer!

Magic is real at Aim High, where students, staff and community members come together to enact the CORE values each summer, year after year -- Community, Opportunity, Respect, and high Expectations.

Aim high is an incredible opportunity for students, teachers, volunteers, and anyone else who wishes to be apart of the magic. I have been involved with the program for over 6 summers over a span of 14 years, and its power and inspiration continues to help me be a better educator. Aim High was my first job as an educator, and I haven't stopped since. My sister is a graduate of the program and my family has seen the benefits with both daughters as a student and a teacher. Thanks to Aim High, I feel reinvigorated every summer as an educator.

From student to volunteer to Teachers Aid. I've seen my daughter grow every summer. Aim High has been the foundation of the confidence my daughter has been able to tap into. I celebrate Aim High everyday for the confident college bound student she is today.
Thank you for the work you do . I could not have done it without you.

Elvira Gomez-Murillo

We are an Aim High family. It began about 18 years ago when my daughter started Aim High. My son went also. I became a volunteer. My husband joined the Board. My daughter became an Aim High volunteer, then high school intern, college intern, and finally teacher. She wrote her college application essay about Aim High. Her Aim High experience led her to major in Urban Studies and to become a public school teacher in a Title I school. I have mentored a number of students I have met at Aim High. One of the great things about the program is that students come from many different schools and backgrounds. They meet new people and learn how to make friends and get along. They take their Aim High experience back to school with them. The experience stays with them the rest of their lives. Aim High develops middle school students, high school students, college students, teachers and all those associated with the program.

Aim High is exactly what education should be. After an 8 hour day, our kids literally say that they do not want to go home because they want more of Aim High. In my 7 years as a professional educator at a Title I school in San Francisco, I have never seen children not want to leave school - except at Aim High. This organization is special. It instills confidence, leadership, community, friendship, growth, provides opportunities...it's a family. I began working with Aim High 3 years ago as a math teacher and eventually became a Site Director. This program is one in a million. When I imagine what a school should look like and what school should feel like for students, Aim High is my dream. Over the summer, it's my reality. This program is not only incredibly important for students, but also for the adults coming in to the field of education. I work with passionate people every day. Alec and Matt have supported me since the day I became part of the Aim High family. I have never, ever in my life, had a job where I truly felt inspired and supported by my employers and colleagues to this extent. From the founders of the organization to the incredible staff at the Central Office to the enormously talented (and growing!) group of individuals who make up our individual Aim High Sites, this is, in my opinion, the greatest educational nonprofit in existence. I am humbled and honored to be part of such an incredible team.

The professional development that Aim High provided to me as a new teacher equipped me with the tools I needed to persist and thrive in my now 10+ years as an educator. Jumping into the Aim High community with both feet allowed me to experience the strong relationship building and love of learning that results in academic and life success for students. Thanks to Aim High, I continue to improve at supporting teachers and students and am more comfortable as a leader in the area of college access for all.

Aim High consistently proves itself worthy of its strongly positive reputation around the Bay Area. From families to teachers, from students to district administration, people recognize that Aim High makes an enormously positive difference to its participants' lives, it opens doors to opportunities, and it does so in a refreshingly caring way. Academic rigor meets strong community values at Aim High. Teachers and students come away from the program with strengthened confidence and hope.
After 30 years in the field Aim High continues to move forward in its efforts to serve Bay Area families. Funding is wisely spent to give students a broadening summer experience.

I had two of my children attend AIm High. It is a great summer program that allowed each of my children to explore themselves, their community while being exposed to wonderful summer academics. It gave my son and daughter confidence during those middle school and early teen years. One of my children worked in the summer program many years and Is now a 4th grade public school teacher in a school with students of high needs. She often describes how she has used many tools that she learned at Aim High. It has changed my children's lives and mine. I should add that after I saw the change in my children's attitude toward school I became an Aim High board member. Thank you Aim High!

Aim High provides a small-knit and caring community for underserved Bay Area youth. At Aim High, students become scientists, writers, mathematicians, they learn to rock climb, sail, or dance. The best measure of Aim High's success is the number of students who return to the program year after year, even long after they graduate.

I have spent many years listening to a friend of mine rant and rave about the amazingness that is Aim High. This program seems to give their students a sense of belonging and invaluable support. Aim High gives students the ability to find their voice and agency around who they are and what makes them come alive. The spirit and enthusiasm behind the program is one to be admired. I have talked with a few people and each one of them attended Aim High as a student, volunteered at Aim High, worked as a teacher for Aim High, and continue to stay involved as alumni. It isn't everyday that you run into a program where no one ever wants to leave. This is a wonderful program for the students and their communities!

Aim High has been a unique and incredible experience for me as a teacher. Students often fall behind in academics over the summer and Aim High helps to prevent this for students in the urban community. Our students are in much smaller class sizes than they are in the normal year so they receive more individual attention. They also get to experience more hands-on learning and field trip opportunities that they might normally not receive. It's been amazing to be a part of Aim High and see how much positive impact it has on our students. I'm thankful to be a part of the Aim High community.

AIM High allows magic to happen. I had the opportunity to introduce 56 rising 6th graders to a local library and many of them received their first library cards.

They re-enacted, read and wrote Myths. They learned and excelled at Chess, Basketball, and I brought my pet bunny rabbit to program twice a week, who they loved and learned about proper methods to raise a pet bunny rabbit of their own.

We had so much fun this summer and I believe that students were more impacted in these 5 special weeks than sometimes up to two regular school years of traditional academics and learning.

It was such a fortunate opportunity to be a lead humanities teacher for these six weeks.

Aim High has been a great experience for me, I started off as a student, then I returned and volunteered and then became a teachers assistant and then an Intern. I have learned a lot throughout my years at Aim High. It has helped me with my interpersonal skills. It has also helped me with public speaking. I love that a day at Aim High is divided into academics and activities. Lastly, the program is a place where I can enjoy teaching others while learning new things at the same time.

Aim High was a great experience for me as a teacher. I received a lot of support from the staff there to help develop my vision as and educator. You can see the impact that this program has on its students, and the fact that it is going into its 30th year already, and that former students come back to intern and teach shows its growth and the impact it truly has on its students.

Working here allowed me to expand my horizons, meet new people, bond and expand my own personality and skills as an individual. Every day of this amazing program allowed me to have fun and learn as well as teach. I started off In this program in sixth grade, it was the most fun I'd ever had over the summer. Six to seven years later, I'm working for them to help another youthful generation. I am grateful to this program and the people who I've taught and learned from, this truly helped me and my peers to another level.

I started out with Aim High as a teaching intern. I've since become a co-director of my own site, and as an outsider coming in, I can really say that Aim High has an incredible sense of community and well-being (whether emotional, academic, or physical) that you just cannot find elsewhere. They took me in with open arms my first year (at the age of 19), even though most of them had known each other since they were middle schoolers in the program. Teaching in this program led me to my calling of becoming an educator outside of the non-profit. After spending years in the classroom, I am currently a dean of students at a local high school, and I'm earning my masters in educational leadership at Santa Clara. None of this would have been possible without Aim High.

As a student, a volunteer, and now an assistant teacher, I can attest to the magic that is Aim High. Every year that I come back, I come out of it, with great memories and learning experiences. Aim High is such a familial environment and its the bond that is created between students and teachers that makes it truly special. It just too bad Aim High only lasts 5 weeks, I wish it could last forever.

I was with Aim High for seven years, three as a student. My favorite part was the trail running activity. I enjoyed marking trails, hunting for trail marks and calling them out, and racing my fellow classmates and teachers. It was a sweaty way to explore the neighborhood. But no matter how many times we succeeded in finding the end of the trail, it was always rewarding to know we succeeded as a team.

I am a graduate of Aim High and I had so much fun and I learned a lot. I became a more confident person and gained so much experience that I even went back to Aim High to become a staff.

Aim High is an amazing organization that really brings learning to life for students. I have never seen students that are more engaged and excited to come to school than at Aim High. It's a great non-profit that really encourages the intrinsic value of learning in students. It also treats it staff generously and is a great place to work.

Throughout the regular academic year I am an Athletic Director and Assistant Dean students at a local high school. During the summer I teach Math at Aim High. I can honestly say Aim High is like my second family, I am really proud to be part of such an amazing program. Aim High takes advantage of the five weeks they have with students and do everything they can to make sure the students grow academically! They make sure everyone, from volunteers to site directors, have the support and the tools they need to successfully instruct students. Aim High doesn't only help students grow academically but personally as well! They offer classes and activities that give them the opportunity to be part of something and be proud of who they are. I have been part of Aim High for over half a decade now and I will continue to teach with them every summer simply because I know that with Aim High I can help students grow academically and change the way they view education for ever! I wholeheartedly support Aim High !!!!!

Aim High has, quite simply, changed my life.

I first became involved with Aim High as a teaching intern in the summer of 2013. I instantly felt welcomed into the Aim High community––one that is overflowing with talented and dedicated teachers and administrators. As a novice teacher, I felt supported by the staff as I began to take on new responsibility in lesson planning and classroom management. Unlike many summer education programs, Aim High teachers are, most often, teachers during the school year. This meant that I was surrounded by experienced educators with solid, tested, teaching strategies.

However, what makes Aim High a truly special program is its students. Aim High students are bright, passionate, vibrant kids with genuine thirsts for learning. They bring their whole selves to school every single day. I can say, without a doubt, that my Aim High students have taught me far more than I have taught them.

It is because of Aim High that I have decided to become an educator (in the Bay Area, no less)! For me, Aim High has distilled education into its purest form––a simple love of learning and of teaching. Today I am a 5th-grade teacher at a local independent school. I love my job...

...And I cannot wait to return for my third summer at Aim High.

As a teaching intern, I was able to learn from experienced teachers while helping students achieve their very best work. Aim High provides a space in which teachers can work together to support a students whole learning experience, and students can set and meet their goals. I was able to watch students improve not only their academic competency, but also, and more importantly, their confidence and self-esteem.

I have been a part of Aim High for over half my life and I couldn't imagine growing up without this program. I started out as a student in the summer program. After completing my three summers as a student with Aim High I decided I didn't want to leave. I volunteered the summer after and absolutely loved being in the classroom. I taught as a Teaching Assistant, Teaching Intern and finally a Lead Teacher coming back every summer throughout high school and college. Even though I went out of state to attend college, I knew I didn't want to give up teaching at Aim High. Even though it was hard work I wouldn't have traded coming back to Aim High for anything.

I now work in the Aim High Central Office and can't believe how lucky I am to still be involved with this great organization. Aim High has been there for me through EVERY educational transition in my life and I feel so honored to be able to give back to the program that has given me so much!

To any parent looking for an amazing summer experience for their middle school child, Aim High is the best of the best!

I have taught with Aim High for the last five summers. Being part of this organization is one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. Over my years teaching with Aim High, I have seen what a huge impact this program has had for our youngsters in East Palo Alto. For some, the program has resulted in students becoming excited about a particular subject that they previously had no interest in. For others, it is an opportunity to be better prepared for their next academic year. Significantly, Aim High makes a qualitative difference to our students' lives. We promote developing a strong sense of community, we encourage students to take advantage of opportunities that are presented to them, being respectful is paramount, and importantly, that they can have high expectations for themselves. We offer exciting core academics, and the opportunity to select elective classes ranging from sports instruction, music, creative expression through art, cooking, dancing, astronomy, gardening, environmental awareness education and marine biology, to name but a few. This is an essential program that makes a huge difference to our students. I look forward to many more summers with Aim High!

My name is Suzanne & I was 1 of the 1st 50 students when Aim High first started, graduated in 1988. My 2 younger siblings attended Aim High also. For me Aim High was a great experience. Aim High, Mr. Lee, Mrs. Mc Bride & Mr. Matthews just to name of few of my teachers helped me grow as a person, build my self esteem, confidence & brought me out of my shell. I was afraid to speak in public at first, but with the help Aim High, I have no problems, still anxious & nervous in the beginning, but once I got started it was a breeze. The program is a great asset & experience for children to receive. I honestly preferred going to school at Aim High, than regular school. I have children now, 2 teens. Unfortunately, I don't live in the Bay Area, but if I did, or if they had Aim High where I live, I'd put my children in in a heartbeat. SUPPORT AIM HIGH & THE EXPERIENCES & EDUCATION THAT CHILDREN DESERVE TO HAVE.

The Exploratorium's Educational Outreach Program has partnered with Aim High in San Francisco for over 20 years. Aim High creates an academic summer program for middle school students that manages to be rigorous while still fun, playful, enriching, and socially relevant. Older students are encouraged to come back to the program as volunteers and many do. Each campus has a unique character and enthusiastic, caring staff - many of whom are college-aged young adults honing their teaching skills. Students, families, staff, and community partners all benefit greatly from Aim High. It is one of San Francisco Bay Area's educational treasures.

Aim High's headlands environmental home is the best outdoor/experiential program you've never heard of...so often 13-15 year old students hear a conflicting message of, "you're not old enough to do this or that" along side, "you're almost an adult-act your age" ... In the AH-HEH program of Aim High students are given the opportunity to put their hands on real tools and do real work to better a piece of their public lands. This program helps students grow socially, academically and personally through hands on work, scientific study and community building. As a staff person I understand that my perspective may seem jaundiced, but let me tell you about our staff at the headlands component of Aim High. Our staff are young folks who could do any number of things with their summers, but they consistently return to serve the youth of the various Aim High campuses. These are amazing young people who continue to astound me with their commitment to community service and loyalty to the Aim High program. Many of our staff are Aim High graduates, a fact which holds true for the Aim High program as a whole. I think that this speaks volumes about the power and value of this 23 year program.

Aim High is an impressively successful program. It is remarkable how effective it has been, while at the same time remaining very cost effective. It is likely the finest program of its kind in the U.S.

good! very good very very good very very very good. amazing :) Aim High aim higher and higher and higher

Incredible organization that has changed the lives of thousands of kids in the bay area. Highly dedicated and passionate teachers and staff, with long track record of proven results.

Since joining Aim High, I can honestly say that i have seen a positive change in my son who is transitioning into the 7th grade this year. He is showing me that he can be responsible and account for the things he has or hasn't done. They have taught him how to love himself and others and to always be respectful. There were many instructors that impacted my son, but one in particular is Mr. Ise from the Bishop O'Dowd campus...my son really looks up to him and really appreciates the time, energy and teaching methods of Mr. Ise..he is very engaging and enlightening.

As a woman, a life-long learner, and a professional educator Aim High has changed my life. The healthy, positive adult relationships, opportunities for academic risk-taking, and emphasis on leadership and self-advocacy helped me to build the confidence that I needed to define and achieve my goals. Now that I am an employee of Aim High, I get to help other young people to build leadership skills and encounter experiences that will enrich their lives.

Aim High provides a progressive teaching method which engages the students in learning in a fun interactive environment. They provide support to their students and aid in building confidence, self esteem, and a sense of accomplishment. It is a rewarding program that has a positive impact on it's students.

i love Aim high!!!!!! it is by far the best summer program i have went to out of seven different programs!!!

As a parent of a special needs child, I am amazed at the positve impact Aim High has with it's students and families. Aim High is all about hope and potential, providing the environment and educational opportunties so youth and their families will find hope, achieve their goals and build a positive future. This organization needs the funding to continue their great work and accomodate many more who need the program!

In my 30 years in corporate philanthropy, I have seen numerouse education programs, in school, after school and summer programs. Aim High is, by far, the most successful program of its kind because of its attention to each individual student, the specificity of coursework and "skills" development offered to each student, its ability to track students during and after the program. The fact that so many Aim High students come back to the program to both volunteer and serve as employees is a testament to the extraordinary work they do. Pat Marino

I love Aim High. My son loves Aim High. The teachers are terrific. They care about the kids and they make the kids want to learn. My son came home every day this summer more excited than the day before.

All four of my children had the privilege of attending Aim High. Aim High puts "JOY" in learning! Is there anything else that's important?

This was my son's first summer with the Aim High program. This was a good experience for him because it was a chance for him to learn without just sitting in a classroom for hours. Because there were many different activities, it made him look forward to going to the program everyday. Also, he will be able to receive help throughout his school year because the program is offering tutoring.

Aim High is such an awesome opportunity for the youth. My son really enjoyed it this summer. The great thing about Aim High that they believe in our children and help them thrive and prepare for their academics and their future, the teachers are wonderful. The staff at Aim High are very helpful as well. We are looking forward to having our son at Aim High in the next two years! Aim High Rocks!

I have attended Aim High graduations for the last five years. Each time I am moved by the students enthusiasm for their work and the connection they have with their teachers. The families come and support their children from all parts of the city. We need more Aim High's for future generations. Supporting our children keeping them creative and motivated. Thank you Aim High.

Aim High made me an educator and continues to strengthen my commitment to building learning communities where students and teachers can thrive together. In my work throughout the year I take guidance and inspiration from what I do in the summer with Aim High. Now I get to see my former students taking leadership roles on their Aim High campuses. I am yet to find another model of integrated professional and student learning that comes close to Aim High's excellent model of success! I love Aim High!

my experience from aim high was one of the best moments of my life. I appreciate all the teachers of aim high and especially those at lick wilmerding high school. LWAH is most definatly the best campus of all. Nate and Carrie are the best directors, always giving their time to make the kids time the best. When you are at aim high, the five weeks go by so fast and you will be so sad when its over but even more excited for the next summer.

My child has spent two summers at Aim High. Two awesome summers. She has opened up and made lots of new friends. She enjoys her learning experiences there. The Aim High staff really relate to the kids and make everything fun. It doesn't feel like a summer school program. We are so thrilled with Aim High, we are coming back next year with another child plus we are signing up for the afterschool tutoring they provide during the school year.

Aim High is a phenomenal program that has both helped me grow as an educator as well as helped thousands of students improve academically, giving them the fair shot at college that they may not have had otherwise. Seeing students develop and gain a level of respect for their academic endeavors is truly undiscribable.

This is a fantastic program which makes a real difference in the lives of the children it serves - showing them that school can be fun and helping them to believe in themselves. For example, one of my students came into the program, and on the first day, had a very negative attitude. He was joking about starting a fight in the program, and being disrespectful towards his peers and especially towards adults. He was on house arrest, and had been having lots of conflicts in school. However, through the empowerment of the activities period, sports, and success/fun in the classroom, he TRANSFORMED! By the last day, he was a leader among the other kids, encouraging them to do well and supporting them with his enthusiasm and positive comments towards them. During sports he celebrated when his teammates did well, and encouraged them when they faltered. He was proud of the artwork he had produced, and seemed to take pride in bringing the younger students towards a better perspective. He participated actively in class, and started thinking more about life after high school and the possibilities that could be available to him. This student was just one of many who transformed over the course of the program.

I was a teacher assistant this past summer and i was amazed at how helpfull this program is for the kids. Everyday the kids had fun activities but also learned a lot in their academic classes. In the end of the program while reviewing the students work all of the teachers saw an amazing improvement in their assesments. This program is so great because it is in the summer and in the summer many kids dont have anything to do and may get into bad habits and hang out with the wrong people, this program allows them to have friends that are also in the program and better themself and i hope that this program stays for a long time.

I'm a current high school student and also a volunteer at aim high. I graduated summer of 2008 and it's really fun there. Because it's a rather small class, you automatically become friends for 3 consecutive summers. One thing that really helped was boosting my self confidence which really helped in high school. Teachers are great since you can easily relate to them since they're incredible people and never leaves anyone out. And then, there's tons and tons of different activities where you learn so much more new things, like movie making, movie editing, making clothes, going on hikes around your neighborhood and learning about stuff you never learned before.

I had heard wonderful things about Aim High from friends who had taught there. As an early and then mid-professional experience it was inspiring. I was able to connect with excellent teachers and excited students which created a fertile ground for innovative classes.

I've spent the past two summers as a master teacher at Aim High. I teach for a living, but these summers have not been just another teaching gig. Aim High is a unique organization in that it serves the children who currently attend its summer programs, but it also serves generations of children yet to come. It does this by training new teachers. Its staff teams are composed of professional teachers, student teachers, people changing careers, and teenagers interested in helping other teenagers. The experience of Aim High helps all of these people to become better teachers, and it involves all of these people in the education system. The more people involved in and informed about our education system, the better served our youth will be.

I have been a part of the Aim High family for seven years now. I graduated from the program after being a student for three consecutive summers and this past summer was my 4th time teaching. I can honestly say that I love Aim High. I wholeheartedly support the program and believe that it is an essential resource for underserved kids in communities throughout the Bay Area. Every student gets an equal amount of attention and support. This is made a lot easier by having small classes consisting of 10-15 students with 2 or 3 teachers per classroom as opposed a typical class of ~30 students. From my personal experience, as a former student and as a staff member, kids progress much further when there is more one-on-one interaction between the teacher and the student. One of our goals is to get kids out of their comfort zones to broaden their horizons. Every summer, we get a handful of really shy, quiet kids. By the end of the 5-week program, through lots of encouragement, out-of-class conversations, and even some playful pestering, most, if not all, of them are proactive in the classroom and outside on the yard. There's so much more I can say about Aim High and all the great times I've had in the program, but you have to witness the Aim High magic for yourself to truly understand how wonderful it is.

For the last five years I have been personally involved with the program. My brother and I have both gone through the program and loved it. Before this program I was not someone who would take chances, try new things, and believe that I could literally aim high. Once I finished the program I had made long lasting friends, I know that as a minority I can still aim high and love academics, my grades and my engagement in class has improved, and I am willing to take on any challenges and take risks. I will make a speech in front of a crowd or perform, because of my experience at Aim High. Every year I will help out Aim High with recruiting kids or help out at fundraisers because of my experience. My brother and I have gone back to volunteer and work with these students to make a difference in their lives as those T.A.s and teachers have made a difference in ours.

Great organization..my daughter attended this summer program and has benefited in so many ways. Come fall she was ready and willing to take on an important role in her own education

I've visited 2 campuses and have been very impressed by their results. A student who went through the program told me it inspired her to make the most of school. Before her Aim High summer experience school was drudgery, and she kept her head down low and just tried to get through the days. Now she wants to be a teacher. The attention and care the teachers give the students make them realize that they are valuable and their thoughts are important. This is a great organization that meets some of the needs of the lesser advantaged middle school students.

As a high school student looking for volunteer work, I had no expectations when I began working with Aim High. But after three summers as a teaching assistant in the program, I have become more and more amazed each year with the incredible boost (educationally, socially, and personally) the program provides to middle school students. It also manages the impossible by acting as a positive program-wide role model to kids who are facing the toughest social environment of their lives. I'm proud to have worked with Aim High, and I have every intention of continuing to work in the program for many years to come.

Aim High was my first experience teaching at age 16 in 1993. I am still teaching today 17 years later! I cannot express my gratitude for those first five summers and how they shaped me as an educator. It a place where the teacher and the learner are co-creators. Aim High is a program that should be emulated over and over again across the country.

My son attended Aim High the past two summer and absolutely loved it. Now that is a miracle statement coming from my son! He hates summer school because "it just does not make sense to go to school during the summer"! During Aim High he jumped out of bed to get there early and came home excited to talk about what they did and the friends he made. He can not wait for next summer and has already mention going back as a volunteer when he is old enough! Thank you Aim High for showing my son that learning can be fun!

The dedication I see in this program is amazing. To hear the students tell their story is to believe. What most impresses me is that they are able to help so many students in such a cost effective way. I only wish more programs generated such strong human and financial returns.

I am consistently impressed by the dedication and commitment of the staff towards their mission and the affection they have for their students. They have taken a great idea and implemented it creatively and successfully. I am privileged to have the pleasure of working with such a wonderful group of people.

I was astounded, thoroughly impressed and extremely fortunate to have learned about this phenomenal summer program. It provided my son with an enriching academic experience and sports activities. A parent could not ask for more in a summer program.

My experience as a single mother of two children has been very supportive. My oldest son is the one who was accepted to participate in this program for the following two years. Last summer was the first time we were part of Aim High. I said WE because we attended as a family the orientation, and we have been involved in the program, bringing our country food in a cultural event, and been welcome very warmly since the begining for the teachers and staff. After the program was over I can basically observed and feel my son more assertive and entusiastic about school, and himself. Thank you Aim High for having us be part of the program, and ernriching my son's academic and social life.

Aim High is one of the main reasons I am a public school teacher today. Before I got my teacher certification, Aim High hired me to be science teacher. This was such a positive experience, it gave me the confidence that I could not only survive, but thrive in the classroom. On top of that, I have personally seen the positive change in kids' lives due to one summer at Aim High. It is an organization that should be appreciated and emulated throughout the nation.

Aim High has changed my life. Almost needless to say it's been for the better! I spent 3 of my middle school summers with this program, gaining self-confidence as well as furthering my academic interests. Without Aim High, I would not have found the high school I so proudly call my alma mater, and without that high school, I would not be in my 4th year of college at UC Merced. As a student of this program, Aim High opened a lot of doors for me and my family that we would not have realized on our own. I remember looking up to my advisors, teachers, and interns. They all showed me that learning is fun and exciting, and that teachers are real people too. I was able to cross that boundary of the teacher-student relationship and see what it was really like to be an adult. And when I finally graduated from the program, I cried because I didn't want it to end. Luckily, it didn't end there. I was able to come back to Aim High a few years later to give back what the program gave to me. Being able to teach students who were once like myself - even students who had less than what I had - has been such a fulfilling experience. Being involved with Aim High is not complete until you are able to experience both sides of the spectrum. Now I got to be that intern showing students that I'm a real person just like them, and that learning can be fun! I've created such intense bonds with my students, a bunch of us are friends on Facebook. I can only hope that I've been able to give them what I received as a student 8 years ago. Each of the different campuses has its own unique feel and atmosphere, with such dynamic teams and ideas. When we all come together, we are a very powerful group willing to instill change and opportunity in education. I've never seen a group so motivated and happy at the same time! Aim High is like a fever of happiness; I almost become a completely different person in that environment. I find myself helping out more than usual, being more active and driven than usual. I become a better person overall. I wish all of life was like Aim High. I have learned some very valuable lessons, and I hope that this program continues to run and be funded; it would be great if more people would learn and contribute to this program.

AIM HIGH MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF ECONOMICALLY ADVANTAGED YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE MANY BAY AREA COMMUNITIES WHICH IT SERVES. AIM HIGH ENABLES YOUNG PEOPLE TO BUILD SELF-ESTEEM AND REACH FOR THEIR POTENTIAL - IT GIVES THEM A "YES WE CAN" ATTITUDE. WHILE THIS ALL SOUNDS GREAT, AIM KEEPS TRACK OF ITS GRADUATES AND HAS A DOCUMENTED TRACK RECORD DEMONSTRATING THAT AIM HIGH MAKES A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN SUPPORTERS OF THIS TERRIFIC ORGANIZATION FOR MANY YEARS. WE NEED TO CLONE IT.

I have been involved with Aim High for the past four years. To be brief: Aim High consistently and deeply changes student's lives. There is an incredible sense of community that permeates the daily Aim High routine - it is an essential part of the program. Aim High teaches kids of exceptional potential academic, social, and personal skills that help them achieve their dream. Cliche? Yes. Reality? Yes.

I have worked at a San Francisco Aim High location for two consecutive as a Co-Master Teacher. I have created curriculum to teach incoming low-income seventh grade students about identity, health and sex education, conflict resolution, body image, and politics during the five-week summer program. As a beginning teacher interested in pursuing a career in education, Aim High was a perfect launching pad to gain hands-on experience in the classroom. Aim High really supports it's employees and gives excellent support to new and experiences teachers alike. The students at Aim High are given a safe and fun summer experience while staying engaged in academics. Aim High is a fabulous organization and program that definitely deserves the Youth Thrive Award.

AIM High walks the talk relative to educational equity! Our son was lucky enough to get into their summer program and it has made a significant difference in his beginning school year achievement. This program is truly a gem and worthy of much public support.

My wife and I taught in Aim High in Year #1 and have supported the program ever since. This program is a national model for effective educational programs for urban youth - incredibly well run with life changing impact for decades.

Aim High does such important work, teaching our kids. My daughter and I have had one incredible summers. The love and passion and dedication the teachers have day in and day out throughout the program. Aim High it's such a wonderfull program.

I came to Aim High two summers ago looking for a teaching job to supplement my graduate research work... and found a whole new inspiration for my career. Teaching these kids to love learning during such a critical time in their lives is essential to improving both the quality of their lives as well as the quality of our society. Aim High inspires, educates, enriches and transforms not just their students, but also their teachers.

AIM High has the biggest heart of any organization I know. It makes a positive difference in the lives of every child and adult it touches.

Aim High does such important work, teaching our kids to have high expectations for themselves. The Bishop O Dowd site in East Oakland has been such a blessing!

I have had two incredible summers. The program is new in the South Bay but growing. Families are incredibly enthusiastic and supportive and the students are thriving in the program. Some of the students did not want to go home at the end of the day! The love and passion and dedication the teachers have day in and day out throughout the program is exemplary of what teaching and learning can be.

My husband insisted that our daughter go to a summer program he heard of called "Aim High." Our daughter said it was the best program she had ever gone to. I became a volunteer, my husband joined the board, my daughter graduated and my son began. My daughter became a volunteer, then a staff member. She wrote her college essay about Aim High. She is now a college graduate working at the Boys and Girls club. My husband continues on the board and I continue as a volunteer. We are an Aim High family.

I am the parent of two Aim High alums. My elder student started Aim High in the summer of 2006 and the younger, the following year.

I went through three years of Aim High as a student. When I graduated from the program, I returned as a volunteer for one summer. After one summer of volunteering, I applied and was hired at the same campus that I graduated from. This summer was my second year as a Teacher's Assistant. After working for Aim High, I have come to realize how much work is put into teaching the students and making sure the program runs. I think Aim High is a wonderful program that has helped me and many other students excel in school. When I was a Aim High student, not only did the program operate during the summer, but it had events throughout the school year. Through those events, I was able to interact with my teachers and classmates that I normally didn't get to see because they went to other middle schools. Aim High is such an extraordinary program that all my fellow classmates and I had wished it offered a high school segment when we graduated.

Coming to Aim High in the 6th grade, I was a lackluster student who knew his material but lacked motivation and faith in the educational system. I held a biased notion that school was boring and made my way through school with minimal effort. However, after spending my summer at Aim High, I gave my teachers a chance and realized that learning can be fun. The experience and opportunity to connect with my various Aim High teachers inspired respect for teachers and made me appreciate the work that they put into the class. Even though many of my peers would complain of the teaching style or "fairness" of a teacher during regular school, I learned to look past it and analyze their class for what really mattered: was I learning and is it honestly trying to convey the material. I loved the program so much that I volunteered for it for a summer after I graduated and continue to contribute back to the community that I've grown to love by coming back as a Teacher's Assistant.

I love Aim High. This is a very supportive space for youth to learn. They are well supported, and the program truly meets their needs.

This program provides everyone with a chance to learn and have fun at the same time! For those who don't like to work out of a book or worksheets, it perfect. We mostly learn from activities. Also every Friday, we explore our neighborhood and learn our cultures. Plus we get ready for our futures and we learn to take the right path. Aim High gave me the best summer ever and I could never forget it even if i wanted to. The trips to the exploratorium was unforgettable. I smile just thinking about it!

This summer at Aim High was amazing. It was my first time teaching inside the classroom but the staff at my site made it so I knew that I was never alone. The students at the site were all having fun and it was great meeting parents during Back-To-School Night! Celebration Night was sad because it signal that the summer was over but it made me look forward to the next summer. This program is awesome!!!

I had a great time at AIM High. It was fun when we went to the Botanical Gardens, and got to observe different plants/trees, afterwards we got Jamba Juice. In Science we learned "The Bone Song", which we had to say the names of the bones in our body and do a specific dance move along with saying the name. In Humanities we did a collaborative poster about modified versions of Greek Mythology. I also liked Jeopardy which takes place every Friday. Everyone got a little too competitive but we all had a great time trying to earn points. AIM HIGH IS AWESOME!!

Absolutely fantastic. As a teacher, there's nothing I look forward to so much as summer with AimHigh. Teaching academics in the morning and leading activities in the afternoon gives me a chance to understand my students on a much more profound level and, consequently, to make so much more of a difference in their lives. Administrators, staff, students, and parents all understand what a special culture AimHigh has and they all work together to make it happen. Superb.

This program is the real deal. As a teacher, I saw the most introverted children glowing with self-confidence and the rowdiest of bunches turn into the diligent students after just five weeks. These kids are so much fun to be around and it's amazing to watch them fulfill their potential to the fullest.

Aim High is a topic of conversation for me at least once a week. I was a Master Teacher at the SF Community site in San Francisco's Excelsior district. After applying for a teaching position online, I was approached by one of the site directors in a unique way - she called me for an interview and offered to meet at a cafe in my neighborhood. After I was hired, I started the week of Aim High training and felt like I was automatically part of a team. The staff took care of each other. Aim High took care of us. By the end of the intensive training week - I felt more ready for work than I ever have in the 2nd week of starting a job. I even felt excited to go to work every morning! The students took their studies seriously, which I did not expect. I think they take their studies seriously at Aim High because the curriculum is fun. I co-lead an elective called "San Francisco City Exploration" and was then able to build a better relationship with a lot of my students by exploring new places with them. The only complaint I have is that Aim High is only a summer program. I wish I could work there all year! I give Aim High 5 stars for multiple reasons: 1. The continuity of students and staff f 2. The curriculum and the evaluations of students and staff 3. The organization's great treatment of staff. Aim High promotes creativity, self-reflection and positivity by inspiring students to reach their goals.

My eigh grader girl had the best summer experience ever. Hoover Middle School counselor told me that AIM High was a great program. I agree. My girl was acepted the second time we apply. I recommended 100%. AIM curriculum is perfect designed to prepare the student for the transition from middle school to high school. When she started her first week of high school experience, whe was very relax and confident. I thank AIM High for such a wonderful job. I am very happy AIM High accepted my niece when she needed the most. Go AIm HIGH!

Aim High is an amazing, life altering experience. While I can only speak from the perspective of a teacher, I know from many first hands experiences that this feeling is expressed whole-heartedly by almost all teachers and students who go through the program. The five week intensive academic program has the summer school portion with classes in the morning and an activity period in the afternoon that fosters self expression, confidence, and making friendships. The atmosphere is filled with a strong sense of community and overall positive energy that is contagious, in a good way.

Aim High was founded in the summer of 1986 here at Lick-Wilmerding High School by two or our teachers, Alec Lee and Eleanor McBride. In partnership with a number of other private and public schools over the years, the original "class" of fifty students has today grown to over a thousand middle schoolers on twelve different campuses. If this organic growth is not sufficient testimony to the power of the Aim High "magic," the program's results are! Serviing a population of middle schoolers who would typically have a 25%-30% drop-out rate before completing high school, Aim High graduates have had a 95% high school completion rate and a 90% college-going rate over these twenty-three years! Aim High is also a valuable and effective teacher training ground, attested to by the fact that so many of Aim High graduates and assistant (high school and college students) teachers have become teachers. In my thirty-eight years in education and twenty-six years as a school head, I have never known an educational program that is more focused, strategic, effective and filled with heart than Aim High! Albert M. Adams, Ed.D. Headmaster Lick-Wilmerding High School San Francisco

All four of my children attended Aim High. The summer program helped raise their confidence level and self esteem. Allowing them to express themselves, without trepidation. They excelled academically. Each summer the program prepared them academically for the folling school year. They learned how to become aware of their community, ask questions and be compassionate towards others. They never wanted it to end! They talk about it all the time and look forward to returning as TA's. You won't find another program like Aim High in the city! The "Magic" does happen in each and everyone one!