Christ Apostolic Church

Causes: Children & Youth, Education, Leadership Development, Protestant, Religion, Secondary & High Schools

Mission: The Higher Education Resource Center's mission is to serve under-represented urban students and their families through 1) out-of-school academic enrichment, 2) academic support, and 3) retention services to help them graduate from high school, and enter and graduate from an institution of higher learning. Now more than ever, the Worcester community needs more opportunities, and better ways to enhance the academic experiences our students receive. During the past fiscal school year, many programs in the Worcester Public Schools had to be streamlined or cut due to budget constraints. WPS is looking to community based organizations to assist with filling in the gap left by decreased funding. Additionally, the implementation of the Carnegie Initiative in the WPS, and its focus on the success of smaller learning communities solidifies the need for the programs offered by HERC. Also, with the frightening MCAS results for students of color, and the MCAS requirement for students to pass a standardize test to fulfill their high school graduation requirements, academic services to strengthen math and verbal skills are sought by school administrators and parents alike.In most urban communities, nearly 40% of low-income students of color, who enter the 9th grade, may not graduate with their classmates four years later. Those who do complete high school are less likely to attend college. And those who attend four-year colleges are likely to take longer to complete their degrees, and are at risk of not completing the program at all. With the continued high costs of living, and the increasing requirement of a degree to obtain lucrative employment opportunities, this target population of individuals living in underserved communities, find that they are constantly struggling. Education is a way out, and an opportunity to be a contributing member of society