Delaware Futures

Using the very successful John Laws Institute of Worcester, Massachusetts as a model, the committee designed a comprehensive enrichment and support program to work intensively with a small number of high school students each year to prepare for college. A key benefit of the program is the guarantee of free college tuition for all program graduates. By the spring of 1994, the organization committee had succeeded in attracting significant interest from funders, the business community and the educational community, including area colleges and universities. The original planning group was expanded to include representatives from the higher education and business communities and the community at large. With a start-up grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, and office and program space donated by Trinity Parish, we began to recruit the first class of students and set up the various program components. Delaware Futures is a not-for-profit organization based in Wilmington, Delaware. We help at-risk youth prepare for college, starting in the summer after eighth grade. Our focused, personalized programs include academic enrichment, group meetings ( problem-solving and teamwork skills ), community service, workplace internships, and one-on-one advisory. When our students graduate from high school, those who meet admission requirements qualify for full or partial tuition scholarships at our partner colleges and universities. Click here to see the full list. By focusing intensive efforts on each student, we have an exceptional success rate. 100% of our 2008 graduates are now attending college. Overall, 84% of our graduates have gone on to college. Delaware Futures changes the lives of students, one student at a time.