Project Forward Leap (PFL) is committed to closing the gaps of academic achievement by providing challenging and equal educational opportunities to middle school students whose achievement of academic potential may not be fully realized in their public school. Additionally PFL serves as a catalyst for raising overall achievement standards in the districts in which it operates.
Founded in 1989, PFL recruited the first class of ten students in Chester Upland in 2005. The current enrollment is 85 students. In reponse to the need for a high-achchieving, technolog-rish high school alternative, PFL provided the impetus and support to launch the Chester Upland School of Discovery, which opened its doors with 125 studnets on September 4, 2008.
PFL helps students achieve scholastic and personal success, by providing intensive services to them for four years through unique, academically rigorous annual five week summer residential institutes on college campuses and local school-year Saturday Tutoring and Enrichment Programs (STEP). In the summer students study English, mathematics, science, technology, and Latin, all taught at a more demanding level than at their public schools. STEP offers students intensive tutoring during the school year and an opportunity to take enrichment workshops in math, English, and science to help them better understand their school work.
Students enter PFL when they are in 5th grade and then must possess a 2.75 or higher grade point average on a 4.0 scale; submit two teacher recommendations and one counselor recommendation; and be interviewed with their parents or caregiver by a two-member PFL team. Selection is based upon the comparative rankings of applicants. Recruitment will begin again for the 2009 enrollment in fall 2008. Contact: Jalima Cook at 215-568-2344.
Project Forward Leap
1706 Race Street, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: 215-568-2344
Fax: 215 568-2443
www.projectforwardleap.org