As we prepare to spend some quality time with family and friends this holiday season, we are also taking time to reflect.
At SEED, we have the pleasure of serving remarkable students who are defying the odds and charting their own paths towards college completion. Here’s just a small slice of what our scholars accomplished this year:
In our first issue of The SEED Spark, we featured Monae Scott (SEED DC ‘19), an exceptional SEED student, who was selected as a POSSE Scholar, earning a full scholarship to Sewanee: The University of the South. Monae also joined 14 other SEED scholars who received over $40,000 in SEED Foundation Scholarships in 2019. The following month, we shared how the SEED Tax Prep Ambassadors, a cohort of scholars from SEED DC, assisted in filing taxes for low and middle-income residents in wards 7 and 8 of Washington, D.C. These scholars worked closely with their clients to schedule appointments, provide consultations, and input tax information. At the end of tax season, they had successfully helped residents claim $110,000 in tax credits to their community! It’s amazing to know that our scholars are learning life skills to help themselves and others.
Last spring, we highlighted SEED scholar-artists. SEED DC’s Falcon Theatre traveled to Sacramento, California, for the Junior Theater Festival, a musical theater adjudication festival that brings together over 2,000 students from 42 schools representing multiple states and countries. After several award-winning performances, our scholar-artists earned their second invitation to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the summer of 2020. SEED DC is now raising funds to ensure that the students can participate.
There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing our scholars’ accomplishments showcased at high school graduation each year. In June, both SEED DC and SEED MD celebrated a 99% graduation rate, with alumni from the class of 2019 now attending colleges and universities across the country. As you know, their journeys with SEED don’t end there! SEED’s College Transition & Success team is there to support our scholars in college and beyond.
To close out the year, we’re proud to announce our new InfoArmor Cyber Lab opening at SEED MD! (Learn more below). Our scholars are excited to have new opportunities to learn about the tech industry and build high-tech skills to compete for 21st-century careers.
Looking Forward
2020 will be another year of firsts for SEED. The SEED School of Miami will welcome their inaugural senior class! We’re also continuing to garner support for The SEED School of Los Angeles, scheduled to open its doors in 2022. As our community grows, we’re reminded to stay true to our core values, Respect, Responsibility, Perseverance, Integrity, Compassion, Gratitude, and Growth, which bind us together.
Thank you for being part of the SEED community and providing our scholars with opportunities, resources, and community they need to achieve their dreams! None of our achievements are possible without you.