PARTICIPANT GRADE
9th – 12th
PROGRAM DATES
August – May
LOCATION
Virtual
Looking to join a community of students striving for academic excellence?
The TeenSHARP-Striver program provides high schoolers with intense academic preparation, support, and advising, so they are positioned to attend and succeed at America’s top colleges.
Our community of Striver scholars meets virtually throughout the school year to take college preparatory coursework, cultivate a community of scholars, and build knowledge about selective college admissions.
During the week, Striver scholars have access to group academic advising sessions to get expert support. Parents also have access to carefully crafted workshops designed to increase college knowledge and how to navigate the school system. It is a unique community where both students and parents gain resources, information, and empowerment.
It takes a village of determined supporters to achieve “trajectory-altering” impact for students. We want you to join our village!
It costs us around $5,000 per student each year to prepare our TeenSHARP scholars for top colleges and community-centered leadership. This investment typically returns hunders of thousands of scholarship dollars and will yield much more in the lifetime impact of our scholars!
We are a small but mighty team that does whatever it takes to ensure our students achieve their dreams of attending top colleges and universities for little to no debt. Join us!
There are so many opportunities to make a difference in the lives of our teensharp students. Join us!
“The End of Affirmative Action,” a new CBS Reports documentary featuring TeenSHARP, premieres tonight on the CBS News Live Stream at 8pm ET! 🎥
Produced by @cbsnews in partnership with @hechingerreport and @sob_prods, watch as we dive into the impact of the Supreme Court ruling on race-based affirmative action and how we’re responding to a much-changed college admissions landscape.
In the documentary, TeenSHARP seniors Emily Rodriquez and Hamza Parker share their concerns about the recent court decision, discuss the impact on their chances of getting into top-tier schools, contemplate the content of their admissions essays, and question the comfort they’ll feel on campuses potentially becoming less diverse.
Despite these challenges, TeenSHARP is more committed than ever to empowering students to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of college admissions. Through academic excellence and community-centered leadership, we’ll continue shaping resilient leaders who overcome obstacles and redefine success.
#TeenSHARP #CBSReports #CBSNews #DiversityinEducation #CollegeAccess #CollegeAdmissions #Education #HigherEducation #College
“Admissions officers assure us that their commitment to diversity hasn’t changed. But we will have to see. We’ve explained to families and students that this year is a learning year.” - Tatiana Poladko, co-founder of TeenSHARP
In this age of race-blind admissions, we are more determined than ever to develop a new generation of leaders; students who will fight to have their voices represented on campuses and later on in the workplace.
We’re honored to share that TeenSHARP has been featured in USA Today! Read about the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action and its impact on underrepresented students and the college admissions system.
Tap the link on bio to read the full article.
#TeenSHARP #Education #HigherEducation #CollegeAdmissions #College #AffirmativeAction @usatoday @hechingerreport
We’re excited to share that TeenSHARP has been featured in USA Today! In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, we are more determined than ever to develop a new generation of leaders; students who will fight to have their voices represented on campuses and later on in the workplace.
Tap the link in bio to read the full article.
#TeenSHARP #Education #HigherEducation #CollegeAdmissions #College #AffirmativeAction
Lies they tell us about college 👇🏾
We`ve helped hundreds of Black, Latino, and low income students attend and thrive at top colleges over the last 14 years.
And there are so many more high-potential students out there who are being lied to about college.
Here are a few of the lies they`re told:
1. College is too expensive: They talk about the sticker price and about student debt to make us afraid and limit our options. But it`s commonplace that our TeenSHARP students attend college with minimal or no debt and go to $80,000 per year institutions for FREE. You have to apply strategically!
2. College is no longer worth the cost: They say college isn`t worth it 👀 and that we can make money quicker by picking up a trade. Meanwhile, the most affluent continue to prepare their children for college and for the highest-earning careers. We want our students to be able to study abroad, build their social capital, engage in research, and think big thoughts too!
3. It`s better to apply to local colleges: They make us think our best chance at affordable college education is at in-state public universities or community colleges. Our TeenSHARP students routinely get much better financial aid offers from selective colleges than from their local public universities. Many colleges even fly them across the country for free to visit the college.
4. You won`t be able to get into top colleges: They`ll make you worry about your low SAT score, or your documentation status, or the academic struggles you had in 9th grade, or your challenging family circumstances. But we`ve worked with students with all of the above who got in and are doing wonderfully.
We`re ready to work with many more students who are trying to reach their dream colleges.
So 📌 SAVE this post and SHARE it with someone who should be applying to join our TeenSHARP program!
#apply #collegeadmissions #collegeapplications #collegeapps #commonapp #education #parenting #highschool #collegeready #parent #parenting #backtoschool #classof2024 #admissions #diversity #ivyleague #highereducation #collegeacceptance #fglistudent #coachprime #highered
Tell a talented high schooler you know to apply to TeenSHARP!
We have helped hundreds of Black, Latino, and low-income students get into their dream colleges since 2009.
Our fully virtual program helps students and parents from anywhere in the US navigate the college prep and application process with confidence.
Learn more about how you can join our special community of young leaders at our website.
#collegeadmissions #education #parentingadvice
#highschool #collegeready #parent #parenting
#tips #teensharp #backtoschool #blackmoms
#classof2024 #youthempowerment #blackdads #admissions #reels #teachersofinstagram #teachers #diversity #dei #schoolcounselor
Grab your tissues! 🤧 We are thrilled to share this heartwarming video of one of our students receiving their acceptance letter to Princeton University. Their journey to this moment was filled with hard work, dedication, and support from our organization, TeenSHARP.
This is why we do what we do: to provide opportunities for Black, Latino and low income youth and empower the next generation of leaders. Congratulations to our amazing student and to all of our TeenSHARP scholars! 🎉👏 #CollegeBound #DreamBig #Inspiration #classof2023 @princeton
Two best friends, one dream school! 🎉👯♀️
Representation matters, and Bryanda and Regina are proof of that. These Latina students are breaking down barriers and achieving their dreams, one acceptance letter at a time. They both just found out that they got into Mount Holyoke College, a highly selective school that`s ranked among the best in the nation, and we couldn`t be more thrilled for them. Their friendship, hard work, and determination are an inspiration to us all. ¡Adelante, chicas! 🚀🎓 #teensharp #teensharpie #representationmatters #latinxexcellence #collegeacceptance
Watch our @teensharp twins learn they are @questbridge finalists! Congratulations 🎉 we are so proud 🥹 #questbridge #teensharp #collegebound
Download our free College Readiness Assessment.
Deborah leads TeenSHARP’s parent empowerment work with love, conviction, and credibility. She grew up in one of America’s poorest cities (Camden, NJ), has served as an elected school board member, raised two sons who have accessed higher education successfully (one is a TeenSHARP alumnus and McCabe Scholar at Swarthmore) along with her husband, and has helped many more families prepare their children for college.
Zoha is driven by a deep passion for education and social justice. With over 8 years of experience in the development sector, she has made significant contributions to various education projects aimed at increasing access and equity. Zoha’s commitment to empowering learners stems from her belief that education is a fundamental right. She honed her expertise at Harvard University, earning a Master’s in Education and Technology, building upon her undergraduate studies in Public Policy.
Based in the Bay Area, Zoha loves exploring the diverse California landscape, especially through hiking. When she’s not championing educational equity, you can find her baking, hitting the trails, or enjoying the outdoor.
Sara Petty is TeenSHARP’s powerhouse Director of Pre-College Success, orchestrating a nationwide expansion to ensure that talented Black, Latino, and low-income students have a direct path to elite colleges. With a proven track record from her days scaling a college access program in Houston, Sara has a knack for turning educational challenges into triumphs. She thrives on transforming obstacles into opportunities and is known for her relentless drive and innovative solutions. When she’s not making waves in the world of education, you can find her brainstorming the next big idea over a cup of coffee or diving into a new book that sparks her curiosity. Sara’s mission? To make sure every student has the chance to unlock their full potential and claim their spot in the future’s top colleges.
For over 18 years, Tamara has been a passionate advocate for educational equity, inclusion, and the overall improvement of support structures to build a solid foundation for the journey of learning. Driven by a desire to see all students and families thrive, she has successfully led major projects of varying budget sizes, while also co-creating and implementing innovative strategies at mission-driven organizations across various operational areas, from technology and project management to legal and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEIB) initiatives.
Her journey began in a large urban school district, where she spent a significant portion of her career leading the development of critical strategies that served over 86,000 students. This experience allowed her to work closely with a diverse team of over 10,000 employees, understanding and addressing needs across all levels of the organization. Her collaborative spirit extended beyond the school district, fostering strong partnerships with parent groups, community organizations, and government entities.
Tamara’s dedication to education stems from a deeply personal place. As a mother to two inspiring children, Harmony and Hudson, she sees firsthand the potential and power of having access to opportunities, caring adults, and belief in that which is greater than yourself. This unwavering belief in the power of serving others, access, equity, and education to empower and transform lives fuels her commitment to continuous learning and creating equitable opportunities for all.
Our “force of nature” founder came to New Jersey from Ukraine for graduate school over a decade ago and immediately put her hands to the work of community empowerment and expanding educational opportunity. She has experience managing youth programs for the UN in Ukraine (at the age of 19!), teaching at Temple University, building/managing nonprofit organizations, and supporting students to and through college. She is also a mother to three lovely kids (Zoryana, Nazariy, and Taras), plays guitar and piano, and makes amazing soups!
As TeenSHARP’s resident historian, Atnre is quick to share stories of the organization’s humble church basement beginnings, its growing pains, and many milestones. With his background in research and evaluation, policy and advocacy, communications, technology, and instruction, he has the type of Swiss Army knife skills that are critical in a fast-paced social impact organization. He has three lovely children (Zoryana, Nazariy, and Taras), an amazing wife (TeenSHARP’s Co-Founder), and he plays bass guitar and blogs when he finds the time.
