Can kids get passionate about learning — and develop the persistence to follow where it leads? One school has a plan By: Brenda Iasevoli The third- and fourth-graders at Elm City College Prep, clad in protective goggles and facemasks, studied their preserved frogs with the seriousness of med students facing their first cadaver. They had […]

We asked scholars like Ma’Leiah to tell us about some of their Black heroes from the past and present. Check out their stories! “I really like Mae Jemison because she is a woman of STEM, and she was the first Black woman in space. That showed that we can do anything because going to space is […]

Mahogany is a sophomore at AF Amistad High in New Haven. Every morning, when I get up and iron my clothes, I watch the news. I was shocked by Parkland. I too, am a high school student. None of us are safe. I knew I had to do something. That’s why I helped lead more […]

Shaliyah is an 8th grader at AF Bridgeport Academy Middle. When I was growing up in New York, I saw only two black teachers the whole time. I remember both of their names. They stood out because they were the ones that I could look at and see myself. That helped a little in a […]

Step into a day in the life of three Achievement First students, and see what happens when potential meets opportunity. We’d love to have you join us in our Achievement First Schools! Enroll Your Child Apply Today Music: Obrecht by Analogue Dear. Full track: http://spoti.fi/2o4b3u2 Label: bitbird Artist Info: iamanaloguedear.com/ soundcloud.com/analogue-dear facebook.com/AnalogueDear/ youtube.com/AnalogueDear instagram.com/analoguedear/

When Ashly first arrived at Achievement First Bushwick Elementary in kindergarten, she didn’t speak much English and had not yet learned to read. An English Language Learner whose family emigrated from Mexico, Ashly began meeting four times a week with an ESL teacher who spoke with her in Spanish and helped her learn how to […]

It’s an exciting time at Elm City College Prep, where we’re just wrapping up the first round of Expeditions for the year. Expeditions are one of our favorite parts of the Greenfield model. Over the past two weeks, scholars have gone on 27 field lessons, learning from over 15 different professionals, working in teams of […]

On this year’s state test, Zada made the most progress of any Achievement First Connecticut student, growing at least 2 proficiency levels in both ELA and math. We sat down with Zada, now a fifth-grader at AF Hartford Academy Middle, and her mother Symanther, to learn more about her and her success. What did you […]