What do you wish you knew as a high school student that would help you reach your dreams? The way to write a great college essay? The steps to applying for college and financial aid? Different career opportunities you could use right here in El Paso…but could also transfer if you wanted to leave…even for just a little bit? Or maybe the confidence to look an interviewer in the eye, smile, and say, “Here is why I’m the leader you need” and then rattle off your strengths like it’s the most natural thing in the world?
At El Paso Leadership Academy (EPLA) East, we are all about your future and making it bright. We’re here to help you with your academics but we’re also looking ahead to what comes after our tuition-free middle and high school. While we have lots of ways to help prepare you (TIAA prep, in-house entrepreneurship program, Student Ambassador Program, college visits…), we especially love our community partnerships. We work with many local businesses and groups dedicated to our scholars’ success. One of these organizations is Project Raising the Bar (RTB).
Who Is Project Raising the Bar?
Project Raising the Bar is a local non-profit, created and run by El Paso business women, empowering young women through financial and education literacy, mental wellness, and higher education and career opportunities. A board of directors leads the program and a network of mentors (local women entrepreneurs) work one-on-one with their mentees throughout their high school career, providing tools and advice and preparing them for post-graduation.
Project RTB builds their mentees’ confidence by sharing helpful ideas and habits and guiding with experience. The main focus is on a growth mindset, replacing negative “I can’t” thoughts with encouraging ways to succeed. The students know they can call their mentor for advice and get emotional support, not judgment. As mentees get closer to graduation, the program helps with college and career readiness with visits, application and financial aid assistance, essay edits, and interviewing skills. Side note: this is where practicing naming your strengths comes in – Project RTB rehearses with you until it’s as easy as saying your name.
Win-Win Collaboration
The partnership between Project Raising the Bar and EPLA East is an example of how great collaborations work. EPLA East built their campus with the idea of being open, with lots of places for different groups to come together, and Project RTB wants to meet you where you are- see where this is going? It was a no-brainer to invite Project RTB to our campus, we were created for this! But when? Our scholars are busy but we felt it was important to hold this during school hours. Again, our business orientation provided the answer: a working lunch! Now scholars meet once a month with their mentor and enjoy a meal together, just like in the professional world.
Project Raising the Bar Lowdown
- Project Raising the Bar is open to freshman and sophomore girls at EPLA East.
- Applications are due in September – look for them at the end of the school year.
- Attend a mandatory three day orientation workshop during the Fall Intersession. Here you will meet the Project RTB team and partner with a mentor who shares your interests.
- Meet for a working lunch on campus at EPLA East once a month.
- Join a Summer Intersession workshop.
- Social events throughout the school year like going to the movies and out for ice cream.
- Year-long commitment but you can be involved for all four years. By the time you’re a junior and senior, the focus is on college and career readiness while you get to share your experiences with the new younger members of the group.
- Summer internships matching your interests- Project RTB has mentors who are attorneys, realtors, business owners, and estheticians who want to work with you.
Community Partnerships like Project Raising the Bar are really important at EPLA East. Learn more about programs that work with our high school students. Applications for Project Raising the Bar at EPLA East are accepted on an annual basis and are due the last Friday of September. Applications to enroll at EPLA East are open year-round, you can call us at 915.298.3901 or fill out an application online and join our forward-thinking school.
About El Paso Leadership Academy East
El Paso Leadership Academy East (EPLA East) is a small, tuition-free public charter school serving middle and high school students in El Paso Texas. We’re reimagining education from the ground up, starting with our intentionally designed building and continuing that with our scholars’ innovative and personalized education. We work with community partnerships in preparing our scholars to become dynamic leaders in the 21st century. We stress the importance of collaboration and accountability in all we do. Join our growing school, enroll today!
