Mission

EduMaKate aims to inspire young people through peer mentorship, direct access to career-based workshops and events, college campus field trips, and internship opportunities that are scarcely offered at the high school level. In 2011, only 68.3% of high school seniors who graduated went on to enroll in college (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Key drivers of this include lack of family value for a college degree, financial hardship, teen pregnancy, and academic difficulties. With a labor market that is still struggling to rebound (Non-Farm Unemployment Rate 7.6%), federal student loans interest rates having recently doubled (3.4% to 6.8%) and the second largest employer in the US being a temp agency (Kelly Services), it is imperative that students have college assistance and career-focused mentorship early on.

Program Goals

  • Improved outlook on attaining higher education 
  • Exposure to professional settings 
  • Knowledge of post-secondary career opportunities
  • Skills development for the college admissions process
  • Preparedness for the workplace
  • Assistance with finding scholarships, financial aid and internship opportunities
  • Increased high school graduation rates
  • Creating a “second generation” group of mentors who help in our mission”