Our Opportunity
An after-school, community-based boarding program
The Boarding School Model
Boarding schools have proven to be a solution to these challenges, but they are historically inaccessible to low-income students of color.
Using a boarding school model, HomeWorks Trenton sees the opportunity to help high school girls reach academic success through after-school and evening academic enrichment; to prevent absenteeism through in loco parentis and partnering with parents; to support growth in critical thinking, decision-making, and socialemotional and moral development by providing a curriculum aimed at healthy development to girls assembled together in a stable environment; and to increase girls’ sense of safety and independence by expanding their geographical territory through living away from home and participating in a robust after-school and evening
curriculum. HomeWorks Trenton sees the opportunity to supplement public schools, promote female empowerment, and build community leaders in Trenton. Boarding schools have proven to “increase students’ exposure to social, cultural, and education capital” and “can serve as an equalizer, [while] protect[ing] urban students from becoming part of negative statistics.”18 According to Carole Weatherford’s article in Education Week, a 24-hourday learning environment allows educators to have “optimum control” of the climate, subsequently enabling underserved students to succeed academically.19 11
