ABOUT US

HISTORY

BRYC was founded in 2009 when Daniel Kahn, then a high school teacher, recognized that a lack of resources would preclude even his highest-achieving students from the college success they were capable of realizing.

NEED

There are many driven students in our region’s public high schools who, with the proper tools, would access the postsecondary opportunities they deserve and need in order to be economically mobile. But, they lack support at a pivotal time in their scholastic and personal journeys. There is a widely-held misconception that students who perform well academically and follow the rules will certainly realize college success. This assumption generally holds true for students from educated, affuent families, but it underestimates resource gaps that cause nine of every ten low-income students who enter four-year college to drop out — and many not to apply at all.

MISSION

The Baton Rouge Youth Coalition prepares high-achieving, under-resourced high school students to enter, excel in, and graduate from college so they can become full participants in society.

VISION

Provide our Fellows the best college-preparatory resources money can buy –for free.

CORE PURPOSE: CHOICE

Encouraging our Fellows and Team to make empowering choices that will lead to the choices they want in their lives

CORE COMPETENCIES College

• Personalized admissions, fnancial aid, matriculation, and college persistence support

• Standardized test preparation and development of selfregulated learning skills

Consciousness

• Honing of verbal communication and critical thinking skills through analysis of social issues

• Training to craft effective personal statements for college and scholarship applications

Community

• Ever-growing network of resources and relationships — and coaching on effective self-advocacy

• Empowering support system of motivated youth and caring, highly-qualifed adults

CORE VALUES

Our Core Values express what matters most to us, each with a hand symbol for easy recall and, well, fun. Beneath them are “Empowering Choices,” the specifc ways BRYC Community members live out our values daily.

Hustle: Go Hard

• Master the material

• Invest in passions

• Plan and execute

Integrity: Be Just

• Know what’s going on

• Represent yourself proudly

• Honor your values

Community: Maximize BRYC

• Love one another

• Show up for BRYC

• Seize opportunities

LANGUAGE MATTERS

• CF/A: College Fellows (in college) and Alumni (graduated)

• Fellows: our amazing high school students

• Guardians: Fellows’ parents and guardians

• Team: passionate adults who work at BRYC

• VIPs: our dedicated volunteers