BRYC's Case for Support

THE CASE FOR BRYC

Zoe Williams Baton Rouge Magnet High School, 2021 Louisiana State University, 2025 Congressional Black Caucus Intern, 2026

WHY BRYC?

$338 million gets 2,000 EBR Parish seniors to graduation.

Then what?

$3,500 BRYC cost per student per year

PROTECTS

$169K State’s cumulative K–12 investment per student1

At the very moment when high school should be a launchpad to life, schools statewide lack the resources to help students realize success.

BRYC bridges this gap, guiding lowerincome youth to pursue and secure postsecondary credentials that translate into economic opportunity.

ALUMNI DEGREE ATTAINMENT WITHIN 6 YEARS (920 STUDENTS)

84% ANY DEGREE

Includes alumni who have completed any degree or are currently enrolled and on track

77% BACHELOR’S DEGREE

BRYC alumni at 2- or 4-yr institutions

84% Louisiana — all income2

51% U.S. — lower income3

25% BRYC alumni at 2- or 4-yr institutions

77% Louisiana — all income4

24% U.S. — lower income4

Includes alumni who have completed a bachelor’s degree or are currently enrolled and on track

16%

BRYC’S RETURN ON INVESTMENT BRYC measures ROI by calculating workforce participation as a function of degree attainment and comparing annual wages, lifetime tax value, and state unemployment savings.

Students at Tara desperately need additional college and career counseling.

John Haymon, Tara High Principal

BY 2029, BRYC’S FIRST 16 YEARS ARE ON TRACK TO YIELD:

↑560 ↑$513K ↑$12.2M ↑$107.5M More bachelor’s degree-holders4

Average annual unemployment savings5

Total increased annual wages6

Additional lifetime tax value7

Because the system can’t do it alone.

Louisiana invests heavily in K–12, but students lose ground at the transition to life after high school, especially those from lower-income households.

400:1

73%

#47 | #48

85%

Avg student-counselor ratio in the U.S.8; in EBR Parish public schools, counselors rarely offer formal postsecondary advising

East Baton Rouge Parish Schools’ 2024–2025 graduation rate9; those who do graduate need support for what comes next

Louisiana's national ranking in bachelor's degree attainment (#47) and associate degree / collegeexperienced adults (#48)10

Percentage of Louisiana's highdemand, high-wage jobs that require education beyond a high school diploma11

Young adults who struggle to complete a degree or professional credential are unable to meet the state’s workforce demands or break the cycle of generational poverty for their families.

78%

59%

AVERAGE WAGES BY EDUCATION & AGE IN LOUISIANA12

Labor force participation

Labor force participation

Bachelor’s degree12

High school diploma12

Late 20s / Early 30s

Late 40s / Early 50s

Bachelor’s degree

$64,000

$96,000

High school diploma

$46,000

$59,000

UNDEREMPLOYMENT ERODES ROI

73%

MIN. FIRST-YEAR INCOME REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE ROI IN LA WITHIN 10 YEARS14

of college graduates in the U.S. who are underemployed in their first job remain underemployed ten years later13

IN GOOD COMPANY

Jennifer & Sean Reilly $500,000+ Keeping Louisiana's talent in state

$43,041

Associate degree

$37,594

Did you know? College graduates who hold even one internship during college are 48.5% less likely to be underemployed than those who had no internships. (Strada Education Foundation, 2024)

We’re proud to partner with these individuals, among many, to put economic mobility within reach for young people who deserve every chance to succeed.

MacKenzie Scott $2,000,000 Expanding BRYC beyond brick and mortar

Bachelor’s degree

Carole & Charles Lamar $1,000,000+ Connecting alumni to career-track jobs Ava & Cordell Haymon $400,000+ Building a nationally competitive advising dept

UNIVERSITY PARTNERS Since 2021, BRYC has formalized college and university partnerships statewide, signing MOUs that secure financial and practical support for our shared students.

Sources

1. U.S. Public Education Spending Statistics (Education Data Initiative, 2025) 2. A Meauxmentous Milestone: Regents Announces 51% Educational Attainment

Rate (Louisiana Board of Regents, 2024) 3. High School Benchmarks (National Student Clearinghouse, 2025) 4. Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the U.S. (The Pell Institute, 2024) 5. Collecting Unemployment Benefits in Louisiana (Nolo.com, 2024) 6. Population Characteristics and Economic Outcomes: Annual Earnings by

Educational Attainment (NCES, 2023) 7. Ripple Effect: The Cost of the College Dropout Rate (Lumina Foundation, 2019) 8. Student-to-School-Counselor Ratio (American School Counselor Assoc, 2023) 9. LA High School Graduation Rate Exceeds 83 Percent (La. Dept. of Ed., 2024) 10. Most & Least Educated States in America (Wallet Hub, 2025) 11. Workforce (Louisiana Board of Regents) 12. Louisiana’s Employment Outcomes (Blanco Public Policy Center, 2025) 13. Talent Disrupted (Strada Education Foundation, 2024) 14. State Opportunity Index (Strada Education Foundation, 2025)

MORE RESULTS

BRYC delivers an unusually intensive, long-lasting intervention, resulting in unusually positive and enduring outcomes for our 920 alumni.

449

26

327

49

71%

75

76%

Enrollment (2- & 4-yr)

Enrollment (graduate school)

Degrees (2- & 4-yr)

Degrees (masters & doctorate)

Engage regularly with BRYC

Alumni volunteers (FY25 & FY26)

Alumni who stay in Louisiana

IVORY SHARIF CLASS OF 2021 As a first-generation college prospect with major family responsibilities, Ivory was initially skeptical of committing the time BRYC demanded. But by senior year, suspicion gave way to conviction as hard work bore fruit: a full scholarship offer to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Ivory exemplifies what’s possible when a Fellow gives their all to BRYC.

Skidmore is a long way from Baker, but when a Fellow has the financial aid to affordably attend an out-of-state school, BRYC sponsors their visit. In April 2021, Ivory took his first plane ride to the quaint northeast campus and made his college choice. He returned home to the news of being named a Louisiana Public Broadcasting Young Hero (an honor BRYC nominated him for) which inspired donors Robert and Judith Levy to create a four-year scholarship to supplement his aid package. Since then, it has funded four more Fellows.

The steep learning curve of Skidmore’s academic rigor was the wake-up call Ivory needed to not only ask for help but fully access campus life and BRYC’s alumni services. Soon, he wasn’t just a regular at the tutoring center, but a mentor to other first-generation students, among other leadership roles. A Business major, Ivory also parlayed BRYC’s network into a summer internship at Northwestern Mutual, and personal mentoring relationships with BRYC supporters Chad Olivier and Carter Leak. During junior year, he broadened his horizons further, studying overseas at the University of Sydney.

In May 2025, Ivory graduated from Skidmore — on time, debt-free, and into a historically challenging entry-level labor market. (Cengage Group, 2025) But by working with BRYC’s career services team, he secured a full-time job as a Corps Member with Teach For America–Greater Baton Rouge. He also serves as a BRYC Senior Mentor, helping seniors Conner and Dylan through the same application process he navigated at the start of his BRYC journey. In both these roles, Ivory is uplifting youth whose path he understands.

Ivory is exceptional, but he is not an exception. BRYC Fellows see transformative long-term results when they apply themselves to our model, which sees them through high school, through postsecondary education, and into their careers. That’s our purpose: to help economically disadvantaged students attain financial stability, and to help future generations do the same.

Did you know? For college students of any income level, “second fall” persistence is the strongest early indicator of eventual completion. (NSC, 2025)

THE BRYC WAY

OUTSIDE-OF-SCHOOL

8th

9th

10th

11th

12th

Find your people; invest in BRYC

Strengthen study and advocacy skills

Explore new interests and career options

Earn TOPSeligible ACT scores

Make a plan for life after high school

PROGRAMS BRYC Fellows attend grade-specific afterschool programming one evening per week at our Downtown or Airline Highway locations.

Each Fellow is supported by a full-time staff member and designated volunteer mentor.

100% of parents agree: I recommend BRYC to

other families. (Spring 2026 Survey)

ALUMNI

SUPPORT BRYC’s Persistence Team helps Fellows transition successfully to postsecondary, complete their chosen credentials, and secure career-track employment.

Why it matters: Up to 40% of students from

lower-income households who plan for college fail to enter in the fall. (Voices of Reform, 2024)

Founded in 2024, “Engineering Fellows” pairs engineering majors with ExxonMobil employees who offer professional development coaching and help Fellows submit internship and job applications.

Transportation

Nutrition

Tutoring

Counseling

Employment Dedicated staff to help alumni land a first job that matches their level of education or training Mentor Programs Formal, year-long partnerships with organizations like The Baton Rouge Clinic and ExxonMobil Financial Support Professionally-focused, BRYCexclusive scholarships and micro grants for urgent needs Individual Support 1:1 and campus-based interventions to address academic, financial, and socio-emotional well-being

Case Mgmt

College Tours

Events

Direct Aid

Because the first job is the most critical.

58% of Louisiana students at public institutions do not receive personalized guidance to help select the education that will help prepare them for a successful career.

61% of Louisiana students at public institutions do not participate in a quality paid work-based learning experience before graduation.

44% of recent Louisiana college graduates are underemployed upon entering the labor market. (Strada Education Foundation, 2025)

IN-SCHOOL

SERVICES Through a partnership with East Baton Rouge Parish School System (EBRPSS), BRYC is delivering ACT preparation and postsecondary advising to students who are unable to participate in outside-of-school programs.

BRYC provides invaluable services beyond our staff’s capacity.

Tamara Espinoza, Belaire High Assistant Principal

Pictured above: Senior advisorTavidee Hoskins

STRATEGIC VISION

A clear pathway for every Louisiana student Louisiana has the highest percentage of native-born residents among U.S. states. (World Population Review, 2025) In other words, most of our youth will stay here, so let’s make it easier for them to succeed here. BRYC is building a future in which all Louisiana students can chart clear paths toward higher education credentials needed to become full participants in our state’s economy. This vision has three key focuses:

Supporting All Postsecondary Pathways

Building Technology for La.-Focused Decision-Making

Whereas BRYC has long focused on four-year degrees, we are evolving our model to help students understand and pursue the full range of post-high school options — degree and non-degree — which Louisiana labor data show can lead to strong career outcomes. This is especially critical as BRYC expands its in-school Advising model, serving a much larger and more academically diverse population.

There is a growing body of research showing which postsecondary pathways lead to economic opportunity in Louisiana, yet this information is too technical to be useful for most families.

In response, BRYC is building a tool that surveys Louisiana’s full landscape of postsecondary options, enabling counselors to provide every student with personalized recommendations for credentials and instructional programs that are likely to lead to a positive return on investment.

Did you know? Men who earned 2-year degrees in 2014 had higher wages 10 years later than those who earned 4-year degrees. (Blanco Center, 2025)

5,000

Students served by 2030

1,600

Students served since 2009

Codifying the BRYC “Playbook” A vital step in BRYC’s maturation is capturing 17 years of postsecondary readiness expertise into a careeraligned curriculum that supports students from middle school through workforce entry. Codifying this intellectual capital will ensure organizational longevity and curricular alignment across BRYC’s programs.

Over time, this same framework will enable BRYC to share what works with schools and families statewide, translating complex research into practical tools for Louisiana students.

It is both an economic imperative and reasonable expectation that every Louisiana student has access to the information needed to make wellinformed decisions about their educational and professional futures.

BRYC is committed to bringing this vision to reality, within and well beyond the walls of our outside-of-school programs.

SUPPORTERS

Over a dozen years, nearly $1 million in support from the Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation has helped BRYC take bold steps to serve more Louisiana youth. Pictured above: Ebony Starks, VP of Place-Based Initiatives

LEADERSHIP

BRYC addresses deep inequities at a critical time in young people’s lives. It's hard to imagine a more effective accelerator for educational success and economic mobility.

Feedback on BRYC’s application to MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Open Call. BRYC was among the top 4% of applicants and received $2 million — double the original award.

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS Chair: Jonathan Earle, PhD Vice Chair: Karen Breaux Treasurer: Mikki Ceasar Mathews Secretary: David Luecke Directors Lisa Adamek, JD Chaunda Allen Mitchell, PhD Regina Davis Carissa Graves Edward “Ted” James Linda Orlansky Posner, JD Laura Poché, JD Michael Rolfsen, MD Garrett Temple Jessica Tucker-Baghian Raedtha Vasquez, JD Corey Wilson

RECENT AWARDS

BATON ROUGE YOUTH COALITION 448 N 11TH STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 70802 WEB: THEBRYC.ORG EMAIL: BRYC@THEBRYC.ORG PHONE: 225-456-5752

LUCAS SPIELFOGEL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Data say: This is the right investment.

Louisiana Employment Outcomes, the recent Blanco Center report cited throughout this document, sends a clear message: higher education attainment is the key to Louisiana’s economic future.

There are few investments which promise a greater societal return.

I don’t take lightly that you would consider investing in BRYC. For 17 years, we have worked tirelessly to prove that the presence of quality postsecondary readiness information and support systems is life-changing for economically disadvantaged students. You can help make this true for considerably more.

Louisiana is a place where people stay.

That rootedness carries a responsibility to make it a place where all people can prosper. The time is now to embrace that responsibility, to fight for our youth rather than just give them a fighting chance. Together we can build a Louisiana in which all young people have reason to feel hopeful about their futures, and in which we feel the same about the future we share. Thank you for your consideration.

Lucas Spielfogel (Yale ’10) has served as BRYC’s leader since 2012. He is the author of “The College Playbook” and recipient of the John W. Barton Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management, University of Chicago Outstanding Educator Award, and Louisiana Blue Foundation’s Angel Award, among many others.

Because support is strongest nearest the source.

We thank these — and many more — BRYC investors from across the Capital Region.

Albemarle All Star Automotive Group Baton Rouge Alliance for Students Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council Capital Area United Way Charles Lamar Family Foundation CMA Technology Solutions Cortana Kiwanis Club of Baton Rouge Credit Bureau of Baton Rouge Dow

ExxonMobil Hancock Whitney Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation Jones Walker LLP Junior League of Baton Rouge Lemoine Louisiana Blue Foundation LSU Flores MBA Alumni Association NFP Corporate Services (LA), Inc. Olivier Group

Pennington Family Foundation Rockhold Family Foundation Rotary Club of Baton Rouge Shell The Bank of St. Francisville The Baton Rouge Clinic The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana The Joe Burrow Foundation The Newtron Group Unum

Before she was a BRYC Fellow, she was a 7th-grader in “Mr. Spielfogel’s” social studies class. After graduating from Oglethorpe University, Myeisha Anderson made BRYC her career, now serving as deputy chief of staff.

Donovan Thomas Investigative Reporter

Trinton Harris Ophthalmic Technician

Amber Richardson Registered Nurse

Kamesha Brumfield HR Specialist

Dailynn Thomas Electrical Engineer

Jayde Encalade, JD Associate

Andrea Loyd, MAcc Accountant

Jerlisa Robinson, MEd Math Teacher

Amanda Alfaro Project Management Director

Sierra Henderson Construction Engineer

Devin Scott, MPH Corporate Treasury Analyst

Casey P. Hollins, JD Associate

Jonathan M. Scott Renewable Energy Manager

Ashlei Smith Digital Marketer

Jacquari Self Project Manager

LaDelwyn Mealey Electrical Engineer

Victoria Williams Research & Innovation

Alyssia White, MA Academic Counselor 2

Henry Thomas III Mechanical Engineer

Armani Brown Account Executive

LaKiya Nash Registered Nurse

Bethany McMorris IT Operations Manager

Myra Richardson Founder

Marquis Britten HR Analyst

Taylor C. Scott, PhD Assistant Professor

Shandricka Jackson, MS, MBA Battalion Operations Officer

Hallah Bakari Business Analyst

Kari Stephens, MSW Clinician

Deventria Curtis Product Development Analyst

Kenneth White Jr. Programmer

JUST A FEW OF THE BRYC ALUMNI WHO ARE WINNING IN THE WORKFORCE.

© 2026 Baton Rouge Youth Coalition, Inc.