REACH SCHOLAR AWARD 2008 - 2009
APPLICATION FORM - PART A
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS
About Rewarding Achievement (REACH)
Rewarding Achievement (REACH) (
www.reachnyc.org) is an innovative pay-for-performance program of The Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) and The Pershing Square Foundation (PSF). REACH aims to improve the college preparedness and four-year college graduation rates of low-income high school students, especially those from ethnic and racial groups that are underrepresented in higher education.
REACH offers financial incentives and awards to students and schools based on performance on Advanced Placement (AP)
exams.* When REACH launched in September 2007, it garnered significant national and local media attention, as well as the
enthusiastic support of NYC Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein and a host of educators, editorial boards, and prominent elected
officials. In August 2008, 1,161students comprised the first class of REACH Scholars and collectively earned nearly $1
million for passing 1,476 AP exams. In addition, schools and educators were awarded nearly $400,000 in performance
bonuses, with the bulk of these monies being reinvested to strengthen academics.
REACH SCHOLAR AWARDS and LEARN, EARN, WIN!
This year, REACH will give financial awards of $300 to $1,000 - REACH Scholar Awards - to students at participating high
schools, for each AP exam score of 3, 4 or 5 that they earn.† In addition, beginning in January 2009, REACH will host
LEARN, EARN, WIN!, a series of free Saturday AP workshops at Baruch College, in the following AP subjects:
Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, English Language, English Literature, European History, Physics B,
Statistics, Spanish Literature, US Government, US History, and World History.
Students who attend three LEW! workshops in their course of study are eligible for REACH Scholar Awards of $500, $750
or $1,000 for each AP exam they pass. Those who do not attend all three Saturday sessions are eligible for awards of $300,
$400 or $500 for each AP exam they pass.
-
Students who successfully complete participation
in LEARN, EARN, WIN! AP workshops:
Students who do not successfully complete participation
in LEARN, EARN, WIN! AP workshops:
-
are eligible for REACH Scholar Awards of $500, $750
or $1,000 for each qualifying AP exam
are eligible for REACH Scholar Awards of $300, $400
or $500 for each qualifying AP exam
-
46% = last year's pass rate in Biology, Calculus,
English Language, English Literature, US History and
US Government & Politics for the 610 students who
participated in LEW!.
24% = last year's pass rate in Biology, Calculus,
English Language, English Literature, US History and
US Government & Politics for students who did not
participate in LEW!.
-
are eligible for raffled door prizes, including $100 gift
certificates, cool college gear, and iPods; lunch is free.
are not eligible for raffled door prizes, including $100
gift certificates, cool college gear, and iPods
-
must attend all three full-day Saturday workshops at
Baruch College (55 Lexington Avenue at 24th Street);‡
the complete schedule will be disseminated by email
all students are encouraged to come to any of the
Saturday workshops, and may pick up free AP materials
on any Saturday, if they are available
-
will work with some of the best national AP experts and
teachers and have access to free AP materials, books and
resources, including a comprehensive curriculum
designed to help students do well on AP exams
• 46% vs. 24%. You decide.
• $1,000 vs. $500. You decide.
• $750 vs. $400. You decide.
• $500 vs. $300. You decide.
Eligibility for REACH Scholar Awards
Any student enrolled at a participating REACH school who scores a 3, 4 or 5 on a qualifying AP exam taken in May 2009, is eligible
for a REACH Scholar Award for each AP exam with a score of 3 or better, provided that the following rules (terms and conditions)
are understood and met:
- Each student applicant must read Application Form - Part A together with his/her parent/guardian.
- Each student applicant must complete and return the Agreement and Waiver section of the Application Form - Part A to his/her AP teacher by Tuesday, December 9, 2008. This page must be signed by a parent or guardian. (For students enrolled in more than one AP course, s/he should submit only one Agreement and Waiver form to the AP Teacher whose class you attend first each day.)
- After submitting Application - Part A, each student applicant must go online and completely fill out Application Form - Part B, which asks students to provide REACH with important background information, including name, home address, telephone number, e-mail address and other personal information.
- The deadline to completely fill out Application Form - Part B will be Tuesday, December 9, 2008, at 5 p.m. Students who do not fully register (PART A + PART B) by 12/9/08, will only be eligible for REACH Scholar Awards of $300, $400, or $500, regardless of whether they attend LEARN, EARN, WIN!.
- Each student who received a REACH Scholar Award for an AP Exam last year is not eligible for another award on the same exam.
- Each student applicant agrees to completely and timely fill out one mandatory, fifteen-minute REACH Survey, which will be disseminated in the Spring Term 2009. Whether s/he earns a REACH Scholar Award or not, s/he also agrees to support REACH by completing other REACH surveys, which REACH will disseminate by email from time to time to better evaluate the program and support more students effectively.
- Each student applicant agrees to inform REACH of any change to an e-mail address or other background information by emailing REACH@nycup.org. This is critical to the program's success.
- In an effort to help REACH communicate the importance of academic rigor in high schools that serve students from low-income backgrounds, each student applicant and his/her parent/guardian authorize REACH to use the student applicant's name, voice, likeness, image, photograph, or any other source of information about the student applicant's academic achievement, in program materials, promotional materials, and other works, including publications, video commercials, media coverage and internet displays.
- Each applicant and his/her parent/guardian understand that REACH is a privately-funded program, and that it reserves, and explicitly does not waive, its right to modify any rules or policies associated with the REACH program. Each applicant and his/her parent/guardian also understand that REACH reserves, and explicitly does not waive, its right to resolve any disputes related to REACH Scholar Awards.
The AP program has been around for more than 50 years and is widely recognized and respected by colleges and scholarship programs for its ability to challenge high school students with academic rigor and to measure genuine academic achievement. AP courses help high school students develop the study habits necessary for tackling rigorous course work, and allow students to stand out in the college admissions process by demonstrating intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, maturity and readiness for college. Moreover, studies show that students who participate in AP courses, and particularly those who score a 3 or better on AP exams, realize a much greater degree of college success, with higher graduation rates.
AP and Advanced Placement are registered trademarks of the College Board, which develops and administers AP tests. REACH is not affiliated with the College Board.
Notably, all AP exams are eligible for REACH awards, except the six foreign language exams: Chinese Language and Culture, French Language, German Language, Italian Language and Culture, Japanese Language and Culture and Spanish Language. In addition, in 2008 - 2009, only non-seniors who take French Literature and Spanish Literature exams are eligible for awards. All students at REACH Schools can participate in LEW!.
Students are strongly encouraged to attend all LEW sessions because it best prepares them for the AP Exams. As far as eligible REACH scholar awards, REACH will take into account all considerations and make final determinations on a case by case basis in June. Consideration for a waiver of this attendance requirement will be given in very limited and exceptional circumstances, provided that: (a) the student provides REACH with notice - either prior or timely (in the event of illness) - indicating that s/he cannot/could not attend a particular Saturday; (b) the student's AP teacher also provides REACH with a justification for the absence; and (c) REACH, in its unfettered discretion, accepts the student's waiver request. All requests for a waiver must be emailed in a timely manner to REACH@nycup.org.
REACH will securely maintain the confidentiality of this information and will only disseminate this information with the appropriate consent of the student or parent/guardian, in compliance with applicable federal and New York State laws.
Copyright © 2008, The Council of Urban Professionals Institute, All Rights
Reserved
