The vision of the East Palo Alto Academy Foundation is for all students to have the opportunity to pursue lives of choice that uplift themselves, their families, and their communities.

Our mission is to support the students and graduates of East Palo Alto Academy through high school and postsecondary pathways into meaningful careers by providing academic, navigational, social-emotional, and financial resources.

For students in East Palo Alto and Menlo Park’s Belle Haven neighborhood, where poverty and rental housing rates are highest in San Mateo County, there are numerous barriers to college access and persistence. Hardships don’t stop once a college acceptance letter is received—most students still lack the financial, academic, and social-emotional support needed to thrive as college students. As a result, first-generation, low-income (FLI) students enrolled in bachelor’s degrees are four times more likely to leave college after their first year when compared to their continuing-generation, middle-class peers.

 

65%

First-generation high school graduates

87%

First-generation college students

88%

Socioecnomically disadvantaged

50%

Face housing insecurity

35%

English language learners

IMG_5989.jpg

WE MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE.

EPAAF believes that each EPAA student, regardless of race, economic background, and initial academic preparedness, deserves high-quality education. Together, East Palo Alto Academy and Foundation empower students to break the cycle of poverty, contribute to their communities, and access lives of choice and opportunity.