Students living in underserved areas lack many of the critical opportunities, resources and support networks they need to discover and explore their interests and talents. Because of the high levels of poverty in their areas, students have limited access positive role models and professionals. Instead, they are surrounded by joblessness, crime, drug-use and teenage pregnancies. In addition, they lack an academic foundation that promotes success. The students we serve attend schools where 59% of 4 th graders and 43% of 8 th graders do not meet state standards for reading; 52% of 4 th graders and 68% of 8 th graders do not meet state standards for math. In the high schools we serve, this trend of underperformance continues. The average SAT score at the schools we serve is 825, below the city-wide average of 850 and the national average of 1070. This lack of resources, opportunities and examples of success promotes low self-esteem and low ambition, both of which greatly impede students from creating their dreams. Our program works against all of these challenges and builds our students into confident leaders.