Think that the only time underprivileged children make it through college and go on to become successful doctors, lawyers and the like is in the movies? Well, my friends, think again. The SEED Foundation is a national nonprofit that partners with urban communities to provide innovative educational opportunities that prepare these kids for college and beyond...think the movie, Dangerous Minds, but in REAL LIFE (and without Michelle Pfeiffer)! The first SEED school was started in Washington, D.C., in 1998. And from there, the rest is history. Today, SEED Schools are slowly being integrated throughout the country. The SEED School of Maryland is a statewide college-preparatory public boarding school that opened in August in 2008. SEED is currently working closely with leaders in Ohio and New Jersey to establish new schools in those states. Talk about spreading the love... The school’s model integrates a rigorous academic program with a nurturing boarding program, which in turn, teaches life skills simultaneously providing a safe and secure environment. As public schools, SEED schools are tuition-free and cannot choose their students. In every year since its beginning, the number of applications to SEED schools has exceeded the spaces available, making it inevitable that an annual lottery take place in order to determine enrollment. The SEED school boasts a 97% college acceptance rate at each of its locations. 90% of those accepted immediately enroll into college. These tremendous statistics have caught the attention from some extraordinary people such as President Obama, Oprah Winfrey and the Today Show and CBS’s 60 Minutes. The SEED Foundation and its schools are paving a way for any child, no matter their background, to have a chance to shape their life without any financial, cultural, or social restrictions. After the kids graduate, well, what they do with the experience is up to them. These children (now young adults) now have the CHANCE to make a choice about their future, rather than their past life making the choice for them. Have YOU helped save the world today? For more information, visit: seedfoundation.comWant to become a Social Firestarter? “Like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @ BrushfireMG
