Type Nonprofit organization Website sspnyc.org Founded 1986 | Location New York, NY Founder Peter Flanigan | |
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Student sponsor partners 2013
Student Sponsor Partners is a nonprofit organization based in New York City founded by Peter Flanigan in 1986. Student Sponsor Partners (SSP) gives at-risk students in New York City the opportunity to receive a non-public high school education, through the financial support of a sponsor and one-to-one guidance of a mentor.
Contents
Student sponsor partners 2012
History
During the winter of 1986 a conversation took place between two bankers on how to help at-risk inner city kids. They decided to try giving these young people scholarships to private inner city schools, and mentor these kids throughout their high school careers. The conversation caught wind of some thoughtful individuals. By the following September, 45 sponsors were supporting 45 students at Cardinal Hayes High School and Cathedral High School. Since then, nearly 7,000 SSP students have graduated from high school, and in 2015 1,100 SSP students were enrolled in the 23 partner schools.
For over 29 years, Student Sponsor Partners has addressed the high school dropout crisis in New York City by providing under-served students with four years of college-preparatory education. All SSP students are paired with sponsors and mentors who offer financial support and one-to-one mentoring, thus making a meaningful impact on their lives while guiding them through their high school careers.
Program description
The SSP program is composed of three key groups: students (1,400 in 2012), sponsors and mentors (2,000 in 2012), and partner schools (27 in 2012). SSP students are selected according to their financial, academic and social need. SSP students typically have a family per-capita annual income of less than $10,000, score at or below standards on middle-school reading and/or math standardized tests, and live with a single parent or guardian.
SSP sponsors and mentors are educated professionals who make a four-year commitment to support a student. In addition to making a financial contribution toward their students’ tuition costs, mentors become role models for their students and help guide them academically
SSP Partner Schools maintain a structured and nurturing learning environment, and they have a long history of educating the New York City students. Each school assigns a dedicated coordinator to monitor and support SSP students’ progress, and maintain regular contact with SSP families, mentors and program staff. SSP’s twenty-three participating schools are located in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx. Most of SSP’s schools are Catholic schools.
Statistics
Statistics have shown that:
Participating schools
The following schools are part of Student Sponsor Partners as of October 2015:
The Flanigan Society
Members of The Flanigan Society have donated more that $1 Million over the course of 25 years