Black students in New Jersey are often faced with a lack of the full range of courses and support necessary for success in college and careers. However, one public charter school in Newark, Gateway Academy, which serves 767 K-12 Black and Brown students primarily from the South Ward, is leading the way in providing students with what they need to thrive after they graduate from high school. Gateway, which came about as a merger of People’s Preparatory Charter School and the BRICK Education Network, prides itself on an innovative and robust approach that offers students internships, AP courses, dual-credit options, and long-term assistance for college and scholarship applications, including a one-of-its-kind six-year alumni support program after students complete high school.

Joddie Iyalekhue, Gateway’s Director of the College Access and Success Team, told me, “this model is one that other schools, charter or traditional, can replicate.” The teachers and other staff  members here, she says, are invested in student success in a way she rarely encounters. “We look at the whole student to get them what they need academically, to meet students where they are, to individualize support and college access.”

What does this unique support system look like for the students at Gateway Academy, especially in a city where only 14% of adults have college degrees and many students will be the first in their family to attend college?

It starts in students’ first year of high school when educators start identifying any needs of their 330 scholars. There is an array of wrap-around services that extend both within and beyond the school day, including emergency funding for food and housing; mental health services; and transportation.

Once those needs are met, educators begin the a thorough process of guiding students to think deeply about their career goals and envisioning their own successes. One way this is done through meeting with former Gateway Academy alumni, who describe how they made their own transitions to life after high school and how they navigate predominantly-white spaces.. Students also enroll in a “Futures” class, where they learn the skills they’ll need to thrive in college and the workplace. Part of the Futures program includes free ACT and SAT test preparation.

In students’ sophomore year they begin exploring internships with Gateway’s 30 partners (including NJPAC, Newark Public Library, Rutgers-Newark), spending 20-25 hours a month gaining practical skills and learning how to perform in a professional environment.  In their junior year they begin a robust college and post-secondary access system that includes a College Prep Seminar, consultation with college counselors, college tours four times a year, plus constant support while they fill out applications, write personal essays, handle paperwork, and secure financial aid.

As students progress through high school they have multiple opportunities to earn college credits and experience college-level work through a growing list of AP courses, plus Gateway’s dual-enrollment programs with both Rutgers University and Kean University.

Once students have successfully gained acceptance to colleges and other post-secondary programs, they enroll in the alumni program, which provides six years of support. Each student has a dedicated advisor in Gateway Academy’s Office of College Placement. As challenges arise, students turn to their counselors for help with aligning their college degrees with professional goals, job searches, training for job interviews, or preparation for graduate school exams like the GRE and LSAT. When they arrive at college they are paired with a college student for additional guidance and encouragement.

This is personal for Iyalekhue: “I’ve joined a program,” she says, “that highlights issues I faced as a Black student, that are faced by multiple Black and Brown students. At Gateway Academy we give our students everything they need.”

Photos courtesy of Gateway Academy.