2020 GRANTEES

Oakland Planning and Development Corporation (OPDC) is a nonprofit community development organization serving Pittsburgh's vibrant cultural, educational and medical hub since 1980. We provide affordable rental housing, sell homes to homeowners, organize and advocate for residents, facilitate planning processes, provide workforce development and financial coaching, and help youth succeed in high school and beyond. Guided by The Oakland 2025 Master Plan, OPDC’s vision is to make Oakland a beautiful, well-designed, sought-after neighborhood, in which a diverse mix of residents and visitors flourish.

Started in 1996, School 2 Career is a year-round Out-of-School Time program that provides high school students from low-income households a path to educational and career success - breaking the poverty cycle by eliminating educational and employment barriers. S2C’s purpose is to ensure that students graduate from high school prepared to pursue post-secondary education and careers. Each year, up to 40 students achieve life-enriching outcomes.

S2C’s innovative curriculum offers Career Exploration Officers (CEOs) the opportunity to identify a career goal and prepare academically for it. We train students in vital skills: planning, goal-setting, organization, prioritization, lecture comprehension, time management, vocabulary, study strategies, and problem-solving. While mastering these competencies takes a lifetime, our CEOs develop these skills in high school. They become well-prepared to navigate college, career, and life.

Students receive academic support, including one-on-one tutoring and SAT preparation classes. S2C educates families about college applications and financial aid, reviews and provides feedback on college essays, and connects CEOs to college admission staff. Through Microsoft® Office certification, CEOs develop technical skills and achieve a bona-fide credential that boosts their productivity and makes them more attractive candidates to employers.

For the past 15 years, 100% of S2C seniors graduated and received multiple scholarships, including the Pittsburgh Promise. CEOs have attended colleges including the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, Ohio State University, and Yale University.

All photographs courtesy of OPDC and Mike Peeler.