2020 GRANTEES

The Neighborhood Academy

The Neighborhood Academy (TNA) is a faith-based, college preparatory, independent school whose mission is to break the cycle of generational poverty by empowering youth and preparing them for college and citizenship.

The history of the school begins in 1993, when co-founder Jodie Moore set out to work with at-risk adolescents in Larimer, then and now one of Pittsburgh’s most desolate and underserved neighborhoods. What was then known as the Larimer Avenue Youth Club evolved into a nine-year summer-skill building program for at-risk 7th through 11th graders, run with the help of Pastor Tom Johnson, in the basement of Allegheny United Church of Christ. Ms. Moore and Pastor Johnson, who had met at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, quickly realized that the psychosocial burdens of poverty weighed heavily on these students and impeded learning. They believed that if these young people could be immersed year-round in a caring environment with high expectations, they could grow into educated young people with the potential to lead fulfilling lives. With generous support from pioneering community members, this vision evolved into The Neighborhood Academy. The college-preparatory school opened its doors to its first class of 8th and 9th graders in September 2001, and has since grown to 142 students in grades 6 through 12.

Because of TNA’s mission and the demographics that they serve, their educational model is intentionally designed to serve students who are systemically disadvantaged, including:

  • A college-preparatory curriculum with an emphasis on critical thinking and ethical reflection

  • Small class sizes, with a 10:1 or smaller student-to-teacher ratio

  • Mandatory summer programing to retain and advance critical knowledge

  • Three meals each day and transportation to/from school

  • Individual and group counseling for students and families

  • Assistance with emergency needs such as food insecurity, clothing, and medical care

  • Continuous exposure to the college experience, with visits to more than 30 different college campuses

  • Continued support for alumni throughout their college years and beyond

The Neighborhood Academy’s education model has proven successful since their founding and is honored to report the following statistics relating to their students and alumni:

  • To date, 100% of TNA's sixteen classes of graduates have been accepted to college.

  • TNA Alumni boast a 70% five-year college graduation rate (three-year average). This statistic is strikingly successful considering the national statistic: only 16% of low-income college students graduate from college (National Center for Education Statistics, 2017)

  • TNA’s degree-earning alumni have gone on to establish fulfilling careers at major corporations such as Quintiles, American Eagle, Willis Towers Watson, and Citizens Bank, as well as local non-profits such as The Children’s Institute and The Neighborhood Academy itself

  • The TNA Class of 2020 was the largest it has ever been, totaling 18 young men and women, who all received acceptance to post-secondary higher education. While the Class of 2020 experienced both highs and lows in their final year at TNA, they all overcame great obstacles and barriers to achieve their dreams and continue their educational journey at the college of their choice. Colleges include:

    Allegheny College
    Berea College
    Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC)
    Coppin State University
    Eastern Kentucky University (EKU)
    Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
    Robert Morris University
    Seton Hill University
    Slippery Rock University of PA
    Spelman College
    Washington and Jefferson College
    West Chester University
    Wheeling University

    This outstanding group of students was collectively awarded nearly $500,000 in scholarship dollars from a total of 43 colleges and universities - an enormous accomplishment for the students, their families, and for TNA as an institution.