Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Bellesini students continued to make significant grade level gains on standardized tests: the Class of 2022 gained 8 grade levels in math and language arts and 7 grade levels in reading during their four years at Bellesini!
For 17 years in a row, every Bellesini graduate has earned acceptance to private preparatory high school on scholarship.
While just 6% of low-income students attend private high schools, 99% of Bellesini alumni currently attend, or have graduated from a private preparatory high school.
The class of 2022 was offered over $2 million in four-year high school scholarship funds over the next four years, making it possible for them to attend these schools at virtually no cost to their families. This brings the grand total of four-year high school scholarships offered to Bellesini students since 2005 to more than $29 million.
100% of alumni remain enrolled in high school, and our high school graduation rate is 100%! They are overcoming amazing odds, as just 73% of their Lawrence peers graduate from high school.
Although just 51% of low-income students enroll in a 2 or 4 year college, 97% of Bellesini alumni have gone on to attend college—a rate comparable to that of high income students. They are overcoming tremendous odds, as just 14% of Lawrence High School students are expected to go on to earn four-year college degrees.
Bellesini alumni are succeeding in college, graduate school, and in their career fields, demonstrating the success of our mission to break the cycle of poverty through education. Our college and post college alumni are pursuing degrees and careers in a wide range of fields, including: Accounting, Communications, Computer Science, Economics, Education, Engineering, English, Finance, Human Resources, International Business, Marketing, Political Science, Public Policy, and Technology. 19 alumni are pursuing masters and doctoral degrees in graduate programs ranging from law school to physical therapy.
