LEAF's mission is to improve outcomes for Latinx students and families in East San José by providing support services for college enrollment and persistence, preparing students and families through LEAF's career pathways program, and advocating for educational equity and systemic change.
LEAF's mission is to improve outcomes for Latinx students and families in East San José by providing support services for college enrollment and persistence, preparing students and families through LEAF's career pathways program, and advocating for educational equity and systemic change. We believe that every low-income Latinx student is entitled to an equal opportunity to succeed in higher education and pursue the career of their choice to obtain social and economic mobility.
It is a fact that nearly 75% of all low-income students graduate from East San Jose High Schools not prepared for either college or a meaningful career. Furthermore, the students who enter college do not receive the support or resources necessary to persist in a system that wasn’t built for them. These are students of color, first-generation, from poverty-level families where typically neither parent attended high school. If something does not change, economic mobility will continue to be out of reach for the youth of East San José, leading to displacement from this region.
LEAF's purpose is to increase college enrollment and persistence among low-income students attending East San José High Schools; to support systemic reform in the education system and to benefit all low-income students and to increase funding for all schools in East San José. We are currently comprised of four programs that prioritize academic success, parent engagement, and economic mobility for families that are experiencing systemic barriers alongside their first-generation student for the first time.
We work to serve the socioeconomically disadvantaged Latino/Hispanic students of East San Jose through our support programming:
The LEAF Center for College Success (LCCS) offers a structured approach to increasing college enrollment and retention for first-generation students of color. Learn More
The LEAF Centro Educativo para Padres offers a unique opportunity to Latinx families in East San José to guide and support their students to and through college and enter a career pathway. Learn More
Our Career Exploration and Discovery program will target and address the needs of the Latino/a student population in East San José schools. Learn More
The Eastside Education Initiative (EEI) vision is to increase the economic mobility of residents in East San José. Learn More
