PeerForward

PeerForward, formerly College Summit,[1] is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of low-income youth by connecting them to college and career. In high schools across the nation, PeerForward trains and deploys teams of influential juniors and seniors to drive key actions by classmates that will improve postsecondary enrollment and success. This team of students - Peer Leaders - provide high schools with the additional capacity they need to ensure that all students receive the information, guidance, and encouragement they need achieve their college and career aspirations.

Over two decades, PeerForward’s one-of-a-kind youth-driven college access service has placed more than 350,000 students from 500 high schools on the path to college and career success. Partner schools have experienced increases in college enrollment rates up to 20% and college persistence rates equal to the national average for students of all income levels.

History

In 1996, Keith Frome Ed.D,[1] J.B. Schramm[2] and Derek Canty[3] started a teen education center in the basement of a community center in low-income in Washington, D.C.,[4] working with students who had the intelligence, resiliency, and grit to succeed in college and careers, but did not know how to pursue postsecondary education. Through this program, they saw firsthand how the influence of one student could push friends on the path to a higher education. They founded College Summit, now doing business as PeerForward, by answering a simple, yet important question: "Who is the most influential person to a 17-year-old?" The answer: "Another 17-year old." From that modest experience and critical insight, PeerForward has grown over the past two decades into a national movement harnessing the power of peer influence to transform the lives of low-income youth.

In 2015, College Summit launched PeerForward, an initiative built on decades of experience as well as third-party research about what really works in schools. A Stanford Social Innovation Review essay, “Cutting Costs to Increase Impact” analyzed this innovative approach to achieving scale. In the 2017-18 school year, 114 teams of influential 11th- and 12th-graders trained by PeerForward mobilized to run campaigns (events, peer-to-peer coaching, awareness) to reach 110,000 of their classmates and peers. Independent researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found that PeerForward high schools had a 26% higher rate of Free Application for Federal Student Aid [FAFSA] completing that similar schools without the program. The effect – unlocking an estimated $13M more in grants and scholarships to pay for school.

Founders

PeerForward Founders Derek Canty, Keith Frome, and J.B. Schramm at 2015 Destination: Opportunity Gala in New York City

Since its founding, Frome, Schramm, and Canty have remained actively involved with PeerForward. In 2015, Keith Frome became PeerForward’s second-only CEO with a vision to scale the organization's impact on college access and success by leveraging the power of student-driven change. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Frome designed and then led the King Center Charter School, an innovative K-8 on the east side of Buffalo, NY, successfully creating a college-going culture among that city's at-risk elementary and middle school students. Earlier, he served as Headmaster of the Elmwood Franklin School in Buffalo and Assistant Headmaster of the Browning School in New York City. J.B. Schramm, who served as the organization’s first CEO, currently chairs the Learn to Earn initiative at New Profit, a venture philanthropy and social innovation organization that provides funding and strategic support to help the most promising social enterprises achieve scale. PeerForward is a longtime coalition member of New Profit, and an integral part of their grant portfolio. Derek Canty is also founder of Winning Edge, Inc., a Las Vegas-based company that helps individuals, colleges, and nonprofit organizations achieve maximum personal and organizational effectiveness. In addition to providing ongoing training and coaching to PeerForward staff, students, and schools, he also played an integral role creating the innovative PeerForward program.

Geographic Reach

PeerForward works with some of the largest school districts in America, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami-Dade, and Prince George's County, MD. This scope allows partner schools to benefit from the best practices and success stories from across the United States.

Board of directors

PeerForward's Board of Directors comprises:

  • Owen Ryan (Chair), Former Deloitte Advisory CEO, Deloitte & Touche LLP
  • Boris Bershteyn, Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
  • Billy Butcher, Co-Head of Real Estate Acquisitions, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co.
  • John Deasy, CEO, The Reset Foundation
  • Anthony Ekmekjian, Founder, BASE Equity Partners
  • Janiece Evans-Page, Vice President, Fossil Global Giving and Fossil Foundation, Fossil Group
  • Nicholas M. Florio, Principal, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP
  • Dean Furbush, COO and General Manager, FoodKick
  • Alan Ghelberg, Principal, General Atlantic
  • Julie Mork, Director, ECA Foundation
  • Ashlee Neal, Employment and Infrastructure Specialist, City of New Orleans
  • Dionne Rogers, Vice President & General Manager, Global Merchant Services, American Express
  • Laura Samberg, Executive Director, The Samberg Family Foundation
  • J.B. Schramm, Founder, College Summit; Chair, Learn to Earn Initiative,
  • Keith Frome, Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder, PeerForward
  • Irvin Scott, Senior Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
  • Ramsey Walker, Senior Vice President, Client Advisory, Jordan Park

Philanthropy

PeerForward’s list of supporters includes foundations, individuals, corporations, and public and investor categories. PeerForward partners with funders at both national and local levels to support the PeerForward model. Philanthropic partnerships can take on many different forms, including restricted support that funds Peer Forward in certain regions/schools, to more broad support that funds PeerForward and the peer-to-peer movement in general. Other partnerships include in-kind support via volunteering with Peer Leaders and hosting PeerForward training camps. Some of PeerForward’s most generous partners include Deloitte, Capital One, Venture Philanthropy Partners, Fossil Foundation, FedEx, The Fiona and Stanley Druckenmiller Foundation, The Samberg Family Foundation, and Kapnick Foundation Trust.

Awards & Accolades

  • In 2010, PeerForward formerly College Summit, was one of 10 organizations selected by President Barack Obama for a portion of his Nobel Peace Prize Award.
  • In the same year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recognized College Summit, along with Deloitte & Touche LLP,[2] as the nation's top corporate-nonprofit partnership.
  • In 2008, PeerForward Co-Founder J.B. Schramm was awarded U.S. Social Entrepreneur of the Year at the World Economic Forum, and was among the top social entrepreneurs of the world in Forbes Magazine's "The Impact 30."[3]
  • PeerForward received The National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC) highest award for improving college access.
  • Ashoka, Manhattan Institute, and the Skoll Foundation have each honored PeerForward with awards for social enterprise.
  • Fast Company also awarded PeerForward with five consecutive Social Capitalist Awards.[4][5]

References

  1. ↑ College Summit is Now PeerForward
  2. ↑ "Deloitte US | Audit, Consulting, Financial Advisory, Risk Management & Tax services and reports | Global". Deloitte United States. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  3. ↑ "The Forbes Impact 30 List - Forbes". Forbes. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  4. ↑ "Social Capitalists: College Summit". Fast Company. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  5. ↑ "Social Capitalists: College Summit". Fast Company. Retrieved 2016-01-22.

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