The students at Chicago Hope Academy have a 20% higher ACT score average than Chicago Public School students, which is one reason why this private school serving a majority minority population is such a winner. Its challenging college preparatory curriculum balances physical, mental, and spiritual development, and 100% of their students graduate and 91% go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree, despite their challenges. They seek to empower students of North Lawndale and other similar underserved communities to change them for the better.

Now, Chicago Hope will serve another 20 new students with the award of a $250,000 STOP Award Rescue grant.

The Chicago Field School serves families in multiple neighborhoods across Chicago. Intentionally diverse, they reserve 50% of their enrollment spaces for low income families. Since starting 5 years ago, they have offered a classical education that leads students to “grow intellectually, socially and spiritually, deepening their passion for lifelong learning, selfless service…” Students who arrive with a learning gap reach grade level mastery after 3 years.

With $90,000 of STOP Award Rescue funding, Chicago Field School can provide a quality education to 18 new students.

The prospects of helping add 20 underserved students to attend a school rich in classical education was not a difficult decision to make, especially when Cambridge Classical Academy has such high expectations for its students. “We believe that every child is born to achieve greatness. We believe excellence is a habit.”

Cambridge educates with the Socratic approach, and teaches Grammar, Dialectic and Rhetoric. With the $200,000 granted to this private school, students will have the support and materials they need to make a successful transition from traditional public education.

The Global Citizenship Experience (GCE) Lab School, located in the downtown Loop, is the most diverse private school in Chicago; its students hail from 37 Chicago neighborhoods, with 30% White, 29% African-American, 25% Hispanic, 11% Asian/Pacific Islander, 5% Multi-racial. The school’s project based curriculum and field experiences are grounded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 100% of GCE students are accepted into college and 80% earn scholarships.

Twenty-four students will be able to join this unique learning environment with the STOP Award Rescue grant of $249,000.

This charter school network with five schools was one of the first in Illinois and has remained a respected organization through the communities they served. Perspectives offers multiple, experiential and personalized pathways designed to address the individual needs of students, including a certification program designed to give students transferable workforce skills, allowing students to both earn in their field and continue to learn in their post-secondary path.

Perspectives serves a population of students from historically underserved and under-invested communities: 97% identify as African-American, 90% qualify for free or reduced lunch, 24% receive specialized services, and 4% are students in temporary living situations. With a STOP Award grant of $250,000, they will onboard 100 new students.

Pilgrim Lutheran School, a private Christian academy located on the Northside of Chicago, currently serves 147 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Students benefit from an enhanced science curriculum developed by the Museum of Science and Industry, Spanish language instruction and a problem solving based math curriculum preparing them for the future and contributing to a 95% acceptance rate into the highschool of the students’ choice. Art, music, band, chess and theater are taught by local professionals and field trips and community service projects are encouraged.

The STOP Award Rescue Grant of $94,611 will allow Pilgrim to give 31 additional students in Chicago the opportunity to learn in a high performing, personalized environment.

The 655 diverse students at Brother Rice are educated in the Christian Brothers tradition, prepared for life with rigor in spiritual, intellectual, cultural, and physical development. The nearly 70 year old school was recognized by ACT as one of only 382 high schools across the country, and one of two high schools in the city of Chicago, that met the ACT`s exacting criteria for rigorous core courses.

Fifteen new students who applied to Brother Rice but were unable to afford it will now have the opportunity of a lifetime, thanks to the generosity of STOP Award founder Janine Yass.

The Southeast Side of Chicago has historically lacked high-quality, accessible elementary school options, widening the educational gap for minority children in divested areas. Great Lakes Academy (GLA), a public charter school, was formed to help bridge that gap and will graduate their inaugural 8th grade class this spring. Eighty-eight percent of their scholars qualify for free and reduced lunch.

With the support of $50,000 from the STOP Award Rescue fund, GLA will enroll 100 more students, increase their student support staff, as well as provide increased support for 6th through 8th grade scholars as they prepare to make the transition from GLA to high school.

Located in Chicago’s South Loop, Village Leadership Academy offers unique experiential learning opportunities that extend beyond the classroom walls. Two of these programs, Grassroots Campaigns (GRC) and the World Scholars Program (WSP) expose students to community advocacy and world cultures respectively.

This grant of $366,600 will allow Village Leadership Academy to cover the full cost of tuition as well as before and after care for 47 students on their waiting list who have wanted to enroll but didn’t think they could afford to do so.

With over 85% of their families from native Spanish speaking homes, this small Catholic school serving students in the Chinatown and South Loop neighborhoods is a dual language school that steadily brings students to bilingual fluency. St. Procopius has seen steady student growth thanks to a focus on proven curricula, and will be adding 40 new students with its $200,000 Chicago STOP Award Rescue Grant. These new grant funds will support student academic and emotional development, as well as provide the supports and personnel necessary for St. Procopius students to flourish.

Namaste Charter School has been serving K-8 students from McKinley Park, Back of the Yards and Brighton Park for 18 years. While COVID-19 hit those communities particularly hard, Namaste has remained open and offered a “Safe Haven” program for working families as well as hosted Summer Learning Academies to provide struggling families with stability. Ninety-one percent of students are Hispanic, and parents and families of enrolled students are offered English acquisition workshops and Dual Language literacy activities throughout the year. Students become fully bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish by Fifth grade.

With $50,000 provided by the STOP Award Rescue funds, Namaste will take in 50 traditional public school students, meeting their academic needs from Day 1 and offering the stability their families need.

The Academy of St. Benedict the African (ASBA), the only Catholic school in the West Englewood neighborhood – one of the most dangerous in the city – has served its community since 1901. The school supports working families from 6:15 am until 6:00 pm, combining before-school care, a rigorous academic program tailored for individual success, and an after-school program, ensuring technology is available to every learner.

The $100,000 STOP Award Rescue grant, will give ASBA the ability to enroll 25 new students whose parents want to give them this exceptional opportunity at a school tailored to their individual needs.

Holy Angels serves the Bronzeville neighborhood where 100% of its students are eligible for free & reduced lunch. It’s mission is to provide an affordable, safe and nurturing learning environment that challenges every student through a rigorous curriculum, high adult expectations, and strong character development. Because of its excellence the school doubled its size in just one year.

Now, thanks to a $145,000 STOP Award Chicago Rescue Grant, 48 additional new students will be joining Holy Angels.

St. Genevieve Catholic School, in the Belmont-Cragin community for 95 years, serves a near 100% ELL population, and communicates bilingually with its families and students. Following a blended learning model, teachers use software and small group instruction to ensure every student is engaged in the lesson, asks questions, and fully understands concepts. Its preK – 3rd Grade teachers are in a 3-year partnership with Northwestern University and the Chicago museums to improve science formation.

Working hard to meet the demand of more families, a Rescue Grant of $130,000 will give St. Genevieve the ability to educate 43 more children.

Founded in 1889, St. Catherine-St. Lucy’s (SCSL) has demonstrated it knows how to progress to 21st century learning approaches while maintaining excellence. It was one of three schools in the Archdiocese to pilot a cutting edge “blended learning” program, leading to enormous gains. The school starts its core curriculum at 3 years with its all-day preschool academy and offers a full suite of sports for students through 8th grade in its new gym, along with other extracurricular activities.

With the $80,000 from the STOP Award Rescue fund, SCSL can welcome 25 new students from CPS.

In the Austin neighborhood, Saint Angela values the role of parents in the education of their children. They have delivered a quality education to a majority minority population in pre K-8th grade for nearly one hundred years, resulting in attendance in high quality high schools and a strong alumni base, despite the odds the communities they serve face.

St. Angela School will use its $125,000 grant received through the STOP Award Rescue Fund to educate 40 students from CPS through a structured in person curriculum with a social emotional focus.

Saint Patrick is diverse by design, providing a rich curriculum to young men of underserved, middle and working class families together. Educating in the Lasallian tradition for 161 years, St. Pat’s is Chicago’s oldest, all-male Catholic high school, all of whose students graduate, with 98% attending college.

With just $200,000 in grant funds, St. Pat’s can take in 50 students from failing CPS schools and offer them a rigorous, college preparatory program.

St. Ethelreda School consistently ranks in the top 10% of 175 elementary schools in Chicago. Located in the Auburn Gresham community, it’s leaders have been nationally recognized for the school’s unique and quality programs, including that 100% of 8th graders are consistently accepted into their top choice high school and their Chess team has players ranked in the top 100 in the country.

St. Ethelreda is trying to keep up with the demand of parents flocking from CPS to their school last year and now. With a $60,000 grant, 20 former CPS students, all of whom can give chess a try, will be enrolled shortly.

Ryan Banks Academy (RBA) is a full scholarship-granting 7th – 10th grade school serving 100% low-income youth of color in Chicago that would traditionally be in the Chicago Public School system (CPS). They target youth in CPS that have struggled in school and are behind academically, and offer all students full scholarships. Once enrolled at RBA, students are offered individual learning paths to catch up with academics in a STEAM focused curriculum, while also providing social emotional learning and support.

With $25,000 in funding, RBA can take 15 additional students who have been struggling to succeed in CPS.

Moving Everest Charter School is a school that dramatically transforms the lives of K-8 students and prepares them for success in college and in life through the delivery of a rigorous and personalized academic program, a focus on holistic education and the development of strong character. They aim to provide the Austin neighborhood with a robust elementary school that prepares students to enter and excel in a college preparatory high school. Moving Everest’s goal is that 100% of graduates are able to attend one of their top three high school choices. They provide students with a transformative experience that focuses on developing their academic skills while helping them to develop strong character and love for learning.

With $250,000 granted from the STOP Award Rescue Fund, Moving Everest can move mountains for 90 additional students.

St. Margaret of Scotland (SMOS) is a private Catholic school located near the Blue Island Ridge, along with the nearby community areas of Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, Washington Heights, and the City of Blue Island. St. Margaret of Scotland School has enjoyed a long standing reputation for scholastic excellence. The outstanding high school preparatory curriculum provides a foundation for its students to excel both academically and socially in high school and beyond. SMOS students typically attend some of the best high schools in the area.

With the $75,000 granted through the STOP Award Rescue Fund, SMOS will be able to offer 25 additional students a fair opportunity at learning in a safe environment with the individual tools they need to be successful.

St. Ann School is dedicated to helping Preschool – 8th grade students reach their full academic, physical, social, and spiritual potential. Through a personalized learning approach, St. Ann encourages students to use their gifts to serve their school, the Pilsen community, and all of society. They are committed to developing students to be leaders of their learning because of their belief that people are innately curious and they encourage students to explore their interests and pursue their passions, as they realize their God given gifts and talents.

With the grant of $100,000, St. Ann can enroll 37 additional students from the Pilsen neighborhood whose families often think they cannot afford a different schooling option.They will use this money to offer scholarships to families who want a consistent, reliable, high quality education for their children.

North Lawndale College Preparatory Charter High School (NLCP) is one of the original charter schools of Chicago. North Lawndale is a neighborhood on the west side of Chicago, a historically underserved neighborhood where 38% of residents live in poverty and which is ranked the fourth most violent neighborhood in the city. Since most NLCP students are first-generation college students, NLCP partners with families to prepare students to earn a college degree from day one of high school, giving them the social and emotional skills they will need to thrive in college.

With just an additional $89,000, NLCP is able to enroll and support 35 students from traditional Chicago Public schools in a safe, in-person environment, keeping its commitment to stop the spread of COVID-19 and to keep its doors open for their students.

Chicago West Side Christian School (CWSCS), located in the North Lawndale neighborhood serves 145 students in grades pre-K through 8th grade with a full day educational program, before and after school care and a six week summer program. The school nurtures and challenges students to develop intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, creatively and socially and has faithfully served the West Chicago community for fifty-two years.

With just an additional $120,000, CWSCS will be able to support another 25 of Chicago’s most under-served students, ensuring that their transition from public schools is successful.

A small Catholic school on the south side of Chicago, St. John de la Salle Academy has for 68 years delivered an individualized education rooted in academic excellence and developing the whole child. One hundred percent of their 8th graders are accepted to their top choice high school.

A grant of $75,000 will give the academy the ability to open two new classrooms to 50 more children in the Rosemoor neighborhood who have suffered a year or more of learning loss and whose parents have been seeking a small school where their child can thrive, and ignite the torch of life-long learning.

Altus Academy is a private, independent, faith based, tuition free, elementary school serving low income families of color in the East Garfield Park / North Lawndale community. Their vision is to educate and graduate students that are prepared to enter and succeed in top tier public and private college prep high schools with the character necessary for success.

The funding will allow Altus Academy to enroll 25 students in grades 1-5, most of whom have missed a year of school and are significantly behind their peers. They will provide tutoring, grade resources and 1:1 support – keys to ensuring success for these students in this classical school.

Distinctive Schools was created to disrupt and transform public education with a focus on innovation and choice, providing students with access to a high-quality, rigorous, and innovative educational model. They believe that giving all students – regardless of community – equitable access to the learning experiences that they deserve and tools for them to thrive and be successful in high school, college, and life.

The fund will help Distinctive Schools to get 250 new students in the door at their 5 Chicago campuses and give them the supports they need before, after and during school to help traditional public school students make a smooth transition to this innovative school.