NJ LEEP, A Newark-based College Access Program, Wins National Award for Excellence In Summer Learning

Odalys Garcia (front), a rising freshman in NJ LEEP's College Bound Program, conducts a direct examination of her witness during the Championship Round at NJ LEEP's Mock Trial Competition at Seton Hall Law School. (Photo: Business Wire)

NEWARK, N.J.--()--The New Jersey Law and Education Empowerment Project (NJ LEEP) is proud to announce that it has been selected for the New York Life Excellence in Summer Learning Award for 2014 from the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA).

The annual award recognizes summer programs that demonstrate excellence in accelerating academic achievement and promoting healthy development for low-income children and youth, as measured by NSLA’s Comprehensive Assessment of Summer Programs. NJ LEEP was one of only three program selected from a pool of 62 candidates for this year’s award.

NJ LEEP is a four-year college access program that serves students after school during the week and on Saturdays during the academic year and for five weeks during the summer. Its mission is to help students get into and graduate from top colleges. In the eight years since it was launched, 100 percent of students who graduated from NJ LEEP’s College Bound Program have gone on to college, with students currently attending Princeton University, Georgetown University, Bowdoin College, Rutgers University and many others.

More than 140 students completed the 2014 NJ LEEP summer program. Rising NJ LEEP freshmen participated in an intensive Summer Law Institute focused on mock trial skills; rising sophomores participated in legal internships at providers such as Prudential Financial and McCarter & English LLP; rising juniors completed an SAT preparation program; and rising seniors participated in a College Application and Western Philosophy class.

“Each summer, our students make the conscious decision to spend their time focused on learning and growing as young men and women. To see them receive the national recognition we have always known they deserve is incredibly gratifying and humbling,” said Matthew Feinstein, Executive Director of NJ LEEP. “We are so proud of the coalition of institutions that have come together – from Prudential Financial, to Seton Hall Law School, to Goldman Sachs, and so many more – to offer our students access to resources and opportunities they otherwise would not have.”

Sarah Pitcock, CEO of the National Summer Learning Association, a network hub for thousands of summer learning program providers and stakeholders across the country, said, “Our 2014 award winners exemplify the best in summer learning and the impact that high-quality summer learning opportunities can have on student success. From rural communities to large urban cities, these programs are offering an engaging combination of rigorous academics and meaningful enrichment to students who otherwise might lack these important opportunities.”

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The New Jersey Law and Education Empowerment Project (NJ LEEP) is a four year, law-based college access program serving students from Newark and surrounding communities. 100% of graduates from NJ LEEP’s College Bound Program have gone on to college.

For additional information about NJ LEEP, please contact Matthew Feinstein, Executive Director: matthewfeinstein@njleep.org or visit www.njleep.org

Contacts

NJ LEEP
Matthew Feinstein, 973-865-9002
matthewfeinstein@njleep.org

Contacts

NJ LEEP
Matthew Feinstein, 973-865-9002
matthewfeinstein@njleep.org