Our Story
Our Story
Our Story
Step Ahead Scholars began organically, as a college prep workshop in response to the lack of support that Black, LatinX, Immigrant, and First-Generation students and those historically underrepresented higher education face. It quickly became a go-to college access initiative as students and their families realized it provided access to information, resources, skill sets, and strategies needed for successful college transitions.
In 2010, Kamal Carter, an Atlanta public school teacher, in response to students facing educational disparity and unequal opportunities, created Lunch With a Mentor, a volunteer mentoring program that offered students real-world life experiences.
Debra Nealy, a college access and equity advocate, volunteered. When one senior asked for help, she successfully guided them through the process and began developing the Step Ahead Scholars To and Through College Model.
Together, Kamal and Debra with the help of volunteers, are bridging the college equity divide.
Step Ahead Scholars began organically, as a college prep workshop in response to the lack of support that Black, LatinX, Immigrant, and First-Generation students and those historically underrepresented higher education face. It quickly became a go-to college access initiative as students and their families realized it provided access to information, resources, skill sets, and strategies needed for successful college transitions.
In 2010, Kamal Carter, an Atlanta public school teacher, in response to students facing educational disparity and unequal opportunities, created Lunch With a Mentor, a volunteer mentoring program that offered students real-world life experiences.
Debra Nealy, a college access and equity advocate, volunteered. When one senior asked for help, she successfully guided them through the process and began developing the Step Ahead Scholars To and Through College Model.
Together, Kamal and Debra with the help of volunteers, are bridging the college equity divide.
Step Ahead Scholars began organically, as a college prep workshop in response to the lack of support that Black, LatinX, Immigrant, and First-Generation students and those historically underrepresented higher education face. It quickly became a go-to college access initiative as students and their families realized it provided access to information, resources, skill sets, and strategies needed for successful college transitions.
In 2010, Kamal Carter, an Atlanta public school teacher, in response to students facing educational disparity and unequal opportunities, created Lunch With a Mentor, a volunteer mentoring program that offered students real-world life experiences.
Debra Nealy, a college access and equity advocate, volunteered. When one senior asked for help, she successfully guided them through the process and began developing the Step Ahead Scholars To and Through College Model.
Together, Kamal and Debra with the help of volunteers, are bridging the college equity divide.
Our WHY
Our WHY
Our WHY
This lack of support leads to income inequality and limits upward mobility.
We’re committed to solving this injustice by helping students and families overcome
systemic barriers while transitioning from high school to college and beyond.
The average high school
student receives less than
38 Minutes
of college counseling
over four years.
The counselor-
to-student ratio is
1:466
This lack of support leads to income
inequality and limits upward mobility.
We’re committed to solving this injustice by
helping students and families overcome
systemic barriers while transitioning from
high school to college and beyond.
The average high school student receives less than
38 minutes
of college counseling
over four years.
The counselor-to-student ratio is
1:466
The counselor-to-student ratio is
1:466
This lack of support leads to income inequality and limits upward mobility.
We’re committed to solving this injustice by helping students and families overcome
systemic barriers while transitioning from high school to college and beyond.
This lack of support leads to income inequality and limits upward mobility.
We’re committed to solving this injustice by helping students and families overcome
systemic barriers while transitioning from high school to college and beyond.
Our Model
We support students by introducing them to college access and success strategies that cultivate best fit college experiences that lead to economic wellbeing.
We engage students in the communities where they learn and live by providing easily accessible:
Parent/
Student Presentations
Targeted Student
Workshops
Student Learning
Communities
One-on-One
Purposeful Mentorship
College Campus
Support
Meaningful
College Exposure
Our Model
We support students by introducing them to college access and success strategies that cultivate best fit college experiences that lead to economic wellbeing.
We engage students in the communities where they learn and live by providing easily accessible:
Parent/Student Presentations
Targeted Student Workshops
Student Learning Communities
One-on-One Purposeful Mentorship
College Campus Support
Meaningful College Exposure
Our Impact
Our Impact
Students and Parents
Guided Through College
Admission Process
In Scholarships and
Grants Earned by
Cohort Students
Students Provided
One-on-One, College
Access Coaching Sessions
College Enrollment Rate
Immediately Following
High School
College Graduation Rate
Students and Parents
Guided Through College
Admission Process
In Scholarships and
Grants Earned by
Cohort Students
Students Provided
One-on-One, College
Access Coaching Sessions
College Enrollment Rate
Immediately Following
High School
College Graduation Rate
Students and Parents
Guided Through College
Admission Process
In Scholarships and
Grants Earned by
Cohort Students
Students Provided
One-on-One, College
Access Coaching Sessions
College Enrollment Rate
Immediately Following
High School
College Graduation Rate