Who We Are
For nearly three decades Project Discovery has impacted thousands of students in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Currently offered through 21 local programs, Project Discovery works with students from predominantly low to moderate-income households and/or, are potential first generation post-secondary education attendees. Stressing the importance of education to these students, Project Discovery, through its partner agencies, provide workshops to improve basic skills (e.g., study skills, time management, financial planning, etc.) and assist students on the process of completing applications (admission and financial aid) to post secondary institutions. As a result, a greater number of students who would not have gone on to post secondary education have elected to continue their education.
Project Discovery's goal is to eliminate poverty through education. A high school graduate makes 26% more than a high school drop-out. A college graduate makes 36% more than a high school graduate. Less than 40% of adults with less than a high school diploma are employed while over 80% of college graduates are employed. It is clear that education is the "silver bullet" that can end poverty, not only for the graduating student but for the successive generations that will come after.
Project Discovery has a proven record of effective stewardship of the public dollars entrusted to them. With a success rate of over 90% of last years graduating students matriculating to post-secondary education, Project Discovery spends less than $850.00 per student, per year. Similar federal programs spend nearly $5,000.00 per student, per year.
Project Discovery believes that hardworking, meritorious students should not be deprived of an opportunity to attend college simply because of a lack of funding. Our vision is to see that every student graduate from high school and every student who has the desire and demonstrates the ability, be able to attend post-secondary education.
In the past 12 years, Project Discovery has:
- Served 29,075 students, 4th - 12th grade
- Had 7,020 participants graduate from high school
- Had 6,024 graduates go on to college
- Over 85% attended Virginia colleges
Project Discovery's students are:
- 68% female; 32% male
- 72% Black; 19% White; 5% Hispanic; 4% Other
- 91% are both under income and first generation; or only first generation or only under income
- 93% of graduating seniors in the Class of 2009 enrolled in Post Secondary Education after graduation.