Legislators

Project Discovery is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to target the most at-risk students in grades 4-12 and guide them through the process of gaining admission to college. For nearly three decades Project Discovery has helped thousands of students in Virginia to prepare for and attend a college or university.

Currently offered through 22 local programs, Project Discovery works with and assists 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, provides workshops to improve basic skills (e.g., study skills, time management, financial planning, etc.) and assists 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. Education can be 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 year's graduating students matriculating to post-secondary education, Project Discovery spends less than $850.00 per student. Similar federal programs spend nearly $5,000.00 per student for the same type of program.

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 9 years, Project Discovery has:
- Served 22,660 students, 4^th - 12^thgrade
- Had 5,363 participants graduate from high school
- Had 3,665 graduates go on to college
- Over 75% attended Virginia colleges

Project Discovery's students are:
- 68% female; 32% male
- 72% Black; 19% White; 5% Hispanic; 4% Other
- 90.64% are both under income and first generation; or only first generation or only under income
- 93.08% of graduating seniors in the Class of 2006 enrolled in Post Secondary Education after graduation.

Project Discovery