Helping students LEAP in the right direction

RICHMOND, Va. — For some high school students, going to college is a given. But for others, college may seem out of reach.

During the summer at Steward School in Richmond, some high school students gave up time off for learning in the LEAP Program.

"A typical LEAP day has three academic classes in the morning: English, math, Spanish, every single day," said LEAP Director Claudia Ramirez.

The Latino Education Advancement Program, or LEAP, is a free summer program that contributes to high school success and college readiness.

"LEAP brings a light to those students that maybe they were a little behind in math. Maybe they didn't catch up with English. We’re giving them tools to start the following school year in good shape."

"They helped guide us into how we can get scholarships for college, how we can save for college, budgeting for college, because, as we know, college is not cheap," said high school student, Diego Henao Ospina.

High school student Ana Reveles agreed. "The experience that you get from here and the community and the overall feeling you get of being welcomed, surpasses every negative thing."

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"When students leave the LEAP program we're hopeful they know they have a future attending a college," explained Ramirez.

It's a LEAP in the right direction... that's Building Better Minds.