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The Community Prep Story
Like most great ideas and inventions, Community Prep was conceived in response to an unmet need. Two altruistic young friends recognized the lack of quality educational options available to low-income children in South Providence and decided to roll up their sleeves and see if they could do something about it. Dan Corley and Bob Hahn met with a group of concerned local parents who were frustrated with the shortcomings of the public school system. They listened, brainstormed, researched, then listened some more … and then they started a school. Along with a committed group of parents and with the support of a core group of community advisors, Dan and Bob founded Community Prep with 25 students and three teachers in 1984. In three rented classrooms at the John Hope Settlement House, the founders’ vision became a reality. In 1987, with an enrollment of 54, the school moved into part of the local YMCA. When these quarters became too cramped, trustees raised money to purchase and renovate a former parochial school in South Providence. From those humble origins, Community Prep has grown into a successful and widely acclaimed educational enterprise that continues to enrich the city’s cultural landscape and impact the lives of an eclectic mix of hard-working students. Today, as Community Prep celebrates its 24th anniversary, there is every reason to feel proud: Twenty-six dedicated and highly trained educators now serve 150 students in grades 3 - 8. Of Community Prep’s 470 graduates, 92% have been accepted into college preparatory high school programs and 82%, which is more than twice the urban public-school average, of Community Prep alumni go on to continue their studies in colleges and universities across the country. Beyond that, they have been awarded more than $13 million in additional scholarship assistance. "Diversity is one of the keys to our uniqueness," explains Dan Corley. "Community Prep fosters an environment that embraces each member of our extended family as a unique individual. We support each other in all we do, and the generous spirit shared by our students, faculty, parents and benefactors creates a true sense of teamwork." Trimesterly parent-student-teacher goal-setting conferences are a perfect example of this teamwork. At the conferences, students set lofty goals — goals that have personal meaning to them — and, with their teachers and parents, create plans for achieving these goals. Because student commitment is key to success at Community Prep, every student writes an essay each spring saying why she/he wants to return to the school in the fall. The students’ words tell the real Community Prep story and bring to life the impact that the school has on its students. "The work lets me prove to myself I can do anything I put my mind to," writes a seventh grader. "If I had a chance," says graduate Westley Resendes, "I would be returning here every year until college was completed." |
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Community Preparatory School •
126 Somerset Street • Providence, Rhode Island 02907 Phone: (401) 521-9696 Fax: (401) 521-9715  |