Christopher is an enthusiastic student who regularly participates in class and engages with his peers. When he gets older, he wants to play in the NFL.

Ms. Algarin refers to herself as the “Resident Grandma,” as she devotes her time to supporting kindergarteners and first graders with literacy at a local district school. But her journey with KIPP started decades ago with her now 25-year-old son, Romao. She learned about KIPP when she used to work at Ikea, and a part of her role was to help build libraries at schools. KIPP was one of those schools, and she decided to enroll her son in fifth grade. He entered middle school reading at a third-grade level but made gains and successfully graduated from middle school. He then traveled from North Philly to West Philly to attend KIPP DuBois Collegiate Academy for high school. He took two buses to get to West Philly, and then, on the first day of 10th grade, his life changed forever. He was struck by a car and suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury that put him in a coma for two weeks. Once Toya saw how Romao’s school team rallied around him at the hospital and developed a support plan to help him transition back to school, she was a KIPP fan for life. She recalls, “Not only did they work with him, they worked with me.” Even though Toya’s son is now an adult, she continues to serve on KIPP’s Board to ensure others experience what she experienced- the sense of community that makes KIPP such a special place.

Ms. Allie answered a Request for Proposal (RFP) that went out to diverse companies to provide cleaning services at our schools. At that point, she was already running Team Clean, a successful cleaning company. She began working with KIPP when there were only two locations; now there are 8 schools throughout North and West Philly. Ms. Allie has been running her business for more than 40 years, yet she recognizes a good partnership when she sees one. She says, “There is just something different about KIPP—the way they handle their vendors and interact. It’s a partnership, a real partnership.” Team Clean and Ms. Allie are connected to the community and invested in KIPP students’ success. She wants all students to do good in the world, follow their dreams, and believe in themselves and others.

Julius Brown arrived at his KIPP interview as a 20-something-year-old whose goal at the time was to look professional, except he forgot a belt. Despite his initial anxiety, he did a sample lesson and landed the job. 18 years later, he is still teaching young people to nurture their love for music. Throughout the years, Julius has grown with KIPP students, from sitting around the lunch table and coming up with a name for the band, The Extraordinaires, to traveling to Nashville to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Julius is proud that “some of our alumni even teach and work alongside us now.” He appreciates the love that feeds and fosters reflective growth at KIPP and allows students and staff a safe space to fail, learn from experience, and ultimately do better for kids.

Joel Brown is one half of The Brojora Foundation, a nonprofit he founded with his wife, Rashida Brown that mentors, teaches, and provides scholarships for underrepresented young people who plan to attend college. He learned about KIPP when a former colleague asked him to join him for a school visit. In Joel’s words, he showed up looking like Corporate America, and a student mentioned he couldn’t relate to their experience. Little did that student know that Joel grew up right around the corner and knew a lot of the same people. The two connected, and Joel began serving on the Advisory Board and decided to create a scholarship program to make a more direct impact. Every year, he and his wife present scholarships to deserving high school seniors who commit to attending Lincoln University. His why is rooted in his own humble beginnings. He believes, “If just one person could go back and be that inspiration and say, ‘you can do this,’ and prove that it’s not just something you see on TV. It’s a harder race for us, but it is a race that can be won.” His biggest hope is that one day, a Brojora Foundation recipient comes back to KIPP and pays it forward for others.

“When I grow up, I want to be a math teacher because I love math, and my teachers and I want to help other students learn.”

During her time at KIPP Philadelphia Preparatory Academy, Zhe’biione was always willing to help another student. She is currently doing well in high school and spends her free time playing basketball.

Mike learned about KIPP during professional development training in his second year as a Science teacher in Franklin, Louisiana. He took on a role coaching teachers and when he made the move to Philadelphia, KIPP DuBois Collegiate Academy had just opened. He joined the team as the Founding Assistant Principal of Instruction and now works to save teachers and leaders time by supporting data-informed decision-making across the region. In his twelve years at KIPP, he has experienced the evolution of starting a new high school to graduates attending college and alumni coming back to teach at KIPP schools. When Mike reflects on student achievement, he encourages the community to get involved. He says, “We welcome folks to get back in buildings. We have the opportunity to have more parents and alumni back in schools playing an active role in tutoring and mentoring. We aren’t able to do it without a hyper-engaged community.” Working alongside families and communities is what defines KIPP Philadelphia.

When reflecting on his future, Camryn says, “I need to work hard to hit my goals.”

Rashida Brown founded The Brojora Foundation with her husband, Joel, to support students on their journey to college. Rashida shares, “The reason why we are so involved with KIPP is because of KIPP’s mission. It inspires us. We love how you support students beyond the academic environment after leaving KIPP’s doors.  We can help our children get to college, but it’s equally important to provide ongoing support to ensure they succeed. That helped clarify Brojora’s mission to also provide mentorship to students throughout their journey to help them succeed.” The Browns host students each year at their home and on Lincoln’s campus. Rashida recalls one dinner hosted at her home, where her own daughter joined in on a conversation. Students were sharing their personal stories, professional tips, and pride in attending Lincoln University. This inspired Rashida and Joel’s daughter to attend an HBCU, where she will graduate from next year. The connection and community at KIPP serve as a reminder that it’s not just the plan that helped KIPP achieve its goals; it’s the people.

Growing up in the Philly area, Amanda Keyes was a very focused and driven student. She knew what she was capable of and wouldn’t settle for less, a characteristic she would hold onto when selecting a school for her son, Oscar. She found out about KIPP by accident. When volunteering to host a birthday party at the Academy of Natural Sciences, there was a group of teachers present. When she asked about good schools for her soon-to-be kindergartener, one teacher said, “you should try KIPP.” Amanda went home to look it up, thought it was a good fit, applied, and Oscar got into the school. Four children later, she is proud that all of her kids are KIPPsters. Why does she choose KIPP for her children? Amanda shares, “It feels like a second home when you’re there and the kids see it, too. It’s an extension of your family. When you feel like that, learning becomes easier.” The Keyes family has been a part of the community for twelve years and continues to support the mission to prepare students with the skills and confidence they need to pursue the paths they choose. Amanda’s first child, Oscar will head to college next year with a confidence in himself that Amanda attributes to his time at KIPP.

According to Marc Mannella, “KIPP completely modeled who I am as a professional. Learning about growth mindset and the whole worldview that says, ‘all of us will learn.’ KIPP formed so much of that.” Marc’s journey with KIPP officially began on July 14, 2003, when 90 fifth graders arrived in royal blue KIPP polos ready to learn. This was his first day as a School Principal. The summer before school started, Marc spent his time making home visits to sit down with incoming students and their families to sign a Commitment to Excellence, a KIPP tradition that solidified the three-legged stool- the commitment of staff, families, and students to their academic success. While there were many moments to celebrate as Founding School Leader and eventually CEO, Marc reflects on stories like Deena’s, an alum who came to KIPP as a fifth grader and tested in the single-digit percentile in Math and by the end of 7th grade, she tested at the 91st percentile. For Marc, the KIPP experience is more than just test scores; but the connection between school and community that holds students to high expectations and supports them to realize their full potential so they can realize that vision for themselves.

Jodie is a student athlete and star student. She was in the top 20 of her graduating class and now attends Central High School.

Haa’niyah has been at KIPP since kindergarten. Now, in her fourth year, she has shown growth as a reader and enjoys expressing herself through dance. Haa’niyah is outgoing and a leader in her classroom. She is interested in becoming a lawyer and model when she grows up.

Ms. Deborah Riley wanted her son to have the tools to climb the ladder to success. She believed KIPP was the place that could provide him with what he needed. She was always an active parent but didn’t realize she would end up working there long after her son graduated. Ms. Riley started as a volunteer in the main office, where she got to know the staff and had an inside look into the school culture where her only son was spending most of his day. She became a motherly figure on campus and even attended a memorable class trip to New Orleans to support residents after Hurricane Katrina. When an Operations position opened up, Ms. Riley got the job and has been gracing students, staff, and families with her calm presence for the past ten years. KIPP’s structure, the love she receives from the community, and how the school has stayed positive after all these years keep her there. As she approaches retirement, she is proud to have spent the last decade of her career at KIPP.

Saalihah is interested in becoming a Nurse Practitioner and looks forward to studying nursing leadership, healthcare, and the culture of healthcare.

Skylar applies herself in school and enjoys playing with her brother. When she is older, she wants to be a singer.

Chentese graduated from KIPP Philadelphia Charter School (KPCS), now KIPP Philadelphia Preparatory Academy, in 2010. She went on to study Sociology at Gettysburg College and later joined KIPP DC’s Capital Teaching Residency Program and became a 4th-grade teacher. This brought back a time when Chentese was a student herself. She recalls, “What I really loved about my time at KPCS was the way that my teachers poured into me and validated all of my hopes and dreams. It meant a lot to know that my teachers really cared about who I was as a person and believed in my ability to reach those goals.” Her teachers at KIPP inspired her to become an educator and pour into her own students and now other educators as she helps to recruit Elementary teachers for KIPP DC Public Schools.

Jay found out about KIPP from a friend of a partner at AND1, who passed along the contact information for the Board Chair at KIPP. That led to a visit to KIPP Philadelphia’s first campus, the basement of a recreation center in North Philly. Within five minutes of talking to Founding CEO Marc Mannella about KIPP, he fell in love with the school’s passion, rigor, and accountability for students. So much so he asked himself, “What can I do to be helpful?” He found himself joining the Board and supporting this new charter school as it grew its feet in Philadelphia. One thing he remembers most on this journey is the love and pride he observed during KIPP’s signature pennant ceremony to signify the middle school graduates’ transition into high school. He remembers the incredible pride of students and family members. When he listened to teachers and administrators share personal stories about how each student inspired them and had grown over the past four years, he saw the love and connection that embodies KIPP culture.

Brian would have ended up at his neighborhood middle school if it wasn’t for finding out about KIPP from a family friend. He still remembers when he sat in the hallway while his mom did her hair and told him about KIPP and all they had to offer. He spent the next four years going to school for 10 hours a day and learning the structure that would help set him up for success years later. Brian reflects, “I was exposed to a lot— positive reinforcement, core values, and all the teachers genuinely loved KIPP and believed in it.” A standout moment for Brian was attending an end-of-year trip to Utah in 6th grade. That was his first time on a plane and seeing a sky full of stars, which made him desire more for himself. Now, at 25 years old, Brian is an entrepreneur and business owner, and he uses his creativity and the structure he learned at KIPP to create balloon art. It still amazes him that he gets paid to attend Eagles and Phillies games. Brian’s secret is sticking it out, remaining true to himself, and believing his Plan A is going to work. He hopes the next generation of KIPPsters gain exposure to different experiences and have the same opportunities he had.