Our Accomplishments

 Although Big Picture Philadelphia is a young organization, we can boast significant accomplishments in youth development and workforce readiness through our programming:

MET EAST

From 2005-2009, prior to formal incorporation, Big Picture Philadelphia focused its work on supporting a start-up school, MetEAST, in Camden, NJ. One of the major components of the school is the 2 day/week internship model, promoting work-readiness and life skills. This school has had tremendous success:

  • 100% of MetEAST’s first graduating class received their diploma
  • 100% of MetEAST’s first graduating class was accepted to at least one college
  • 100% of MetEAST’s students participated in workplace internships and at least one service-learning project per year of school
  • 70-100 local businesses and non-profits from NJ and Philadelphia participated as on-site internships for MetEAST students each year

EL CENTRO DE ESTUDIANTES

In 2009, Big Picture Philadelphia helped plan and open a new school in Philadelphia, El Centro de Estudiantes, an alternative, public, high school targeting drop-out and under-credited students.  The students’ initial success has been outstanding:

  • A daily attendance rate of almost 90%
  • 68% graduation rate compared to Philadelphia’s 22% graduation rate for a similar population
  • 93% of graduates have been accepted to college or have attained a job.

Significant budget cuts within the School District of Philadelphia recently required BPP to re-evaluate their programs and services to best meet the needs of its constituents. As a result, BPP is focusing attention and resources on their keystone project: El Centro de Estudiantes School located in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Like MetEAST in Camden, El Centro incorporates a 2 day/week internship program and highly individualized learning plans to support its population of students who have previously dropped out of school. El Centro has become a beacon of hope for its students. Students and parents alike played a crucial role in saving the school when initial budget cuts threatened closure. Fifty El Centro students and parents testified before the city council, many marched in the streets, and two El Centro students, interested in journalism, created videos expressing their gratitude for El Centro and the impact El Centro has had in their lives. The student voices below illuminate just how important El Centro has become in such a short period of time:  

I want to start off by saying that everyday I fight for my future, whether it’s in school or out of school. To me, El Centro de Estudiantes is my high school, my pride, my integrity, and most importantly, my education. El Centro de Estudiantes is a Big Picture school that enrolls students who have dropped out of traditional high schools. Our school is different from other schools in so many ways.  We focus on real world learning and finding our own internships in the community. We give exhibitions of what we have learned in front of students, teachers, parents, and visitors who come from the community. We have no metal detectors and no issues with violence.

 

Coming to El Centro gave me hope. There’s no comparison to the teachers at El Centro, because they have a higher level of understanding. They are way more than just teachers to me and my peers, they’re like an astonishing older brother or sister. When I have the smallest doubt in my mind about actually being somebody and graduating, not only do my advisors lift my head up high, but so do my peers. We’re all united as one, one family, no one is above anyone. I take school seriously more than anything now, I am no longer getting into fights and my grades are even better.


The Big Picture Model has a Track Record of Success ...

  • Attendance Rates: Big Picture schools averages between 94 – 97%. The average attendance rate amongst urban school districts is roughly 78%.
  • Graduation Rates: The graduation rate of all Big Picture schools averages at 96%. The average graduation rate of the 50 largest cities in the United States is 51.8%.
  • College Acceptance/Attendance Rates: On average, 99% of Big Picture school graduates have been accepted to college. Nationally, roughly 65.9% of all high school seniors are accepted into college.
  • School Safety: In 2007 there were 1.4 million reported incidents of non-fatal crimes at schools in the United States, but according to the national Gates Foundation Survey, 96% of Big Picture students reported never feeling unsafe in school.
  • Test  Scores (Adequate Yearly Progress): In contrast to most district averages, 86% of BP schools that qualify for AYP, met all AYP goals. Two schools met all their goals but one.