College dreams often melt away in summer months. ‘Near-peer' counseling is helping keep them alive.

The Aspirations Incubator supports rural Maine communities in creating youth mentoring programs using the Trekkers approach. The incubator gives organizations $600,000 over six years, plus extensive training in fostering belonging and developing leadership. Rather than replicating a one-size-fits-all program, each community develops an authentic program suited to local needs. A study tracking the first cohort of students from 7th grade through high school graduation showed they attended school more often, performed better academically, and enrolled in college at higher rates.

Educational Talent Search provides personalized college and career counseling to first-generation and low-income students. Counselors work with students from 8th grade through high school graduation, offering one-on-one support with college applications, financial aid forms, scholarship searches, and career planning. The program has seen nearly 90% of seniors enrolling in post-secondary education, far above its 56% target.

The student-led SzKTP program provides peer mentorship and application help to high school students interested in attending Corvinus University, with the goal of improving higher education opportunities for students from low-income and disadvantaged areas. Once they’re accepted to Corvinus, students in the program continue to receive support and guidance, as well as a stipend to help lessen the burden of university-related costs.

A nonprofit in Seattle is identifying youth between the ages of 16 to 24 who are out of school and work and reconnecting them with the public education system. Two-thirds of students enrolled in the program have gone on to pursue college.

Oregon schools are leveraging the power of relationships to improve attendance and graduation rates for Pacific Islander and Black students. Community resource specialists step in to get students to school, doctor's appointments, family funerals, and more: “I’m honestly not doing anything special. I hate to say that, there’s no science around what I’m doing. It’s just trust and building a relationship and giving them the time."

In high-poverty urban schools student retention is a major issue, often school is the last concern for these children. Now, City Year and other nonprofits have university students come to the high schools and tutor or mentor the high school kids and provide a place for them to talk, as well as other measures that help keep students in school.

The Home for the Needy Foundation’s camp offers accommodations and support for people who are displaced in Nigeria due to terrorism. Along with housing, clothes, food, healthcare, and general support, those staying at the camp receive help and encouragement to continue their education, apply for college, or learn a trade.

A collaboration between Ohio's Wooster City Schools and the College of Wooster has allowed for an enhanced educational experience for many students during the coronavirus pandemic. The partnership not only provides tutoring services to the K-12 students but has also "strengthened the bond between the college and its surrounding community."

The Romani Education Fund in Slovakia is helping children from the Roma community, which has a history of social and economic disadvantages as well as being subject to ethnic discrimination, overcome challenges to finish high school and pursue higher education. The REF works by providing qualifying students with a stipend to pay for educational supplies, as well as providing school guidance and personal mentorship to help both students and parents overcome the social hurdles that impede the student's desire or ability to fulfill their potential.

Boston Public Schools is embracing an approach called Building Assets, Reducing Risks that has proven successful in other U.S. school districts. In BARR, teams of teachers compare notes on students to ensure they are on the right track: "BARR doesn't rely on one superstar teacher to notice a kid in trouble. From the science teacher to the school counselor, they all take a seat at the table."