Across America individuals have begun to look for ways to immediately extend to individuals of color the opportunities that make up the promise on which our nation is built. One growing call to action has come from the leadership of the nation’s nonprofit community: find one social justice cause that allows you to engage with communities of color and have a transformative impact, listen and learn, invest your time and treasure and stick with it.

PEAK provides one such opportunity. Educational equity is key to social justice. Most of us see this in our own lives. However, moving the needle on education for children of color can seem like a momentous task. True educational equity would mean upending a system of poverty, inequality and institutional racism that is hard to understand and even harder to address as a society, much less as individuals. And yet, children need us now if they are going to achieve the American Dream.

She is a deeply thoughtful, compassionate and hard working young woman who is driven by her care for others and her passion for justice.
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The person she admires the most is her single mother, who has worked hard to bless her with a good education up to now. Camille fiercely desires to continue her Catholic education at Holy Trinity High School, but she knows even the school’s financial aid would not be enough to help her mother afford the luxury of a private education.

She is dedicated and is working hard to improve. By her own admission, she has trouble asking for help and sometimes struggles to complete her assignments. Like all PEAK scholars, she enters high school with average grades and test scores but with the potential for much more. Like so many young people, the support of a mentor through her high school years could make an enormous difference in her life.

“If I could change the world, I would. People bully others based on their background, religion, sexuality, wealth, appearance, disability and race. Why do people judge someone for having a different skin color?”

*Names changed for student privacy

Favorite subject in school: Math

College enrollment at Camille’s neighborhood high school (2019): 38.1%

Hopes for high school: ​

• develop a strong relationship with her PEAK mentor that will last well beyond high school
• join at least one club
• get better at staying organized and meeting deadlines
• find and play the sport that’s right for her

Favorite activities: sports, video games

What her mom says: “My daughter’s strength is her ability to learn from her mistakes. Also her analytical thinking, discipline, determination and enthusiasm.”