Urban Prep Academies

In 2002, a group of African-American civic, business, and education leaders, organized by former Hales Franciscan High School President Tim King, determined to establish a new high school in Chicago focused on providing a strong, college-preparatory high school option for boys in under-served African-American communities. African-American males had been, and continue to be, the lowest-performing demographic in Chicago Public Schools.[4] A University of Chicago study published in 2006 reported that only one in 40 African-American boys in Chicago Public Schools will eventually graduate from a 4-year university.[4] The Chicago Board of Education approved Urban Prep Academies' charter application in 2005, and Urban Prep opened its first school, Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men — Englewood Campus, the subsequent September. It is the first charter high school for boys in the country and currently enrolls 460 students in grades 9–12.

Urban Prep's second school opened in the East Garfield Park community in 2009, and moved to the near west side of the city in 2011. Urban Prep's third campus, serving the historic Bronzeville community, opened in 2010. Based on its success thus far, Urban Prep plans to open more schools in the Chicago area and in other low-performing urban centers. Approximately 85% of Urban Prep students are low-income and nearly all are African-American.

• Arcs: Urban Prep structures its educational approach through four curricular and extracurricular "arcs":
  • The Academic Arc: a rigorous college prep curriculum with added focus on reading, writing, and public speaking skills.
  • The Service Arc: a focus on deepening the students' sense of responsibility and identification of community needs by completing volunteer programs throughout the area.
  • The Activity Arc: a focus on increasing students' confidence, interpersonal skills, and leadership qualities by participating in at least two school-sponsored activities per year (sports, clubs, etc.).
  • The Professional Arc: a focus on providing students with valuable experience in a professional setting by requiring them to spend one day a week within such a setting. This serves to reinforce character and leadership development in students, as well as providing for them a means of work experience.
• School Culture: A positive school culture is maintained by continued emphasis on the "Four R's":
  • Respect: Students and staff members address each other by surnames (Mr. Hatch, Ms. Johnson) only.
  • Responsibility: Students are held accountable to a strict code of conduct.
  • Ritual: Daily, weekly and yearly rituals such as Community and Tropaia reinforce feelings of community and self-worth.
  • Relationship: Each Urban Prep staff member is issued a cell phone whose number is distributed to all students, allowing for continuous contact.
• Pride System: Each grade level at Urban Prep is divided into six groups of twenty students, known as "Prides". The "Pride" name is derived from the school's mascot, the Lion. Prides function as smaller units within the school to provide each student with an individualized mentor (the Pride Leader, typically an Urban Prep Fellow), as well as a peer-support network. Prides compete with one another for points awarded for good attendance, high average GPA, and through intramural athletic competitions. Alternatively, Prides may lose points for dress infractions, attendance violations, or other disciplinary infractions. The Pride with the highest overall point total is awarded the Pride Cup at the annual year-end ceremony, known as Tropaia.
• Uniforms and Discipline: Urban Prep students are required to wear uniforms and adhere to a clearly communicated discipline program based on community and mutual respect. The Urban Prep school uniform consists of khaki pants, a white buttoned down and collared dress shirt, solid-red school necktie, and black two-button blazer with an embroidered school crest.[14]
• Summer Programs: During the summers, the students participate in academic, professional, and service programs throughout Chicago and around the world. Recently, students have attended summer programs at the UK's Oxford and Cambridge universities, as well as elite stateside institutions including Northwestern University and Georgetown University. All incoming freshmen must attend the summer program that begins in August and ends just before the beginning of the school year.
• Athletics: Urban Prep campuses operate independent athletic programs that participate separately, and occasionally compete against one another, in the Chicago Public League. The Lions currently compete in the following sports:

The Urban Prep Fellows Program, launched at Urban Prep in 2009, recruits recent college graduates from around the nation to work as full-time volunteer mentors, leaders, and educators for students at Urban Prep for a period of one year. Urban Prep Fellows are matched with a group of about twenty students - called a "Pride," of which there are six in each grade level - to provide mentoring, academic support, social and emotional guidance, and instruction in one course. In addition to their service to the students, Fellows participate in ongoing community activities and a seminar series to connect their experiences with leaders and ideas shaping change in urban communities. During the Fellowship year, Fellows are provided with housing, transportation, health benefits, and a monthly living stipend.[15]

Due to the school's emphasis on success in college, the Urban Prep Alumni Program was launched in 2009, before the first senior class had graduated. Based out of the school's office at 420 North Wabash, the Alumni Program maintains contact with and helps provide for the unique needs of each of Urban Prep's graduates. In addition to publishing a regular alumni newsletter, the Alumni Program helps graduates navigate the intricacies of applying for financial aid and finding tutoring help, as needed. Urban Prep graduates have matriculated into a wide array of public and private colleges and universities, including Georgetown, Cornell, Northwestern, Grinnell, Morehouse and the University of Virginia.[16]

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  A graduate of Urban Prep, 2011.
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  Urban Prep seniors speak with college admissions representatives, 2011.
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  Urban Prep students visit Purdue University, 2011.
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  Urban Prep (Englewood) students pose in the hallway, 2011.

• School website