EDUCATION RESOURCES

The BESR Education Resources page includes information on the best schools and programs supporting African American students, scholarship opportunities for African American students, workshops and tutoring programs to support educational achievement.

  • Wesley Youth Merit Incentive Award Program
    Established in 1995, the E. Wesley Program was created to recognize and honor African American youth achievement in Tacoma and Pierce County The Elizabeth Wesley Program is a way to encourage our youth to give their best in school. Academic excellence, community involvement, and good citizenship are honored with an incentive award of $350. Youth in 9th, 10th, and 11th grades are eligible to apply. Students who are awarded will receive a check at the annual awards ceremony on September 21, 2024 Application opens in April and must be completed and submitted by June 29, 2024. Check out their website for more information. https://www.ewesleyaward.org/to-apply
  • iUrban Teen’s 
    iUrbanTeen – iUrban Teen is a STEM+Arts education program that brings together underrepresented teens and young adults for career exploration and mentoring.
    iUrbanTeen Online During COVID 19, iUrban Teen launched the robust online learning program for STEM+Arts education, iUrbanTeen Online.  Teens from across the globe continued to learn in an interactive, engaging and free online experience. iUrbanTeen Online offered a wide variety of educational content, including animation, anthropology, entrepreneurship, science, languages like Spanish, French, or Arabic, biology, math instruction and support, and more. Best of all, our classes were free for everyone.   A highly popular creative and technical writing class, now called The Writing Club, is still going and growing with new members coming on board for the 2023-2024 year.
  • 1619 Freedom School
    https://www.1619freedomschool.org/
    The 1619 Freedom School is a free community-based, after-school literacy program where students improve literacy skills and develop a love for reading through liberating instruction centered on Black American history.
  • PAVE provides support, training, information and resources to empower and give voice to individuals, youth and families impacted by disabilities in Washington. A guide to Washington services for 3-5 year olds with disabilities. https://wapave.org/
    https://wapave.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/3-5-Transition-Toolkit.pdf
    The High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP)
    https://readywa.org/beyond/en/
    HSBP is a great tool for students to explore and plan an education-to-career pathway that’s right for them! And now, your input can have a direct impact on the future of the HSBP. Complete the 15-20 minute survey from Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) here before March 8. OSPI seeks feedback from students, families, educators, and community organizations.
  • Get Schooled
    https://getschooled.com/
    Get Schooled helps young people get to college, find first jobs, and succeed in both.
  • Career Connect Washington
    https://careerconnectwa.org/for-students-and-families/
    Career Connect Washington offers resources to learn real-world skills, begin well-paying careers, and find multiple paths to economic self-sufficiency and fulfillment. Getting ready for life’s opportunities and challenges starts with career connected learning.
  • Consolidated Equity & Sustainability Dual Credit Grant
    https://ospi.k12.wa.us/student-success/support-programs/dual-credit-programs
    With Substitute Senate Bill 5048 eliminating College in the High School fees to students, schools and districts no longer need to apply for CiHS subsidies through the Consolidated Equity & Sustainability (CES) Grant. The CES Grant will continue to support school and district efforts to expand access to dual credit opportunities and better serve underrepresented students in dual credit. The CES Grant application is being redesigned and will be released in the fall following a survey soliciting interested and eligible applicants. If you wish to be notified of the survey or application release, contact Angel Martinez, and sign up for the Dual Credit Updates listserv under “General Topics”.
  • Crash Course
    https://www.youtube.com/@crashcourse
    At Crash Course, we believe that high-quality educational videos should be available to everyone for free! Subscribe for weekly videos from our current courses! The Crash Course team has produced more than 45 courses on a wide variety of subjects, including organic chemistry, literature, world history, biology, philosophy, theater, ecology, and many more!  We also recently teamed up with Arizona State University to bring you more courses on the Study Hall channel.
  • HIGH SCHOOL & BEYOND PLAN
    https://readywa.org/beyond/en/
    students explore and plan an education-to-career pathway that’s right for them to prepare for career success? Building and revising their High School and Beyond Plan can help.
  • Washington Student Achievement Council
    https://wsac.wa.gov/wcg-apprentices?utm_campaign=Student-Family-Messaging&utm_medium=email&utm_source=WSAC
    WA Grant isn’t only for traditional college students. WA Grant for Apprenticeship includes funding for qualified apprentices in a variety of programs in Washington. Eligible apprentices can receive money to cover costs associated with their apprenticeship program.
    Use the Career Connect Washington Directoryand Career Bridge to find a career exploration, preparation, or on-the-job learning opportunity near you.
    Explore Apprenticeship: Learn more about apprenticeships in Washington, and why on-the-job learning might be right for you.
    Find an Apprenticeship Program: Search for an apprenticeship program by county and occupation, by name, or by employer on the LNI website.
    Veterans and Military-Connected Family Members: Visit the Washington Department of Veteran’s Affairs Apprenticeship resource page.
  • NYU School of Medicine Offers Full-Tuition Scholarships to All New & Current Medical Students
    https://med.nyu.edu/education/md-degree/affordability-financial-aid
    NYU Grossman School of Medicine     is committed to making medical education accessible. As part of their tuition-free initiative, they offer Full-Tuition Scholarships to all students enrolled in their MD degree program. These scholarships cover the majority of the cost of attendance, regardless of merit or financial need. The goal is to allow every student to pursue their dream of becoming a physician without the burden of overwhelming student debt
  • Navigating the Better FAFSA
    https://edtrust.org/resource/navigating-the-better-fafsa/
  • Mar 21, 2024 by Ed Trust
    In December 2020, Congress passed the bipartisan FAFSA Simplification Act that mandated a new, simpler Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which overhauled the federal financial aid formula. These FAFSA updates are expected to help an additional 610,000 students qualify for a federal Pell Grant, and another 1.5 million students qualify for the maximum Pell award. The opportunity for more students and families of color or from low-income backgrounds to have access to a simpler, improved FAFSA. broadens the hopes of realizing the American dream. Yet, for tens of thousands of students, attending college is deterred by the cost and financial strains. Tuition could be offset with the help of federal financial aid — but there are major problems with what the Department of Education is calling the Better FAFSA.
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities
    https://hbcuconnect.com/colleges/
    https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/hbcu