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= STRIVE Preparatory Schools = STRIVE Preparatory Schools are a charter school organization in Denver, Colorado.

STRIVE Preparatory Schools is a system of free, open enrollment charter schools in the Denver Public School system in Denver, Colorado. STRIVE Prep was founded

and organized by Chris Gibbons in 2006. STRIVE Prep has established several campuses in the Denver metro area. STRIVE Prep’s goal is to provide equitable education to children typically disenfranchised by the public school system due to race, socioeconomic status, language barriers, and previous academic achievement. STRIVE Prep is one of the many charter schools in the Denver Public School system that has increased minority populations from 2001 to 2012

STRIVE Preparatory Schools is comprised of 11 campuses and roughly 3,500 students. Of the total student body, 87% are eligible for free and reduced lunch, 97% students of color, 49% English language learners, and 13% recipients of special education services. At the center of their culture, STRIVE Prep holds the values of scholarship, teamwork, respect, intelligence, virtue, and effort very high. STRIVE Prep applies these values when working with students, families, teachers within each of the communities.

History
STRIVE Prep is an academic preparatory program focused on providing quality education to underprivileged youth in urban areas. STRIVE Prep was founded in 2006 by Chris Gibbons. Gibbons founded STRIVE to be a system of superior charter schools in Denver. STRIVE campuses were established in neighborhoods that experience historic achievement and opportunity gaps due to race, socioeconomic makeup, and previous academic circumstances. STRIVE wants to close these gaps and provide equitable education to the children in these neighborhoods so educational successes can occur regardless of any limitations. When discussing STRIVE, Gibbons explains his motivation by stating that,"“College preparation is a means to an end where scholars are equipped to earn a four-year college degree, come back to their community and lean and transform their own neighborhoods in the ways that they imagine and the ways that they seek and believe are possible.”"

Future Goals
Chris Gibbons and the STRIVE Prep community have begun shooting for the goal of expanding their outreach from 11 campuses in 2016 to 17 campuses in 2020. STRIVE wants to increase their student body from 3,500 students to 7,500 students in the next four years. STRIVE Prep was ranked number one for middle school academic growth among Denver Public Schools. STRIVE Prep is using resources from Charter School Growth Fund and other Corporate Sponsors, as seen on their Support Us page, to achieve this goal.

Neighborhood Locations and Campuses
STRIVE Prep is a charter school through Denver Public Schools that has established 11 campuses in strategic neighborhoods across Denver where valuable and equitable education was once not available. The neighborhoods in which STRIVE chose to establish campuses are largely minority-majority neighborhoods. STRIVE's goal in the placement of these campuses is to provide equitable education to underprivileged, minority families in these neighborhoods. STRIVE has established schools in far northeast Denver, northwest Denver and southwest Denver.

Far Northeast Denver
Demographically, the Montbello area is racially and ethnically diverse. STRIVE Prep chose to establish schools in this section of Denver because of the diversity and the lack of well-funded education. The demographics of this neighborhood are roughly 53% Hispanic/Latino, 43% African American, 4% White, and 1% Asian. The minority-majority makeup of far northwest Denver has led to three STRIVE Prep campuses.

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STRIVE Prep - Green Valley Ranch ===== Address: 4800 Telluride Street Building 5 Denver, CO 80249

Main Phone: 303-999-2893

School Hours: Mon-Thurs 8 AM - 4:30 PM Fri: 8AM-1:30PM

Grades Served: 6-8

STRIVE Prep - Montbello
Address: 5000 Crown Boulevard (Entrance on 51st Avenue) Denver, CO 80239

Main Phone: 303-999-3825

School Hours: Mon-Thurs: 8 AM - 4:15 PM Fri: 8 AM - 1:30 PM

Grades Served: 6-8

STRIVE Prep - RISE
Address: 18250 East 51st Ave Denver, CO 80249

Main Phone: 720-485-6393

School Hours: Mon-Fri: 7:45 AM - 4:00 PM

Grades Served: 9

Northwest Denver
Northwest Denver is combined of several smaller neighborhoods including Sunnyside, West Highlands, East Highlands, and Highland. STRIVE Prep established three different campuses in this neighborhood because of the racial diversity that is evident in this community. The majority of the people in Northwest Denver are Hispanic/Latino at 62.3%. The following races are represented as 32% White, 3.9% Black, 1% American Indian and 1% Asian. The STRIVE Prep campuses in Northwest Denver are two middle schools and one high school.

STRIVE Prep - Excel
Address: 260 North Speer Boulevard Building 1913 Denver, CO 80211

Main Phone: 303-630-0360

School Hours: Mon-Thurs: 8 AM - 3:15 PM Fri: 8:45 AM - 3 PM

Grades Served: 9-12

STRIVE Prep - Lake
Address: 1820 Lowell Boulevard Garden Level Denver, CO 80204

Main Phone: 303-551-7200

School Hours: Mon-Thurs: 8 AM - 4:05 PM Fri: 8 AM - 1:30 PM

Grades Served: 6-8

STRIVE Prep - Sunnyside
Address: 4735 Pecos Street Denver, CO 80211

Main Phone: 720-723-2000

School Hours: Mon-Thurs: 7:45 AM - 4 PM Fri: 7:45 AM - 1:30 PM

Grades Served: 6-8

Southwest Denver
Southwest Denver is one of the largest neighborhoods in Denver. It is spread out among different zip codes and locations. STRIVE Prep has established five separate campuses along southern Federal Boulevard all in the zip code 80219. The racial makeup of this neighborhood is 78.3% Hispanic, 14.2% White, 3.4% Asian, 1.2% Black, 1.4% American Indian, and 1.6% Multiracial.

STRIVE Prep - Federal
Address: 2626 West Evans Avenue Denver, CO 80219

Main Phone: 303-573-2017

School Hours: Mon-Thurs: 7:45 AM - 4:05 PM Fri: 7:45 AM - 1:30 PM

Grades Served: 6-8

STRIVE Prep - Kepner
Address: 911 South Hazel Court Denver, CO 80219

Main Phone: 720-485-6394

School Hours: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Grades Served: 6

STRIVE Prep - Ruby Hill
Address: 2626 West Evan Avenue Denver, CO 80219

Main Phone: 720-460-2800

School Hours: Mon-Thurs: 8 AM - 4 PM Fri: 9:30 AM - 3 PM

Grades Served: K-3

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STRIVE Prep - SMART Academy ===== Address: 3201 West Arizona Avenue (North Entrance) Denver, CO 80219

Main Phone: 303-962-9880 ext. 6142

School Hours: Mon-Fri: 7:45 AM - 3:05 PM

Grades Served: 9-12

STRIVE Prep - Westwood
Address: 3201 West Arizona Avenue (West Entrance) Denver, CO 80219

Main Phone: 303-962-9880

School Hours: Mon-Thurs: 8 AM - 4:15 PM Fri: 8 AM - 1:30 PM

Grades Served: 6-8

Teachers and Specialized Programs
One of the ways STRIVE accomplishes its goals is by hiring the most qualified teachers and by adopting unique programs and assistance to get kids of all races and backgrounds college ready. When reaching out and employees STRIVE looks for characteristics in potential employees rather then generic skills. This search strategy is seen on their application page , and has lead to them finding a majority of their employees in authoritative positions. Teachers from charter schools in Denver such as STRIVE have an average of 99.76% of teachers are ranked as highly qualified . Alike other Denver Colorado Charter Schools, when comparing growth percentiles in each racial minority group within the Denver Charter schools and public schools in Denver, Charter schools have a higher overall growth percentile [1].

One of the successful programs is lead by the Assistant Principal of College Access, Vanessa Trujilo. Trujilo's job in this program is what allows students to feel prepared for college and allows for them to have the resources they need to get into college. In getting their students ready for college their motto that they often ask is “Are you ready to strive for college today”[8]? Trujilo also assists students with FASFA, college applications, and graduation planning. Trujillo's efforts give students the resources and confidence they need to apply for college despite their backgrounds and setbacks.

Aside from the efforts given by Trujilo, STRIVE also has found success with their College Access program though other teachers and associates. Kandi Brown has contributed to these efforts. Brown is the director of the college access program and has been in charge of leading college visits across the United States as well as helping students prepare for college . Lastly, another key figure in their attributed college ready resources is Gutierrez. Gutierrez has lead efforts in overseeing all schedules of STRIVE Prep scholars. She makes sure that each student is on track for graduation and most importantly makes each student feel like they have the support they need throughout their entire educational career.

Teaching Strategies
With eleven different school campuses, STRIVE has an array of many different students with background that vary. Every student student has different ways that they learn and STRIVE wants to help every single student to succeed. All students have access to a personal computer to use and complete their assignments. There are also regular assessments to individualize student learning needs, as well as extra class time for students that need help in certain subjects, support for students learning English, programs for students with special education needs and after-school homework help for students.

Successes
With these employees and a 96% minority enrollment, STRIVE has achieved a bronze medal in national rankings and has been able to achieve a 31% in english proficiency and a 47% in math efficiency, which is 11% above the district average. Alike other Denver Colorado Charter Schools, when comparing growth percentiles in each racial minority group within the Denver Charter schools and public schools in Denver, Charter schools have a higher overall growth percentile.

STRIVE Prep has managed to come out at the top of the rankings, decreasing the impact of racial inequalities and taking one step closer to creating equal education for all races and backgrounds.

References and External Links
http://www.striveprep.org/