School systems lay a critical foundation for later success. Essential support may come through early childhood education, afterschool programs, or a high school that is laser-focused on helping students find not just a job but a passion. Yet in every case, student success stems from a confluence of factors.
Students at BELIEVE Circle City School in Indianapolis, IN.
In a Memphis, Tennessee, neighborhood historically challenged by high poverty rates and disinvestment, a significant revitalization effort is underway as a result of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative grant awarded to the City and Housing Authority. South City, once home to Memphis’s largest public housing site, is now a mixed-income community. Urban Renaissance Partners is a critical partner in this transformation. With a $450,000 acquisition loan from BlueHub, it is redeveloping a former school into a community hub featuring a new early childhood education center and an afterschool program for girls. These programs will provide learning and developmental opportunities for young children, and educational and life skills support for girls ages 5 to 18. Both programs are also designed to give neighborhood children the strongest possible academic foundation for future success.
In San Antonio, Texas, approximately 50% of the Westside neighborhood’s adult population lacks a high school diploma. Ambika Dani, founder and executive director of Promesa Academy, is determined to change that statistic. Dani spent years doing her due diligence. She visited more than 30 high-performing urban charter schools nationwide to learn best practices. She spoke with local nonprofit leaders and families. She even tutored local children herself to understand the struggles prospective families face and how best to help overcome them. Then, in 2020, she launched a school with a curriculum that is academically rigorous and engaging and that creates a space where children can feel loved, safe and celebrated for who they are. Promesa currently serves over 300 children in grades K–4. With a $3 million loan from BlueHub and additional funding from Civic Builders, a charter school financer and developer, Promesa plans to buy and expand its current building, creating space to add grades 5–8. With a solid foundation in math and literacy, a love for learning, and the social and emotional skills needed to thrive in today’s world, Promesa’s students will be equipped to shine in high school and in the world beyond.
It is such a joy and refreshing to work with a group that just gets it. BlueHub is thorough in their approach to everything — and everyone is just super nice. We hope to continue to partner with BlueHub.
At BELIEVE Circle City High School, BlueHub’s first borrower in Indiana, education is carefully tailored to the needs of each student. BELIEVE begins by helping students identify their passions and purpose, then provides the support necessary for each student to meet their goals. “Sometimes we just need to unlock the genius that’s already there,” says Kimberly Neal-Brannum, the school’s founder and executive director.
BELIEVE shares a campus with Ivy Tech Community College; the schools offer dual enrollment, wherein students take classes at both institutions. To Neal-Brannum, that is critical for her students’ long-term success. “We know that not all our kids will matriculate to a four-year college, but having even some college education changes their financial trajectory,” she explains. “Most charter schools work to close the achievement gap, but we want to take that a step further. We are working to close the income gap. We want BELIEVE to set the tone for urban education for students of color.”
When BELIEVE sought funding to acquire and improve its currently leased site, the Charter School Growth Fund (CSGF), our longtime partner, made the connection to BlueHub. Now, BlueHub’s $2.6 million loan augments a grant from the Mind Trust, a nonprofit that invests in public education, and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence loan from CSGF. Together, we are securing BELIEVE’s place on the Ivy Tech campus — and helping to give BELIEVE students a solid educational foundation.
