Local nonprofit wins award for helping students get into college

Milwaukee-based Admission Possible, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low income, promising students prepare for and earn admission to college, was recently selected as one of three winners of the first CollegeKeys Compact Innovation Awards from the College Board, a nonprofit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Winners of the award have initiated innovative, effective best practices that help low-income students get ready, get in and get through college.
“The College Board’s CollegeKeys Compact Innovation Award winners are to be congratulated for the difference they have made in the lives of students,” College Board president Gaston Caperton said. “Their innovative programs will serve as models so that others, by adopting these successful strategies, will be able to help more students successfully pursue a college education.”
Midwest recipients of the 2010 CollegeKeys Compact Innovation Awards are Admission Possible, Stark Education Partnership in Ohio, and the University of Cincinnati. 
“We’re excited as an organization to be recognized for our work,” said Kate Lundeen, Admission Possible executive director. “The credit truly goes to the coaches and students who challenge themselves daily, and the local community, which has been so supportive.”
Admission Possible operates in two metro areas in the country, the Greater Milwaukee and the Greater Twin Cities. It is currently serving 1,540 low-income high school students in 23 high schools as well as 2,200 high school current program graduates as they pursue a college degree. Since the program’s founding in 2000, 98 percent of its students have earned admission to college and nearly 80 percent of enrolled students are working toward their degree or have already graduated.