Inspiring Minds Programs

Inspiring Minds empowers students to succeed by focusing on the student first. Developmental Relationships are the key. Our programming approach aligns with the Search Institute’s evidence-based Developmental Assets Framework. As a result, our programs develop close connections through which young people discover who they are, gain skills to shape their own lives, and learn how to interact and contribute to the world around them.  

In each of our programs, we foster academic achievement, increase student engagement in the learning process, and reduce barriers to student success. 

We foster academic achievement by: 

• Helping students maintain or exceed expectations in reading and early math skills
• Providing individual support and extra attention and feedback that focuses on student effort and learning practices
• Developing student’s self-efficacy, personal organizational skills, and time management skills
• Supporting students to manage emotions, self-regulate, and develop confidence

We increase engagement in the learning process by encouraging students to think about and demonstrate: 

• Their learning and thinking processes and challenge them to articulate the way they have gone about learning
• What their next steps might be and how they are going to proceed with those next steps
• How they are going to know they have achieved success

We reduce barriers to success by responding to their unique needs by

• Matching children in small groups with caring adults from their community within a structured relationship
• Enhancing safe and supportive schools through mindfulness, consistency, and personalization
• Providing our Explorers with paid internships to support their ongoing education and skill development
• Providing families with the knowledge and skills to engage in schools. 
• Creating a link between schools and the community

We also know that to truly make a difference in our students’ lives, we need to impact the systems our students and families operate. Therefore, through our orientation, ongoing professional development, and speaking engagements, we inspire adults, too. Our goal is to inspire adults to act swiftly and justly to factors that impact our students, their families, and the schools we serve. 

Our Programs

Volunteer opportunities for individuals and  corporate or civic groups. Paid and volunteer opportunities for college students through our Explorers Program.