OUR PROGRAM
Access Opportunity supports high-achieving students from low-income households for six years, following a selective admissions process in the spring of 10th grade. Our students are ambitious, community-minded young leaders who hope to use their education in order to make change in their communities. The ultimate goal of Access Opportunity is to help our students, their families, and their communities reach their full potential.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
11th Grade through 1st Year of College
11TH GRADE
Community-Building, Self-Discovery, & Test Prep
Students are welcomed into our program during the summer workshop, which includes an overnight retreat and is one of two annual events where the entire AO student community comes together. Students spend their first year learning about leadership in quarterly cohort workshops, receiving SAT and ACT tutoring from Denver Test Prep, and discovering best-fit colleges in one-on-one meetings with their AO counselor.
12TH GRADE
Personalized College & Financial Aid Counseling
During their 12th grade year, students continue to work with their AO counselor who receives training in college advising best practices from the College Essay Guy. Students meet one-on-one with their counselor to work through each step of the college and financial aid application process, from application to enrollment.
1ST YEAR OF COLLEGE
College Transition Support & Peer Mentorship
Students continue to receive one-on-one support from an AO counselor as they transition from high school to college. They are also paired with an AO Peer Mentor, who is trained in a mentorship curriculum designed in collaboration with the Reneé Crown Wellness Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder.
2nd through 4th Year of College
LAUNCH
Career Readiness Education & Development
Access Career prepares students to graduate from college ready to excel in their career of choice. Students start the summer after their first year of college with a two-day career readiness workshop, LAUNCH, where they begin to identify and develop the skills they need to be successful in the workplace. The topics covered in the workshop are led by industry experts and built around eight career competencies for entry-level professionals developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
2ND YEAR OF COLLEGE & BEYOND
Personalized Career Counseling & Leadership Development
After LAUNCH, students continue to receive one-on-one support from an AO counselor who is a Certified Career Service Provider. They are guided through the process of exploring careers, deciding on a best fit career path, and gaining career experience and skills. Students sustain the relationships built with their cohort in quarterly meetings discussing career readiness from an equity lens.
CORE VALUES
Our three core values guide the work we do:
ACHIEVE
INSPIRE
CONNECT
Learn more about our values here.
WHY WE'RE UNIQUE
We're Student-Led
Our students put themselves on the path to college and career success by applying for our program. They know better than anyone what support they need. That's why we formed our Student Advisory Group to incorporate the student voice into all that we do - from selecting a new class, to engaging our alumni. Learn more about our student leadership programs and meet our current student leaders here.
We Cultivate Wellness
Social and emotional health affects so many aspects of our daily lives, including college and career success. This is especially true for students from low-income households, who have fewer resources than their high-income peers. Our Social-Emotional Learning Counselor is a mental health professional who helps to support families and remove barriers that keep students from reaching their college and career goals.
We Develop Changemakers
We look for students who would like to make a difference in the lives of others - whether that is their family, their community, or the world. Throughout their six years in the program, we provide our students with opportunities to broaden their network, enhance their unique leadership style, and make an impact.
