Mission’s High’s Athletic Scholars Advancement Program helps its high school athletes head for college….in a lot of small, simple practical steps.

Our own Mission High School population includes a whopping ten percent who are homeless or in foster care. That means, when it comes to preparing for college, there are a lot of kids who could use a hand.

Thanks to this special program, that’s what they get. The bottom line is that all students at Mission are encouraged to participate in a sport. The school has football, soccer, and dragon boating, as well as basketball, softball, baseball, track & field, and wrestling teams.

Last summer, the program sent 150 kids to 31 summer college programs in 22 locations in nine states. The money comes from San Francisco School Alliance. Here’s its mission statement: the San Francisco School Alliance is an independent, non-profit organization that develops strategic partnerships, raises money, and advocates for policies to ensure that each student in our city’s public schools has access to world-class learning opportunities – and that each young person is successfully prepared for higher education, employment, and citizenship in the 21st century.

The ASA Program at Mission has one part-time paid administrator; otherwise, it’s run by volunteers. The administrator, Judy Grossman, made SF Chronicle news early this Spring when she was presented with the Jefferson Award. The award is given by the American Institute for Public Service to individuals who have made a difference in their communities. She offered this comment: “Many kids tell me, ‘I can’t go to college, I have to work; my family needs the money.’ I tell them they have two choices – you can work at McDonald's, or you can own the franchise…..they will be much more useful to their families if they go to college.”