Mercer Island Launch Educational Advocacy Project

The Mercer Island community – its parents, educators, advisors, coaches, and others – works hard to prepare its students for success. The journey to attend a 4-year university can be challenging and expensive.  Not all families can afford the costs of activities and services that enhance the likelihood of college acceptance, such as participation in high school extracurricular activities; academic tutoring (if needed); college entrance exam preparation and test taking; college planning and financial aid counselors, and college applications fees. Several studies and articles have concluded there is direct correlation between a student’s socioeconomic status and the likelihood that student is accepted to a four-year university.

Mercer Island Launch Educational Advocacy Project (MILEAP) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization providing support and mentorship to qualifying high school students to enhance their opportunity for university-level education.  MILEAP wants to ensure that students whose families do not have the resources to fund college admission-enhancing strategies have the ongoing support and sustainable means during high school to navigate the complex college application process.

Key attributes of the program include:

• Admissions to MILEAP will occur during students' sophomore year. Scholarship funds of up to $10,000 will be set aside for each student accepted into the program. These funds will be paid directly to third party vendors and affiliates who provide services on behalf of the student related to the 4 Pillars of MILEAP below:

1)    Educational Guidance & Support:  Educational guidance ensures student meets with his/her MIHS counselor, understands the MIHS steps for graduation and college applications; receives academic tutoring (if needed); receives SAT or ACT preparation course or tutoring (if needed), sits for the SAT/ACT exam(s) and receives any necessary tools to improve his or her test scores.

2)    Extracurricular Activities and Support: Each student will be required to participate in extracurricular activities such as band, sports, volunteer- or paid work during the school year and in the summer to contribute to a well-rounded high school experience. Student may receive financial support to participate in these activities.

3)    College Planning and Counseling, and Financial Aid Strategies: Each student will be matched with a private college counselor. The counselor will help the student identify colleges that match his/her educational goals and entrance requirements, provide student with a timeline of due dates, and work with the student on applications and essays.  Each student and his/her family will also work with a college financial aid counselor to develop a strategy to finance this educational investment. 

4) Mentorship: Each student will be matched with a volunteer Family Advocate who will help the student and family navigate the process.  MILEAP has developed an annual curriculum that dictates a prescribed rhythm of meetings with the Family Advocate and required activities. The Family Advocate will work with MILEAP staff to connect student with third party vendor services as needed.

MILEAP has established relationships with third party vendors and affiliates who will provide some of the services supporting the 4 Pillars

• Prior to any expenditures, the Family Advocate and MILEAP will approve vendors and use of scholarship money

• Scholarship money will be paid directly to vendors and programs; the student will not receive funds directly

• MILEAP has criteria that participants must meet to continue in the program each year