Our Programs

Scholarship Program

ScholarCHIPS provides renewable $2,500 scholarships and $500 book awards to children of incarcerated parents from the DC region. Awards are renewable for up to four years, provided the scholar remains enrolled in college and maintains at least a 2.5 GPA per semester. 

ScholarCHIPS targets graduating high school seniors from the Greater Washington, DC region. We reach graduating high school seniors who have the drive to attend and graduate from college, but are at risk of falling short because of limited financial resources or support networks that result from parental incarceration. In fact, many recipients are the first in their family to attend or complete college. We also target scholars who demonstrate a commitment to their community. We have served 61 scholars since our inception, including 22 graduates who have completed our program. Some scholars have gone on to pursue advanced degrees. Thirty-nine (39) active scholars received awards in 2019-2020. In FY2021 ScholarCHIPS will serve 45 scholars. 

To date, we have awarded over $300,000 to 71 scholars. We aim to disburse $82,000 in scholarships and book awards for the 2021 fiscal year. Thus, ScholarCHIPS will have awarded more than $320,000 in scholarships by July 2020! 

Mentorship & College Completion Program

ScholarCHIPS offers one-on-one mentoring, college life skills/professional development workshops, exposure to arts and culture, and community service opportunities to ensure scholars graduate from college.

The Board Chair implements one component of our mentoring services. She checks in regularly with each scholar to ensure they have financial aid and an income source to cover college expenses; are on track academically (complete required credits to graduate within 4-6 years, maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher per semester, and utilize on-campus resources to help with challenging courses); and have emotional/family support. Scholars may not have a strong support system because of their parent’s incarceration, which can negatively impact academic success. Thus, we track how often scholars contact their incarcerated parent. We also provide care packages twice per year during exam season, with useful items and handwritten notes of encouragement. Scholars consider our Board Chair their “second mom,” as she intervenes to support their success.

Additionally, ScholarCHIPS matches our scholars with mentors, who are volunteers from the community. Each mentor is provided with trauma-informed orientation trainings. Mentors commit to mentoring a scholar for an entire year, incorporating check-ins that total at least four hours a month.

ScholarCHIPS also provides workshops and enrichment opportunities:

• Annual ScholarCHIPS Awards Ceremony: includes workshops on strategies to be successful in college for incoming scholars and first year college students, as well as a motivational speaker who imparts relatable experiences to our scholars and their families.
• Annual College Life Skills Conference: workshops when students return home for Thanksgiving break (and open to prospective high school scholars), including study skills, time management, securing internships and scholarships, resume building, financial planning, sexual health, self-defense, cyber safety, and more.
• Annual Scholars Retreat: a retreat scholars participate in during their winter holiday break, where we gather together for two days and one night at a church hostel. During the retreat, scholars, staff, and volunteers participate in fun and games, a discussion session, and a community service project.
• Cultural outings during winter vacation, including a play at the Arena Stage or Ford Theater.

Scholars complete a survey at the end of each school year to provide a formal update on financial resources, academic progress, and emotional/family support. The Board Chair reviews each survey and intervenes as needed.

As of November 2018, ScholarCHIPS is working with a Mentoring & Alumni Engagement Consultant to enhance our mentoring capacity.

ScholarCHIPS transforms inaccurate societal assumptions about youth with incarcerated parents. Our Executive Director and scholars participate in community and national advocacy work on policies related to children of incarcerated parents and returning citizens. Long-term, ScholarCHIPS aims to: impact policy change related to mass incarceration; contribute to a national emphasis on the importance of college completion for children with incarcerated parents; and develop nationally-recognized best practices to help these students succeed.