12 Plus

Mission and History

12 Plus’s mission is to increase educational equity by building school cultures that inspire academic achievement and empower students to pursue education beyond 12th grade. We partner with 12 high schools in Philadelphia and Camden to create a climate of inclusion, equitable student support, and academic achievement focused on college and career exploration. Through our school-based PLUS Centers, we implement holistic, comprehensive programs to work toward our goal of helping every student, every year, every step of the way.

Over a decade ago, 12 Plus began as a small volunteer-based mentorship program serving 9 students attending Kensington Health Sciences Academy. We quickly realized that to impact school culture, the success of every student was critical, not just a select few. As a result, we adopted a whole-school model that serves every student attending each partner school from 9th through 12th grade. In 2016, we formalized our alumni support program, to ensure that students have a dedicated advising resource and community of support to navigate life after high school. Since 2012, 12 Plus has expanded its school partnerships in underserved communities across Philadelphia and Camden, with three whole-school, school-based partnerships in the Kensington neighborhood alone. In 2021, we moved our main office into Kensington to better serve the growing number of alumni who reside within this area. Present from the beginning of the school day to hours after it ends, our team is committed to providing our school communities the help needed to serve every student’s postsecondary needs while creating a powerful movement that empower high school students and young adults in our region to redefine what is possible.

Grant Summary

Over the past decade, our postsecondary services have involved providing personalized one-on-one assistance to all our high school graduates as they embark on their college, career, military, or alternative postsecondary opportunities. Our alumni, many of whom continue to live, study, and work in the neighborhoods they have always lived in, have largely received this postsecondary support over video calls, texts, and emails – until now. This summer, our goal is to launch a dedicated 12+ Alumni Center located in our Kensington office. This space will serve a dual purpose: first, it will serve as a welcoming environment for all our alumni to utilize as a workspace and access postsecondary resources; second, it will serve as our primary facility for assisting our graduating seniors in transitioning, preparing, and enrolling in their chosen postsecondary paths during the summer following graduation. As the number of alumni from the Kensington/Harrowgate/Fairhill neighborhoods continues to increase, we understand the significance of aiding them in transitioning and persevering through their initial year post-graduation. Our goal is to maintain our presence within their communities, extending our support beyond the 12th grade.

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