Despite a challenging economic climate and the closing of one San Francisco site, 2009 was a strong year for Aim High, serving more than youth in the Bay Area and strengthening our curriculum, partnerships, fundraising and more. After the jump, read the “headlines” for Aim High’s top developments in 2009. Campus Sponsorships In a year that brought great challenges for families, communities, schools and community organizations, Mark Lampert and Susan Byrd stepped up to ensure that low-income youth had great, free summer options with a $100,000 gift to support Aim High’s SF Community site. The challenge grant inspired major gifts from The Lopez Low Foundation and Dan and Katherine Whalen, enabling two Aim High sites in Oakland’s high-need neighborhoods to serve hundreds of youth. Improved Curriculum in Math, Science, Issues & Choices Aim High strengthened core academics in math and piloted new curriculum funded by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the Walter and Elise Haas Fund. Ninth graders benefited from new science curriculum designed to dovetail with their environmental and outdoor education experiences. With funding from the Gap Foundation, all Issues and Choices classes had new resources to prepare for college and careers. The “Big Idea” Aim High played a leading role in bringing together Bay Area youth-serving organizations, including after-school programs, charter schools, and college access programs, to improve collaboration and explore ways to expand and deepen services to college-bound low-income youth. The College Success Consortium (or “Big Idea,” as we like to call it) hopes to build a model for regional collaboration and ensure the long-term success of the youth we serve. Cult Wines and Classic Cars More than 170 Aim High supporters attended Aim High’s spring gala fundraiser, a wine tasting event at the classic car collection at Academy of Art University. Chaired by Hildy Shandell and Glenn Shannon, Cult Wines and Classic Cars raised more than $50,000 for Aim High. New Regional Partnerships New partnerships in the South Bay helped Aim High reach families in need and build strong ties to the South Bay’s education community. In Redwood City, Aim High’s summer site moved to the campus of Summit Preparatory High School for its second year, while in East Palo Alto, Stanford New Schools opened its East Palo Alto Academy High School campus to host Aim High’s fourth summer in EPA. Additionally, 9th graders in the East and South Bay took part in outdoor ed trips offered in partnership with Outward Bound.