OUR MOTTO:

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right

Henry Ford

Founder of Ford Motor Company

Our Belief

Every young adult deserves the chance to be seen and educated on a personal level, develop a service-oriented and growth mindset, unlock their talents, and realize their potential and dreams. Rise believes that we all have a shared responsibility to educate the next generation of global leaders, so our organization is committed to complementing and enhancing the efforts of families, educators, school districts, and employers nationwide.

About Us

Though RT was officially established as a nonprofit in July 2017, Bryan and Gina have been developing its unique team mentoring model for over 8 years through implementing educationally sound youth development programming for K-12th grade students in North Carolina. When the team moved to Virginia in 2015, they began developing an expanded model that incorporates trained UVA Student Facilitators. In 2016-17, the pair implemented a pilot program in Western Albemarle High School’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) classes, which are elective classes for students who need targeted support to reach their academic potential and who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. After the pilot program proved RT’s effectiveness in increasing grades, attendance, student engagement and AVID enrollment, the team gained the backing of the Bama Works Foundation, Charlottesville Enriching Communities, the Curry School of Education and Dean Pianta, the iLab at UVA Summer Incubator Program, Madison House, Albemarle County Public School (ACPS) administrators and the ACPS AVID coordinator. With this additional support, RT was invited to expand the effective program model in 2017-18 to include AVID students at Monticello High School and Walton Middle School. After consecutive years of proven outcomes, RT has been invited to work with additional grade levels at all three school sites and implement pilot programs for students at Mountaintop Montessori School and the Crozet Community Youth Program. During the 2018-19 academic year, approximately 380 Albemarle County and UVA students will be united through RT’s innovative model. As importantly, thirty or more educators will be given the targeted and responsive support needed to exceed national and state education mandates and initiatives, including project-based learning and civic responsibility.