Board Member At-Large

Higher Achievement
Washington, DC

Higher Achievement, recognized by First Lady Michelle Obama for its outstanding academic enrichment programs for at-risk middle school students, seeks applicants and nominations for the position of Board Member At-Large, with an expertise in marketing and/or public relations, to assist the organization in expanding the scale and geographic scope of its life-changing programs.

The ideal candidate will be a senior level corporate marketing or public relations strategist with a deep personal commitment to improving the lives of underserved youth. S/he will be able to seamlessly integrate as an engaged and professional board member of a high-functioning governing board, and be a dynamic networker, eager to broadcast the successes of Higher Achievement to professional and personal contacts as a means to further the expansion of the organization’s funding base.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced strategic communicator to enhance the organization’s messaging capacity as it supports and champions the expansion of the organization’s programs. Success in this role, in partnership with fellow board members and Higher Achievement leadership, will ensure an ever increasing number of youth have equal access to success in both school and life.
 

THE ORGANIZATION

Extended learning opportunities in the critical middle school years
Higher Achievement extends learning opportunities for students in grades 5-8, providing motivated students support and instruction to succeed academically and thrive during the high-risk adolescent years. Higher Achievement Centers operate in under-resourced urban areas and work with schools to identify high need students who are motivated and willing to commit to this intensive intervention. Since 1975, Higher Achievement has served over 10,000 young people.

Impact
With a comprehensive program that adds 650 hours annually in addition to time spent in school for each child, Higher Achievement improves middle school student achievement, putting all Higher Achievement Scholars on the path to successful college prep high school careers. Through its expanded learning opportunities, Higher Achievement boosts student performance on standardized assessments: 100 percent increased test scores, with the average Scholar posting 20 percent gains in both math and reading. Students who complete the full Higher Achievement program demonstrate improved classroom achievement, as evidenced by GPA, and dramatically improve their attendance rates.

Evidence/Outcomes
Higher Achievement improves academic achievement, develops social, emotional and leadership qualities and supports overall school success. Results from the 2007-2008 school year include:

• 77 percent of Scholars improved or maintained As and Bs in reading, and 65 percent in math, in one year.

• 100 percent of scholars improved their DC CAS (standardized test) score by an average of 20%, compared to an average improvement of 3 percent among DCPS students overall.

• 100 percent of Scholars placed in top-tier secondary schools through a competitive application process.

• 89 percent of scholars improved their school attendance or maintained perfect school attendance.

• 89 percent of scholars reduced their number of days tardy to school or maintained zero days tardy.

Program
Scholars commit to the four-year program that instills the academic, social, and leadership qualities that middle school students, particularly those in low-income and low-education communities, need to succeed in the 21st century. The year-round program features an After-School Academy that runs from October to May, which includes intensive mentoring in math literature, and other subjects, and a six-week Summer Academy, where students are taught math, science, social studies, literature, and an elective. The summer academy also includes an overnight college trip, the scholars’ introduction to college life.

At the end of their 8th grade year, youth are supported in the application process for the most-selective college-preparatory high schools in their community. In 2008, 100 percent of graduates were placed – the majority in their top choice high school, gaining access to valuable AP and Honors programs.

THE NEXT HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT BOARD MEMBER 

With an eye on the aggressive scaling of its programs, Higher Achievement recently expanded and elevated its internal communications, marketing, and public relations staff to ensure the quality and consistency of messaging to current and future constituent groups and funders. The At-Large Board Member currently sought will bring her or his own proven marketing and/or public relations expertise to the Board in order to provide a seasoned and strategic advisory perspective to senior staff and to her or his fellow board members. S/he will have experience overseeing marketing and/or public relations efforts for a growing department, division, or venture and and will serve as both a strong governance partner and thoughtful communications educator to Board Members and leadership.

Elected to a three year Board term that is renewable for no more than three consecutive terms, the Board Member will be expected to serve as a passionate ambassador for Higher Achievement and the dramatic impact they have on scholars’ lives. In addition to regular attendance at board meetings, which are held four times per year, s/he will play an active role, along with her or his board member peers, in expanding the scale and scope of potential funding sources for the organization, including but not limited to personal, annual donations to the organization at the leadership level.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

This is a dynamic opportunity for a corporate marketing or public relations strategist to assist Higher Achievement in creating life-changing opportunities for underserved middle school youth. Ideal board member candidates will bring a deep-passion for education as a tool for social change and an eagerness to deploy her or his marketing or public relations expertise in service of the non-profit sector. Additional qualifications and qualities expected of the next Board Member will include but are not limited to:

• At least 5 years of leadership experience in a marketing or public relations strategist role in a large corporate setting, experience with cause-related marketing ideal but not required;

• Demonstrated ability to networking and an unflagging commitment to broadcast the successes of Higher Achievement within ones personal and professional circles;

• A collaborative, team-oriented work style;

• A commitment to the highest professional and personal ethical workplace standards;

• A professional and personal schedule that will accommodate regular board and committee meeting attendance;

• A proven personal commitment to advancing the non-profit sector in general and education-focused organizations in particular;

• Experience in non-profit governing board service ideal, but not required

TO APPLY:

Resumes will be reviewed as received, towards the goal of new Board Member appointment in late March 2010. To be considered complete, applications must include a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications along with your resume. In order to expedite the internal sorting and reviewing process, please write your name (i.e., Smith, Jane) as the only contents in the subject line of your email. Resumes should be sent to:
HA-BMM@nonprofitprofessionals.com.

More information about Higher Achievement may be found at: http://www.higherachievement.org. 

 

Higher Achievement is an equal opportunity employer.
Women and candidates of color are encouraged to apply.