This is our 30th year running our free college, career, and life preparatory program for high school students known as FANS. Through the program, students participate in workshops and seminars, are introduced to various career options, go on college tours, develop their leadership skills, get civically engaged, and prepare for the and ACT/SATs.

This Spring, we were honored to gather our FANS grads and their families together for our annual awards ceremony to celebrate their accomplishments and wish them well as they take big steps towards their futures. This Fall, graduates will be off to: Augsburg University, Metro State University, Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Saint Paul College, and more!

Students that successfully complete the FANS Scholars program are eligible to receive a small scholarship to assist with college expenses and have their FANS Advocate support them through college graduation. Since its inception, FANS Scholars have received over $1,000,000 in scholarships to assist with college expenses.

It’s important to prepare young people for the future. Each year, we take our FANS (‘Furthering Achievement through a Network of Support’) high school students on college tours so they can become exposed to different kinds of campuses and classrooms, living situations, academic tracts, supportive resources, and more. Choosing a college and major are big decisions, made even more difficult if you’re not quite sure of all the options available to you. This year, youth from our FANS programs toured three college campuses in St. Paul led by former youth program participants. It was an energizing day, to say the least!

Highlights included:

✔ Seeing the medical, manufacturing & tech training spaces at St. Paul College

✔ Viewing a dorm and “Idea Lab” at Macalester College as well as learning about mental health resources

✔ Learning about “campus culture” and how to start on-campus clubs at Hamline University

FANS is a free college, career, and life preparatory program for high school students. Students benefit from a support system and activities to strengthen high school performance and to achieve success after graduation in college and beyond. Students that complete the program are eligible to receive a small scholarship to assist with college expenses and an advocate who will support them through college graduation. Since its inception in 1988, FANS Scholars have received over $1,000,000 in scholarships.