LION Charter School Graduation Campaign

Open Doors to a Brilliant Future for LION Students

The success of the senior class is made possible in part by LION’s comprehensive eight-plus year College Access and Success Program that supports LION students to and through post-secondary education. This program helps us provide our students with the opportunities they need to fulfill their potential. It is thanks to the work of this program that 91% of LION graduates enroll in college in the first two years after high school and earn bachelor’s degrees at nearly three times the national average for students in the same demographics. By supporting LION's Graduation Campaign, you can help continue this success and help us develop the leaders of tomorrow.

Each gift to LION's Graduation Campaign supports the College Access and Success Program by funding some of its vital components, such as:

college visits
an overnight junior college experience
LION's signature senior retreat
LION's Commencement Ceremony
senior scholarships
alumni micro-grants

As we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of LION's College Persistence Fund, please join us at The East Wing (306 E. 76th Street) from 5:30 to 8:00 PM on Thursday, June 12th, to enjoy refreshments and hear from staff and alumni about the impact of these micro-grants for our alumni. We hope you will join us in supporting our students and their futures by contributing to the College Persistence Fund! Purchase tickets and sponsorship here.

College Visits

As part of the College Access and Success Program, LION students engage in college visits each year. Each LION senior schedules at least three college visits to help them discover the college/university that is the right fit for them and their future education.

Overnight Junior College Exploration

Our junior class has the opportunity to kick off their college search process by participating in an overnight college trip around the Northeast. This experiential process not only provides the first access many students will have to college campuses outside the five boroughs but also helps strengthen the college-going culture throughout the school.

Senior Retreat

Throughout their senior year, LION students engage in a process of self-reflection and feedback. Seniors consider and receive feedback about their character growth, family dynamics, academic performance, and hopes and fears for their future. LION's signature senior retreat provides students the unique opportunity to engage with their peers and their own process of reflection in an overnight retreat setting.

Senior Scholarships

Through a variety of senior scholarships rooted in LION's mission and therefore recognizing academic success, unique talents, character growth, leadership development, and community engagement, select students are awarded college scholarships in amounts ranging from $500 to $5,000 to offset the costs of post-secondary education.

LION Commencement

LION's Commencement is a high school graduation ceremony like no other. Students are the focus of the day; almost every graduate delivers a one-minute speech highlighting their journey at LION, pivotal moments, their personal growth, and their hopes for the future. These speeches are the culmination of LION's signature senior process and a chance for students to share their stories publicly.

Alumni Grants

Each semester, LION Charter School offers small monetary grants to alumni to help defray the costs of beginning, continuing, or completing their post-secondary educational pursuits. These micro-grants help to fill the gap after financial aid awards have been disbursed to students or to cover unexpected fees associated with pursuing post-secondary programming.

Where Are They Now?

Learn how LION prepares our students for post-secondary success and the transformational impact college can have directly from two of our alumni.

Osvaldo Garcia, LION '19; CUNY Baruch College '23

Hear how LION's partnership helped Osvaldo prepare for college and achieve financial stability in his adult life. You can read the full interview in our latest issue of LION Character Matters.

"Starting college preparation in my first year at LION High School helped put my priorities into perspective. Ms. McCrillis and Mr. Hittenmark helped me figure out my college goals. Mr. H sat down with my mom and me and talked about costs and scholarships. That guidance helped ground me, and now I’m in a position where I’m comfortable. I’m in the career that I wanted, and I’m independent, not struggling to pay loans and rent. I’m able to survive and thrive. I’m deeply grateful because there’s not a lot of guidance like that in Bronx high schools, so to have that from LION was great."

Stephanie Almodovar, LION '17; CUNY City College '21

Watch the video below, and listen to Stephanie speak about how her undergraduate years at City College helped her become the woman she is today.

"It's a chapter in my life I didn't know I needed because college is that experience that helps you shift from childhood to adulthood. I was 17 and didn't know where I was going to go, what kind of impact I was going to make in the world, or what degree I was going to study. So when I finally got accepted into City College, I went straight into the adult world and into getting exposed to so many people, cultures, religions, studies, and to having so many resources at my disposal. There were so many opportunities, and I was just so amazed because I didn't know this was possible...college helped me step out of my shell and form the woman I am today."

Graduation Campaign

Lift Up Our Community. Support Our Graduates.