THE STORY

ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Josh Banks was once a top student in kindergarten—labeled gifted and talented, eager to learn, and destined for success. He came from a family of educators and achievers: his grandfather was a World War II veteran, college professor, and businessman; his mother, a dedicated school teacher.

Then—he disappeared.

Josh was pulled from school without warning and hidden from the world. He missed first through eighth grade completely. No classes. No teachers. No friends. Just silence, shame, and survival.

When he re-entered school at age 14, he had a third-grade education and no transcript to prove he had ever existed.

But he fought. And he made it as a successful business man, family man, author, speaker and a Philanthropist starting at the young age of 23

Today, Josh speaks to students who feel lost, behind, or broken—to show them what’s still possible, even when the odds say otherwise.

The Graduate Anyways Foundation exists to reach students who feel left behind, broken, or like giving up. Through powerful school assemblies, suicide prevention efforts, and practical mental health support, we meet students where they are—and remind them that their future is not finished.

We also equip the adults around them—parents, teachers, and mentors—with tools to spot warning signs, build trust, and walk alongside students until they graduate. Our founder, Joshua Banks, shares his personal journey of overcoming severe academic neglect and trauma, showing students that it’s never too late to fight for your future.

The Graduate Anyways Foundation

Together, We Keep Kids in School—and in Hope.

Active campaigns

Zero Percent Impossible: The Campaign for Hope