Thrive Academy-LA 2025

Youth economic advancement

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

We know that throughout Los Angeles County, there are incredibly high-achieving students of color from economically disadvantaged communities who have taken advantage of the opportunities available to them and who have big aspirations for their future. By virtue of everything they have achieved, these students demonstrate tremendous promise to continue to achieve at great levels in college and their careers. However, as a result of structural barriers they encounter during this pivotal transition from high school to college to career, we know many are hindered from reaching their full potential. In fact, only 11% of all Americans born into poverty will ever earn a six-figure salary, and for people of color, it’s even worse—7.1% for Latino individuals and 2.5% for Black individuals. These numbers are only exacerbated in Los Angeles: according to the Samuel Dubois Cook Center on Social Equity Black and Latino households have only one percent of the wealth of whites in Los Angeles.

Thrive Academy-LA redefines Thrive’s Summer Academy model – a proven program that has helped thousands of economically disadvantaged students of color from across the country develop the academic, professional, and social-emotional skills needed to excel at top universities – to serve Los Angeles youth in need. This model is the result of over 10 years of data. We found that while 90% of our Scholars were graduating from top colleges around the country, these nearly straight-A high school students had an average GPA below 3.0 in college, and 80% were leaving their STEM majors. We realized that the under-resourced high schools they attended had not prepared them—especially in math and writing. Thrive Academy-LA directly addresses these issues.
Held at the University of Southern California, Thrive Academy-LA provides high-achieving students from economically disadvantaged communities with the following:
Two summers of engagement after 11th and 12th grades
3 hours of calculus and 3 hours of college writing taught by college professors, every day for six weeks each summer, totaling 350+ hours of learning. In the second summer, we add coding and a lab science course
Support services including college access, social-emotional support, and career services
Additionally, students who participate in Thrive Academy-LA are eligible to receive individualized 1:1 career coaching, industry-specific curriculum, and mentorships with industry professionals, in college.

In a city where disparities in wealth across racial and ethnic groups loom large, Thrive Academy-LA aims to be a difference-maker by positioning our youth for economic mobility. We know that when it comes to generating generational wealth, education is a springboard, but it takes more than just a degree: where you go to college matters. Grades matter. Majors matter. Career skills matter. And a professional network matters. Through the rigorous academic curriculum of Thrive Academy-LA, complete with support services and career guidance, these students develop the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to succeed–when they graduate, they’re not only attending top colleges, they’re on the fast track to success. Ultimately, we envision a city where our highest achieving, economically disadvantaged students of color have the professional experience and sense of empowerment needed to make lasting positive change as future champions and advocates of our community.

Thrive is committed to systematic data collection to measure program outcomes, to inform practice, and to monitor quality. We launched Thrive Academy-LA based on the data and outcomes we’ve collected over 12 years of hosting Summer Academy. Our findings reveal our Scholars’ GPAs increased from 2.9 to 3.4, STEM persistence rose from 20% to 75%, and 6-year graduation rates increased from 90% to 99%. In fact, these Scholars outperform students of all demographic backgrounds at top 100 colleges. Our students earn better grades, are 15% more likely to graduate, and 34% more likely to persist in STEM majors. They go on to earn jobs earning starting salaries greater than $67,500. These outcomes have been tracked and measured through program renewals, assessments, surveys, college applications, college admissions, financial aid awards, transcripts, mentor meetings, internships, participation in various program offerings, and jobs. Thrive Academy-LA will be assessed through similar methods.