The Becraft Scholars Program started strong in February 2021! Created in partnership with the Ferry Family Foundation, Becraft Scholars is an equity-based scholarship program primarily for Black and African American students.
Developing innovative ways.
The program has already accepted its first two cohorts with 24 students in total. Becraft Scholars partnered with five schools—Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School, St. George Parish School, St. Paul School, St. Therese Catholic Academy, and Visitation Catholic STEM Academy—to empower students, families, and the wider community.
“Becraft Scholars is unique in that the program goes beyond scholarship, focusing heavily on empowerment and belonging,” said Alana Bell, Becraft Scholars program director. “Our partnerships with school leaders help ensure that not only our scholars thrive in their learning environments but that this collaborative effort positively impacts the entire school community.”
At St. George Parish School, Becraft Scholars is all about creating partnerships between the families and the school. “The Becraft Scholars Program provides families with access to a life-changing experience,” said Monica Wingard, principal of St. George. “First, it gives tuition assistance for a rigorous education that is steeped in strong Catholic values and nurtures the whole child. Just as importantly, it provides families a warm and supportive community of like-minded families and educators whose communal energies center on the dignity, growth, and continued success of each and every student. Becraft Scholars uplifts families and helps them build their network of support as they raise their children to be successful, independent adults!”
In the coming years, Alana plans to expand the Becraft Scholars program and welcome more cohorts of students into this growing community. “We plan to continually find new and culturally responsive ways to empower our scholars and families,” Alana said.
This article is from the Fulcrum Foundation 2021 Community Report.
Download a copy of the full report
More on the program and its director
Hear from the Becraft Scholars Program Director Alana Bell in an August 2022 interview on ZTwins Radio.