Nearly $2 Million Donation to Help PG Students Graduate

An organization has pledged to donate up to $1.95 million to a program that helps teenagers in Prince George’s County who are at risk of dropping out of school, reports The Washington Post.

Venture Philanthropy Partners plans to give the money to the Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection to benefit nearly 900 middle and high school students.

“There are too many young people who want to succeed but lack the necessary skills and support to overcome the many barriers to their success,” said Carol Thompson Cole, the president and chief executive officer of VPP, in a statement. “With this investment from VPP, Hillside will more than triple the number of young people it serves in the National Capital Region.”

Hillside, which was founded by Wegmans Food Markets, will provide the students with academic support, mentoring and an opportunity to work part time.

The program has been operating in Prince George’s since 2008. In 2012, 71 percent of low-income students graduated from high school on time in the county. Among the students who participated in the Hillside program, 94 percent graduated within four years, the newspaper said.