Established in September 1988, the Los Angeles County Schools' Dollars for Scholars program has assisted over 1,500 students in achieving their educational goals. These students have faced overwhelming obstacles (e.g. gangs, domestic violence, substance abuse, and teenage pregnancy). Despite these barriers, they have achieved a major accomplishment: graduating from high school.

What do we do?
Our volunteers provide vulnerable (commonly known as "at-risk") youth in the divisions of Juvenile Court & Community Schools and Alternative Education with the resources, tools, and skills needed to achieve their educational goals.

We do this by:

	Connecting young people with caring and supportive adults who instill in each student the high expectations and strong motivation needed to succeed in school... and in life; and
	Providing students with a variety of academic support programs, and community resources (e.g. mentoring, tutoring, and financial literacy), that are designed to prepare youth for the demanding, high-skill workplaces of today and tomorrow.

Why do we do it?
Scholarships fill the gap between what a family can afford to pay and what the government can provide in assistance. The average "gap" for a low-income student attending a public four-year institution is $3,800 and for a middle-income student, the gap is $2,250.

Rising tuition rates and lower federal grant rates make the dream of a post-secondary education hard to reach for many students. In order to reach their dreams, students need to feel supported by individuals and organizations in their communities. It is our hope that all qualified students who wish to pursue post-secondary education will have the financial ability to achieve their dreams, and, ultimately, support our nation's economic vitality by ensuring educated workers for tomorrow's jobs.