Where Potential Meets Opportunity

Every Saturday during the school year, high school students gather in South Los Angeles for a sixth day of school. They’re not just studying – they’re building futures. For 15 years, Minds Matter Southern California has walked beside these students, helping them turn their dream of college into reality.

The day begins with a Connections® circle, part of Minds Matter’s social-emotional learning (SEL) program. In these circles, students build trust, share experiences, and strengthen essential life skills through intentional conversation. From there, they dive into rigorous academics and spend the afternoon with mentors guiding them through college prep, writing workshops, and life-skills development.

Minds Matter serves low-income students from across Los Angeles, many of whom will be the first in their families to attend college. These students bring resilience, drive, and untapped potential – and Minds Matter provides the structure and support to help them thrive. In Los Angeles public schools, one college counselor is often responsible for hundreds of students, leaving ambitious low-income teens without the support and guidance needed for acceptance to top colleges.

Melisa Santizo, a 2016 Minds Matter alum, Harvard graduate, and Gates Scholar, knows the power of this support firsthand. Inspired by the mentors who helped shape her journey, she now volunteers as an SEL facilitator and leads the sophomore writing and critical thinking program. And she’s not alone – many alumni return to volunteer, expanding opportunities for students who share their backgrounds and aspirations.

Founded in 2010 to close the opportunity gap, Minds Matter Southern California was built on a simple but radical idea: education should be the great equalizer. “It shouldn’t be a have and a have-not,” says President Tina Admans. The program connects low-income, high-achieving students with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college – and beyond.

Students are matched with mentors who commit to a three-year journey. Tutors, writing coaches, and SEL facilitators form what many students call a second family. And the support doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Minds Matter sends students to summer programs at colleges and universities across the country – from Stanford to Syracuse – where they experience campus life, explore academic passions, and begin to see themselves as college-bound scholars. For low-income, first-generation students, these immersive experiences are often life-changing.

The results are extraordinary. 100% of Minds Matter graduates have been accepted into four-year colleges, with 82% attending Top 50 universities. The program boasts a 99% retention rate, and the class of 2025 alone earned over $2.25 million in scholarships and financial aid. Even more impressive: 98% of alumni have graduated or are on track to graduate, most within four years.

Now, Minds Matter is expanding its commitment to a seven-year journey – supporting students through graduation and into their careers. It’s a bold evolution of a proven model, ensuring these bright young minds don’t just get to college – they thrive, lead, and transform the world around them.