About Us

High Jump is Chicago’s leading tuition free 2 ½ year academic enrichment program for talented and motivated middle school students with limited family income.

The applicants I meet from the High Jump program are impressive young people. Their academic preparation and commitment to educational success sets them apart. Their readiness to invest themselves in the school community marks them as leaders.

— Cokey Evans, Middle and Upper School Admission Director, Francis W. Parker School

Founded in 1989 by the Francis W. Parker School and Latin School of Chicago with full funding from the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation. The organizations set out to combine resources, programs and experiences to ensure that access to competitive secondary school education was not determined by lack of information, limitations of home schools, or personal financial resources. High Jump prepares students for top public, parochial and independent day and board schools.

High Jump equalizes access to education for middle school students who have exhibited exceptional academic ambition and potential, but are of limited economic means. We provide academic enrichment, counseling, and support to our students of diverse backgrounds, with the goal of sending our participants to superior college preparatory schools, ensuring their success while they are there, and enhancing their ability to gain admission to highly regarded four-year colleges and universities.

High Jump has served more than 800 students since its inception and is a member of National Partnership for Educational Access.

100% of program alumni attend selective college preparatory high schools.

Alumni are presently represented at over 110 selective local and national secondary schools, and 200 top colleges and universities.