HOPE CHICAGO PRESS RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 29, 2025
Hope Chicago Extends Groundbreaking Scholarship Program
to 700 More South and West Side Families
Breakthrough early results fuel a new round of investments and the next chapter in an innovative, community-driven model to remove barriers to higher education.
CHICAGO -- Hope Chicago, the two-generation economic mobility initiative supporting more than 2,600 Hope Scholars and Hope Parent Scholars through postsecondary education since 2022, today announced the expansion of its program to Class of 2026 students and their parents at its five partner Chicago public high schools. The addition of a new cohort marks the next step in Hope Chicago’s mission to eliminate barriers to educational and economic opportunities for Chicago families and builds on the organization’s successful early results from its first four cohorts.
The commitment to the Class of 2026 marks the first new investment to families from Hope Chicago’s partner high schools since February 2022, when every enrolled student (Classes 2022-2025) at each high school received the opportunity to pursue a debt-free postsecondary path or workforce credential after graduation. Becoming Hope Chicago’s 5th cohort, the Class of 2026 will be offered an updated version of the scholarship model, tailored for sustainability and scale. Hope Chicago’s mission remains unchanged: to dramatically increase postsecondary access and completion rates for low-income, first-generation students and their families in Illinois.
Since 2022, Hope Scholars and Hope Parent Scholars have transformed postsecondary outcomes for five South and West Side community high schools with historically low postsecondary attainment.
Notable results include:
College enrollment has increased from 53% in 2021 to 83% in 2024.
25% more Hope Scholars are staying in college into their 2nd year, now nearly matching the national average.
More than 300 Parent Scholars are pursuing new degrees or credentials through Hope Chicago, with 70% of Hope Parent Scholars remaining enrolled after one year, beating out the national average of 45% for students 25+ years of age.
At the start of Hope Chicago’s 4th year, 140 Hope Scholars and Hope Parent Scholars have completed programs to date, with hundreds more expected to complete their studies over the next 12-18 months.
This fall, members of the Class of 2026 at Hope Chicago’s five partner high schools— approximately 700 families—will officially become eligible to participate in the organization’s innovative scholarship model. Cohort 5 students and parents will have the opportunity to pursue a debt-free postsecondary or workforce credential, supported by Hope Chicago’s robust funding and wraparound support system.
“Welcoming this new cohort is an exciting and pivotal next step in our work to create more educational and economic opportunity for hundreds of Chicago students and families,” said Dr. Aaron Kuecker, CEO of Hope Chicago. “Hope Chicago was built on the belief that real change happens when families rise together. As we welcome Cohort 5, our partners, Board, staff, and supporters remain deeply committed to making sure every student—no matter their zip code or age—can access the education and future they deserve.”
At the heart of Hope Chicago’s success is its close partnership with five CPS high schools: Benito Juárez Community Academy, Farragut Career Academy, Morgan Park High School, Al Raby School for Community and Environment, and Noble Johnson College Prep.
“The Hope Chicago promise is one of possibility, purpose, and pride for our students and families,” said JuanCarlos Ocon, Principal of Benito Juárez Community Academy in the Pilsen community. “We’ve seen impact beyond imagination in our school community—each new year with Hope Chicago, more of our graduates are pursuing an education beyond high school and more parents are lining up to follow them.”
“Hope Chicago sends a powerful message to our students and families—their futures matter,” said Hamza Salameh, Principal of Noble Johnson College Prep in the Englewood community. “That commitment brings a sense of stability and motivation that changes the trajectory not just of a student, but of an entire household.”
“As a proud alumnus of Morgan Park High School, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges that students on the South Side face when it comes to accessing and completing higher education,” said State Representative Kam Buckner. “Hope Chicago is more than a scholarship—it’s big picture thinking for Illinois. Through our public-private partnership, we’re transforming outcomes for students and families just like mine, we’re feeding our public universities in all corners of the state, and we’re raising expectations and standards for how we all show up to support student success.”
This fall and throughout the school year, Cohort 5 students (seniors) at Hope Chicago’s five partner high schools will work closely with their school counselors and Hope Chicago’s on-site Student Success Coaches to explore their interests, identify potential postsecondary pathways, and prepare for the transition ahead. In spring 2026, they will graduate and take their first steps toward their chosen college or career certification program—with Hope Chicago’s support every step of the way.
“It’s a very exciting time,” said State Senator Javier Cervantes. “Just as a new cohort of families are at the start of their journey with Hope, waves of families are approaching completion. The amount of talent being developed in Illinois and coming home to pour back into our communities is why our work with Hope Chicago is so important to our shared future.”
“This evolution of our model is about long-term sustainability,” continued Dr. Kuecker. “It reflects our unwavering commitment to financial integrity—we will only make promises we know we can keep, now and in the future. As we grow our impact, our north star remains clear: every Chicagoan, no matter their background, deserves the opportunity to pursue and complete a postsecondary education and reach their fullest potential.”
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