See Forever Foundation
http://www.seeforever.org
1851 9th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-939-9080

Founded 1995; Maya Angelou Public Charter School founded in 1997.

Executive Director: Cynthia Robbins
Co-founder and Chair, Board of Directors: David Domenici
2005 Budget: $7.2 million

Mission and History
The See Forever Foundation was started in 1995 by Reid Weingarten, a former DC prosecutor who wanted to help at-risk youth. See Forever joined forces with two dynamic young men who were also working with teens in the District: David Domenici, a corporate attorney and middle school math teacher, and James Forman, Jr., a former Supreme Court clerk and public defender. Together they created an organization focused on creating a safe, structured environment where young people who have been in, or are at risk of entering, the juvenile justice system could learn how to become mature, responsible, caring adults, able to support themselves and contribute to their community.

In 1997, See Forever started the Maya Angelou Public Charter School. This unique school serves 85 of the city’s highest-risk youth, 35 percent of whom have been involved in the juvenile justice system, and 40 percent of whom are special education students. The students range in age from 13 to 19. Most of these youths have failed in traditional school settings. Yet the rigorous and highly structured environment at Maya Angelou has yielded impressive results.

Services
See Forever/Maya Angelou provides an impressive range of services for these at-risk students. The school day runs from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and includes three meals a day. Twenty percent of the 85 students live in housing at or near the school. An individualized academic program is designed for each student. The student-to-teacher ratio is 6:1. Students also work one-on-one with instructors in areas in which they are having trouble. Teachers use a variety of techniques to meet the learning needs of each child, with a strong emphasis on learning by doing. The school has also organized an army of more than 200 volunteer tutors who work with the students during the evening hours.

During the extended school day, students have access to a speech therapist, social workers, and group and individual counseling. Maya Angelou staff members also assist students in dealing with city agencies, the courts, and other situations that may be difficult to navigate.

The curriculum at the school integrates the world of work into the academic environment. Each student must work at one of two enterprises at the school: a catering service and a technology center. Students operate these businesses to serve their fellow students as well as some outside clients.