Through the generosity of Philip B. Lindy, Drexel University has established the Philip B. Lindy lnner-City Public School Program at Drexel University (“Lindy Scholars Program”) to provide enhanced educational services to students and their families living in West Philadelphia and attending public schools.
The Lindy Scholars Program is a collaborative effort between the Pennoni Honors College and the School of Education. The Center for Civic Engagement, a division of the Pennoni Honors College, is responsible for managing the program.
The overall goal of the Lindy Scholars Program is to provide mathematics, writing, and literacy improvement programs and related services to selected students in grades 6-8 enrolled in Charles Drew, Alain Locke, and Martha Washington Elementary Schools. Drexel staff, faculty, and student volunteers work closely with school administrators, community leaders, students, and parents to help identify needs and then provide services on campus and within the community that are expected to make measurable positive improvements in academic performance and retention.
The program began in Spring 2009 with 75 5th grade students from each partnering elementary school. Many of the 5th graders continued through the Lindy Scholars Summer Program at Drexel from June-August. Both the spring and summer programs allowed the students and the program to develop further so that by 6th grade, students will be enrolled for the entire school year. As the program progresses, an additional 6th grade cohort of 75 students will be added each year from each school, until by 2011, 225 students in 6th-8th grade will be participating in the Lindy Scholars Program.
