Our mission is to reinvent urban education.
We Believe
We believe that our current education system creates barriers to success for historically underrepresented students, and instead should serve as the great equalizer. We believe students deserve better.
Our part in changing the landscape of young people’s lives is:
creating early college educational models that build character, confidence, and academic acumen,
exposing students to positive and capable staff, and
introducing communities to a new world of further education.
We believe that with the right support every student can, and will, succeed.
Our Story
The Resiliency Foundation was founded on the belief that all schools could successfully educate all children if there were systems and supports in place to meet the learning needs and interests of each child.
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Educational pathways are developed aimed to provide a tailored academic program for each child. Students would have the opportunity to work towards earning a high school diploma through a traditional academic experience or accelerated, competency based, and/or online instruction. We open schools and programs that allow for flexible scheduling and offer paid work-based learning opportunities.
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Resiliency Programs launch that provide professional development and funding to a variety of urban districts, successfully helping nearly 1,000 students graduate with a high school diploma.
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A traditional high school diploma was not sufficiently preparing our students for success in postsecondary education programs or life. Students were not learning to claim their education because of an inequitable society.
We pivot our knowledge about alternative education - education that is decidedly student-centric - to the early college model. We bring to this time tested model our knowledge of education claiming, student-centric support, and an unwavering belief that every student has the potential and the right to achieve.
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New Heights Charter School of Brockton opens.
With high expectations for students’ success we achieve the following in the first 5 years:
Over 50% of seniors graduate with a high school diploma and an Associate Degree
We successfully create a college going culture with 94% of students continuing education at a four-year college
Resilient students graduate from RF schools because of carefully curated programming that leads to a higher sense of academic confidence and ability and staff that believe kids
Meet the Team
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Omari Walker
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Omari is President and Founder of The Resiliency Foundation. During his 25 years as an educator he has been a teacher, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Resiliency for Life Program in Framingham, MA, consultant to the Resiliency Program in Mansfield, MA, Administrator at Durfee/Resiliency Prep High School, Fall River, MA, and Principal of the Resiliency Preparatory High School in Fall River. Most recently, Omari was the founding Executive Director of New Heights Charter School of Brockton. Omari received his B.A. in English and his M.Ed. from Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA.
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Jess Geier
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dr. Jess Geier is the Executive Director of the Resiliency Foundation. Jess spent the last 20 years working in the space between high school and college. Prior to working with the Resiliency Foundation, Jess served as Co-Director of the Center for Excellence and College Readiness, at the Community College of Rhode Island, and the Director of Early College Access Programs at the Office of Higher Education. Her interest in exposing students early and often to the rigors and expectations of postsecondary education stems from a belief that all students will be successful in their pursuit of their academic and vocational dreams if we provide them with the tools to make informed decisions. Jess holds a Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree in Sociology from Boston College and a Doctorate in Education Policy from the University of Texas at Austin.