Grit Champions Connection True economic mobility is realized when schools, higher education institutions, community organizations, and regional employers align to surround young people with an ecosystem of support. Grit shouldn’t mean students bearing the weight of systemic barriers on their own — it means building a collective system that bridges the gap between ambition and opportunity. In 2025–2026, Heights partnered with 24 School District of Philadelphia schools and 14 colleges and universities, while connecting students to a growing network of over 100 employer and corporate partners who actively contribute to their career development through internships, full-time employment, volunteering, and industry exposure. Pillar 4: Pillar 4: Leverage Partnerships to Expand Opportunity SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA MIDDLE SCHOOLS John F. Hartranft School Juniata Park Academy Mary McLeod Bethune School Morton R. McMichael School Paul L. Dunbar School Russell H. Conwell School Tanner G. Duckrey School 12 • Grit Champions Connection HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERS Albright College Arcadia University Bentley University Bucknell University Dickinson College Gettysburg College Haverford College Juniata College La Salle University Penn State University St. Joseph’s University Temple University University of Pennsylvania Villanova University SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOLS Abraham Lincoln High School Central High School Constitution High School Franklin Learning Center G.W. Carver High School of Engineering & Science George Washington High School Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School Kensington High School Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School Kensington Health Sciences Academy Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School Murrell Dobbins CTE High School Northeast High School Parkway Center City Middle College Philadelphia High School for Girls The Academies at Roxborough William W. Bodine High School for International Affairs 2025–2026 Partners
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