Education is the best way to end generational poverty. 

Those who earn a college degree are 4x more likely to escape poverty, but less than 10% of the children born into low-income families ever go on to earn a post-secondary degree of any kind.

Pictured above: Kendal Strickland, Keiana Johnson, and Jeremy Williams: NLCP Class of 2014, Valparaiso University Class of 2018.

North Lawndale College Prep (NLCP) was founded in 1998 to create a path to a college degree and to uplift Chicago’s west side. Entering freshmen at NLCP are 99% African American, 95% low income, and come from a census tract where only 4% of the population held college degrees when NLCP opened. NLCP began doing everything it could to ensure that its students got the quality education they deserved and graduated high school college-ready. 

NLCP soon discovered that gaps in financial aid, unexpected material costs, medical bills, or even trips to and from home can derail the college plans of a student with limited resources. Students needed help if they were going to succeed.

In 2001, Irv Lewis started the Roberta Bachmann Lewis Scholarship Fund (RBL). The fund provided 10 graduates each year small scholarships and enhanced support– the extras that often make the difference between collegiate success and going home permanently before obtaining a degree. Students being supported with financial aid and personalized counseling excelled. Nearly 80% earned college degrees.

In 2015, The RBL Scholarship Fund became Phoenix Pact. By strengthening ties with Partner Colleges who are committed to seeing students from all backgrounds earn degrees, leveraging financial aid and providing wraparound support, Phoenix Pact Scholars are succeeding like never before. Now, Phoenix Pact helps to send fifty or more driven and deserving NLCP graduates to college every year.

North Lawndale College Prep

For more than 20 years, the mission of North Lawndale College Preparatory Charter High School (NLCP) has been to prepare students for graduation with the academic skills and personal resilience necessary for successful completion of college.

NLCP’s rich history of innovation and dedication is reflected in its partnership with Phoenix Pact; connecting qualified, college-ready NLCP graduates with colleges that have a track record of graduating students of all backgrounds.

NLCP and Phoenix Pact are committed do whatever it takes to support ambitious students to and through college, making a difference in their lives, their families, and communities to come.

Irv and Roberta Lewis

Irv and Roberta Lewis lived and practiced the Hebrew imperative – “Tikkun Olam” – Repair the World. When Roberta passed away in 1999, Irv started the Roberta Bachmann Lewis Scholarship fund (RBL) in loving memory of her and their marriage of 47 years. The RBL Scholarship ensured that each year 10 students graduating from North Lawndale College Prep (NLCP) had enough money to go to college. 

Since then, nearly 500 students from NLCP have benefitted from Irv’s vision as the RBL Scholarship grew and became Phoenix Pact. Every scholarship recipient is awarded a Repair the World medallion to symbolize the gift they have received and have become, carrying on the work and honoring the legacy of Irv, who passed away in November 2019.

The Steans Family

Harrison, Lois, and their three daughters, Heather, Jennifer, and Robin – created the Steans Family Foundation to work holistically within North Lawndale. A primary initiative was creating North Lawndale College Prep High School. Joining with the Steans family, other NLCP founders included a wide range of community and foundation leaders including Harold & Adeline Morrison, Thomas & Maxine Hunter, and Burt & Anne Kaplan.  

Harrison Steans envisioned the Phoenix Pact as a capstone program in the family’s support of NLCP, taking great pride in its success before passing away in February 2019. The family’s engagement continues through Jennifer’s participation on the Pact board of directors, and an abiding commitment to Pact’s vision of ending generational poverty across the North Lawndale neighborhood.