When Get Schooled launched as a stand-alone nonprofit in the fall of 2010, we were given a unique mandate: use the media and messengers of popular culture to inspire and engage students in an effort to improve high school graduation rates and empower more students to go to and succeed in college.

While there are thousands of education-focused nonprofits working in communities across the United States, there are few – if any – with a similar mandate. Is it even possible to combine “sizzle with substance” in a way that yields improved academic outcomes for students, especially those most in need of additional encouragement and inspiration?

We say it is.

IN 2011, GET SCHOOLED BEGAN ITS EFFORT TO MEET THAT CHALLENGE. LAST YEAR, WE:

Connected with a million young people through our digital platforms and in-school activities

Improved attendance almost 3 percent across more than 100 high schools and middle schools in 17 states

Gave 25,000 students the opportunity to recognize the teachers who inspire them to get out of bed and go to school every day

Enlisted the assistance of some of today’s hottest talent to inspire young people, including Nicki Minaj, Tyra Banks, Wiz Khalifa, Trey Songz, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Keri Hilson, Kimora Simmons, George Lopez and Jennifer Hudson

Partnered with some of America’s most influential media brands including MTV, Tr3s, BET’s 106 & PARK and Paramount Pictures to connect with students

Launched innovative initiatives that encouragedstudents to take the small actions that would lead them to educational success

Why is this work important? The statistics are staggering: a young person drops out of high school every 26 seconds. In many urban centers, one of every three high school students is absent on any given day. The average American teen receives only 38 minutes of college counseling each year during his or her four years of high school. More than half of all students who enter postsecondary education or training will fail to earn the degree or certificate they came for. If we are going to reverse these trends, reform needs to come to our schools and real support, guidance and encourage-ment needs to come to our students. Get Schooled is ready to step up and fill that void. Our rallying cry? Students, we have your back.

Over the next 18 months, Get Schooled’s digital platform – online, social media and mobile apps – will reach and engage millions of young people who need support, direction and a community to help them make their way through high school and college. Young people will come to our digital platform to play games, track their own educational progress, get answers to questions and connect with people who can offer them the information, inspiration and support they need to succeed.

And this is just the beginning. If our first full year taught us anything, it’s that a recipe that mixes sizzle and substance yields powerful outcomes. Moving forward, we are committed to leveraging popular culture, media, the web, emerging platforms and gaming tools in new and exciting ways to engage young people in improving their education.

Sincerely,

Marie GroarkExecutive Director, Get Schooled

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR

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INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE ACROSS 125 SCHOOLS – WHICH MEANS THOUSANDS MORE STUDENTS CAME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY AND INCREASED THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF GRADUATING

ENGAGED WITH GET SCHOOLED ON OUR WEBSITE, THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OR IN THEIR SCHOOLS

LEARNED MORE ABOUT GET SCHOOLED AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE

MAKING ADIFFERENCE

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GIVING SCHOOLS A BOOSTWe know educators can’t do it alone. That’s why Get Schooled partnered with high schools and middle schools to inspire and encourage their students to succeed.

Students at Bridgeport High School in rural Washington State celebrate their school’s standing on the Get Schooled leader board during the 2011 Fall Attendance Challenge.

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USING GAMES TO DRIVE CHANGE Get Schooled tapped into students’ love of friendly competition to improve student engagement and attendance through regional and national attendance challenges.

Students at Lincoln High School in Philadelphia celebrate their attendance improvement as part of Get Schooled’s Get MotivatED Challenge in spring 2011. Twenty-five schools competed to determine who could improve their attendance the most.

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EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO INSPIRE EACH OTHERGet Schooled and Def Jam Rapstar challenged young people to get loud about why education matters. Studentssubmitted hundreds of inspirational rhymes that reached an audience of more than 250,000.

Get Schooled and its partners including Kevin Liles, Russell Simmons and BET’s 106 & PARK gave Def Jam Rapstar winner Yung Mil a once-in-a-lifetime experience, including advice on the music business and a nationally broadcast television special to share his skills.

WE NEED TO BE GOING TO SCHOOL, NOT JUST SLACKING ON YOUTUBE. IT’S UP TO US TO BE THE LEADERS OF THE NEW SCHOOL.– Yung Mil, Portland, OR

A student and teacher pose in front of the Get Schooled banner at East High Schoolin Iowa.

GIVING STUDENTS A PLATFORM FOR THEIR VOICESStudents recognized 25,000 teachers who inspire and noted their commitment, patience, persistence and great senses of humor in the classroom.

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Tyra Banks inspires students at Bethune Middle School in Los Angeles by sharing stories of her experiences as a student and how education has helped her as a model, television star and author.

MOTIVATING AND INSPIRING WITH TALENTGet Schooled partnered with talent that resonates with students, whether through a common experience growing up, a demonstrated commitment to excellence or simply because they are superstars!

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An email blast went out to hundreds of thousands of young people encouraging them to set goals and tell us about them.

GOING MOBILE TO CONNECTWe capitalized on young people’s affection for texting and celebrities via the Get Schooled Celebrity Text Challenge, which encouraged students to set academic goals for the school year. Promoted across Viacom’s networks, close to 10,000 students responded during the month-long summer challenge.

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AMPLIFYING OUR MESSAGES THROUGH OUR MEDIA PARTNERS Get Schooled partnered with BET’s 106 & PARK, MTV, mtvU and digital sites like AddictingGames.com to inspire and engage our audiences.

Terrence J. and Rocsi interview Dwyane Wade about the work of his educational foundation as he receives the Get Schooled Award on BET’s 106 & PARK.

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MOTIVATING AND REWARDING STUDENTS THROUGH POP CULTUREYoung people value popular media. Get Schooled, along with its partners including Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox and others, bring exciting rewards to students who have earned it.

Students at Chaparral High School in Las Vegas increased their attendance by nearly 6%. To celebrate, they enjoyed a red carpet preview screening of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL.

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