ASPIRA (ahs-PEE-rah) serves those who are often overlooked—but never without potential.

We serve:

  • First-generation college students
  • English language learners
  • Youth from immigrant families
  • Students navigating poverty, racism, and invisibility
  • Families who want more for their children but don’t always know how to access it

Over 80% of ASPIRA students come from low-income households.
Many speak Spanish as their first language, and are the first in their family to navigate the U.S.
education system.
We serve more than 15,000 students every year, across six states, Puerto Rico, and emerging
affiliates in the South and Northeast.

But numbers only tell part of the story.

We serve the dreamers.
The bridge-builders.
The kids who translate for their parents at age 9, then go on to lead in their community at 19.

“We serve youth with fire in their belly and love for their culture. They don’t just want a seat at
the table—they want to build a new one.”

Graphic: A full-width image collage of real ASPIRA students with overlaying text: “Somosaspirantes. Somos líderes. Somos el futuro.” “We are aspirantes. We are leaders. We are the future.” OR Side-by-side images: “How We Serve” – school club meeting / mentor session / parent workshop / student graduation

Side-by-side images: “How We Serve” – school club meeting / mentor session / parent workshop / student graduation

ASPIRA Nationwide

ASPIRA is a national network with deep local roots.

We currently serve students and families in:

  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • Illinois
  • Pennsylvania
  • Delaware
  • Puerto Rico

Emerging affiliates are launching in:

  • North & South Carolina
  • Massachusetts

Each ASPIRA Associate is an independent organization united by a shared vision: to develop
leaders who uplift their communities.

Graphic: Interactive map of ASPIRA locations by state/territory, with hover-over affiliate info or
student stats

How Do We Serve?

We serve with heart. With heritage. With high expectations.
And we do it through programs that are culturally relevant, student-led, and rooted in real
impact.

We don’t just offer programs—we build pathways. Lifelines. Launchpads.

 

Here’s how we do it:

 

Academic Mentoring & Tutoring

  • Homework help, GPA tracking, and social-emotional coaching
  • Built-in accountability with mentors who look like and understand their mentees
  • One-on-one and small group mentoring from trained youth leaders and alumni

Students with ASPIRA mentors show an average GPA increase of 0.5 points within the first year.

Mentored youth are 55% more likely to enroll in college than their non-mentored peers.

 

College Access & Career Readiness

  • FAFSA workshops, college tours, and help with applications
  • Career exploration events with Latinx professionals in law, STEM, business, arts
  • Internship placement, resume coaching, and mock interviews

More than 80% go on to postsecondary education, many as first-generation college students.

 

ASPIRA Leadership Clubs

  • Implemented in middle and high schools across the country
  • Guided by educators trained in ASPIRA’s culturally responsive curriculum
  • Weekly sessions on identity, civic engagement, public speaking, and resilience
  • Student-led service projects that respond to community needs

Students in ASPIRA Clubs are significantly more likely to report increased confidence, cultural pride, and community awareness—over 85% say it made them feel like leaders.

 

Workforce Development

  • Industry certifications in project management, AI, healthcare, and more
  • Partnerships with Territorium and NEF to offer digital credentials and badges
  • Employer connections and job placement pipelines for graduates

-Over 200 students annually are trained and certified in high-demand career fields through
ASPIRA’s workforce development pipeline.

-Participants in certification programs have reported 2–3x increased access to living-wage job
offers within six months of completion.

Family & Community Engagement

  • Bilingual workshops for parents on education rights and college pathways
  • Mental health support for students and families navigating systemic stress
  • Community events that celebrate culture and elevate voices

Latino students with family engagement in their education are twice as likely to succeed
academically and emotionally.
ASPIRA parent engagement sessions reach 1,500+ families annually across all affiliates.

“We don’t ask students to change who they are to succeed—we show them how powerful they
already are.” .

Graphic: Grid of program icons or mini-photo blocks, labeled: Leadership Clubs / Mentoring /College Prep / Certification / Family Engagement With data points lightly overlaid on each card.

Get Involved

ASPIRA isn’t a service. It’s a Shared Responsibility. A Community. A family. A movement.
When you get involved with ASPIRA, you’re not just donating or volunteering—
you’re investing in generational change.
You’re showing a young person that they matter. That they’re seen. That they belong.

Whether you’re a:

  • Student looking for purpose
  • Parent wanting more for your child
  • Alum ready to give back
  • Educator seeking connection
  • Donor who believes in equity
  • Or a leader searching for meaningful impact—

There is a place for you here.

Why it’s worth it:

  • Mentors report increased personal growth, leadership confidence, and community ties
  • Alumni often credit their success in college or career to what they learned in ASPIRA
  • Volunteers become lifelong advocates, inspired by the resilience of the youth they serve
  • Donors get to see their investment in motion—with students earning degrees,
    certifications, and stepping into leadership roles

Ways to get involved:

  • Start or sponsor an ASPIRA Club at your school
  • Become a mentor or speaker to a local chapter
  • Join a parent advisory board or host a workshop
  • Support with a one-time or monthly donation
  • Help bring ASPIRA to your city, school district, or state
students sitting at a library table studying

 

Your Impact? Better schools. Stronger communities. And a future where leadership looks like the students we serve.

“The more I gave, the more I got back. These students reminded me why I started this work in
the first place.”
– Ana, Volunteer & Former Educator (example quote)