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History of BELL

BELL was founded in 1992 by a group of Black and Latino students at Harvard Law, led by Earl Martin Phalen and Andrew L. Carter.  The students began a small tutoring program in a local school, where most children could not read, write or do math operations at grade-level proficiency.  Since that time, every member BELL's first class of scholars has enrolled in or graduated from college -- compared to only 30% of their peers.  BELL evolved and complemented its BELL After School program with the BELL Summer program to achieve an even greater impact on children's lives.

We hope that, in pursuing our mission, our impact on children is not limited to the reach of our programs, but that our models also present examples to be replicated and applied throughout the world to help thousands, even millions, of children excel.  There is no limit to the impact we can have through education, just as former BELL scholar Kourtney demonstrates that there is no limit to what a child can achieve with the support and guidance of caring tutors and mentors.

 
1992   BELL begins tutoring and mentoring program at the Agassiz School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
 
1993   BELL partners with the Tobin Elementary School in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and establishes itself as a non-profit organization.  Co-Founder Earl Martin Phalen leads BELL, and Phalen's mentor, Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree, Jr. serves as Board Chair.
 
1996   BELL launches BELL Summer to impact children's academic and social achievements during the summer.
 
1997   BELL expands to New York City.
 
    BELL receives the President's Service Award from Bill Clinton.
 
1999   BELL expands to Washington, D.C.
 
  100% of BELL Scholars move up and out of the "Failing" category for the first of five consecutive years.
 
2001   BELL partners with venture philanthropy firm New Profit, Inc.
 
    BELL partners with Monitor and Bridgespan Group to create its first strategic plan to expand its impact on children.
 
2003   BELL and the Boston Red Sox partner to create the Field of Dreams Gala and the Red Sox Scholars Program.
 
2004   BELL grows BELL After School in New York City from 300 scholars to more than 2,000 scholars using philanthropic donations and sustainable government funding streams.
 
2005   BELL Summer scholars gain an average of 6 months reading, writing and math skills for fifth consecutive summer.
 
    BELL partners with Houghton Mifflin to access high-quality, skills-based curricula as well as innovative and effective assessment tools to increase children's academic gains.
 
    BELL begins educating scholars in Baltimore, Maryland, and educates over 8,000 scholars nationwide.
 
    BELL is recognized as one of the "top 25 organizations changing the world" by Fast Company and the Monitor Group.
 
2006   The Urban Institute and Mathematica Policy Research release the results of a two-year, independent evaluation of BELL Summer that finds scientific proof of BELL Summer significantly increasing children's reading skills.
 
    BELL partners with Atlantic Philanthropies, Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation as key partners in its next phase of growth. BELL focuses on the creation of high-quality, skills-based curricula as well as innovative and effective assessment tools to increase children's academic gains.
 
    BELL's board of directors approves a five-year strategic plan for the organization, outlining BELL's growth to 15,000 scholars and five regions by 2011.
 
    BELL receives the Excellence in Summer Learning Award from the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University.
 
2007   President George Bush signs the STEP UP Act into law as part of the America COMPETES Act, designating $100M to fund high quality summer learning programs modeled after BELL and Teach Baltimore of the Center for Summer Learning.
 
    BELL partners with Baltimore City Public School System to serve 2,000 students for six weeks during the summer. Scholars gain an average of 4 months' skills in reading and math.
 
    BELL, the New England Patriots, and Fidelity Investments host the first annual BELL Bowl flag football challenge at Gillette Stadium to benefit BELL Summer.
     
    BELL serves over 12, 650 scholars through its summer and after school programs in its fifteenth year.
     
2008   BELL Summer expands to two new regions, serving 750 scholars in Detroit and 800 scholars in Springfield. BELL scholars in these new regions blow us away! In Detroit, scholars gain an average of 7 months of grade-equivalent skills in reading and 8 months of grade-equivalent skills in math over the six week period. In Springfield, scholars gain an average of 9 months of grade-equivalent skills in reading and 9 months of grade-equivalent skills in math over the six week period.

 

 
       
 
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BELL'S IMPACT STUDY
The BELL Summer program is scientifically proven to increase children's reading skills and levels of parental involvement.
READ MORE

   
 

2008 ANNUAL REPORT
BELL's 2008 annual report is now available for download!
FULL REPORT

   

 
BELL News>>
   
  August 2, 2010
The August 2010 issue of TIME Magazine features a seven-page expose on summer learning loss, and showcases programs, like BELL, making a difference for the kids who need it most.
View the PDF
   
  June 21, 2010
The Wallace Foundation annouces a 3-year $4 million grant to BELL as part of its initiative to provide students with more time for high-quality learning!
Read more
 
 

June 20, 2010
New England Patriots players wrote their own plays for a day, coaching teams in the third annual BELL Bowl at Gillette Stadium to support summer learning.
Read More

   
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