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City Officials and Action Not Words Announce Program Partner for “Project Elevate”

October 21, 2019
|
9:00am
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10:00am

Robeson High School

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contacts: Kevin Lessard, 215-683-2067, kevin.lessard@phila.gov 

                Louisa Shepard, 215-573-8151, lshepard@upenn.edu 

City Officials and Action Not Words Announce Program Partner for “Project Elevate”

PHILADELPHIA — In 2018, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson were wrongfully arrested at a Center City coffee shop. The City of Philadelphia committed $200,000 to Project Elevate, a new entrepreneurial program in city high schools developed by Nelson and Robinson, as part of its settlement with the two men. Nelson and Robinson established the nonprofit Action Not Words to grow Project Elevate into a program that will empower Philadelphia high school students.

Representatives from the City of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Action Not Words, and the School District of Philadelphia will officially announce Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships as the Project Elevate program partner at an upcoming event at Robeson High School. 

WHO:

  • Mayor Jim Kenney, City of Philadelphia
  • Provost Wendell Pritchett, University of Pennsylvania
  • Principal Richard Gordon, Robeson High School
  • Principal Brian Johnson, Bartram High School
  • Otis Hackney, Mayor’s Office of Education, Chief Education Officer
  • Jill Bazelon, Netter Center for Community Partnerships
  • Robeson Students
  • Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson, Action Not Words

WHAT: Project Elevate announcement event, including a short presentation from students

WHEN: Monday, October 21 at 9 a.m.

WHERE: Robeson High School, 4125 Ludlow St., IMC 

DETAILS & RSVP: The Netter Center's Bridges 2 Wealth program will implement the Project Elevate program, which includes educational activities focused on financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The pilot program—instituted at Robeson High School and Bartram High School— seeks to close the wealth gap for Philadelphia high school students and their families in underserved communities.

Media interested in attending should RSVP to Kevin Lessard at kevin.lessard@phila.gov.