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“To what extent does increasing system literacy through a structured navigation framework improve persistence, post-secondary enrollment decisions, and follow-through among ESL and first-generation high school students in Englewood?”

Objective Key Results

1. Increase clarity around post-secondary pathways: Students will understand how college, trade school, certifications, and workforce pathways actually work. (Confusion and lack of knowledge creates hesitation and then students do not engage with higher goals).
2. Reduce bureaucratic friction in key life decisions: Students will know what steps to take, in what order, and why that order matters; whether it will be applying to college, a job, pursuing a certification or navigating bureaucracy.
3. Increase Student Agency and long-term ambition: Students will begin to see themselves as capable of navigating complex systems. They will expand their goals because they now understand the levers available to them. </aside>

Englewood Pathways Network is a structured “system of systems” that connects Englewood students and first-generation families to trusted educational and economic resources—reducing bureaucratic friction and increasing informed execution across key life pathways.

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Quick Snapshot

• Primary focus: Systems literacy + student aspiration + dropout prevention
• What we deliver: Clear guides, workshops, and a student-friendly hub for opportunities + “how things work”
• How it helps: Reduces confusion, boosts agency, and makes “higher pathways” feel realistic
• Support network: Links to tutoring, wellness, and family resources (Bergen Family Center, Shirvan, youth orgs)
• Format: Notion-based hub + website + guided chatbot
• Status: Senior Project → building MVP + pilot cohort </aside>

The Gap: Why Students Fall Through

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The System is Invisible

Students don’t know the “rules of the game”: course rigor, programs, deadlines, financial aid, enrichment.

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Confusion Turns into Exit

When school feels like a maze and family pressure rises, students choose work or disengage.

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Resources exist but aren’t legible.

Course planning, SAT, College apps, Internships, Scholarships; too much is “unspoken” and unkown.

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EPN turns information into follow-through by coordinating pathways across trusted partners.

What EPN Is

• A student mobility education hub (how the system works)
• A pathways guide that helps students aim higher
• A community-linked network of trusted support options (optional, when needed)
• An iterative project that improves monthly (Notion OS + content updates)

What EPN Isn’t

• Not a case-management program
• Not a “personalized packet factory”
• Not replacing counselors or family centers
• Not collecting sensitive personal info by default

What we teach and do

We teach students and families the playbook that many people never get—so they can move with confidence.

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Academic Pathways

• how credits/graduation really work
• honors/AP choices and why they matter
• how to ask for help strategically </aside>

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College Pathways

• fit vs prestige vs affordability
• what admissions actually looks at
• what “competitive” means without intimidation

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Money & Financial Aid Basics

• FAFSA/CSS basics (conceptual)
• scholarships (how to think about them)
• budgeting for college + life

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Work + Legal Literacy (basic)

• workplace basics for teens
• avoiding common traps
• where to get real legal help (referrals only) </aside>

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Psychology of Persistencem

• motivation under stress
• identity + belonging
• how to build discipline without burnout </aside>

How EPN Works

Step 1: Learn the Map

Students start with short guides + workshops that explain the system in normal language.

Step 2: Choose a Pathway

Students pick a goal track (examples):

• “Graduate Strong”