- Written by Ashlee Banks
- Published on 2nd July 2021
- The Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy’s (BELA) 2021 graduating class is the school’s first graduating class to have a 100% college acceptance rate, Patch.com reported.
- The academy, located in Bed-Stuy, opened its doors in 2017 aiming to help young Black and Brown girls overcome educational challenges by empowering them to embrace themselves and reach their full potential.
- BELA’s graduating class is comprised of 50 students with 90% of the girls in the senior class identifying as Black. The monumental achievement also marks a first for 75% of the graduating class who will become first-generation college students.
- During the 2020-2021 school year, BELA’s seniors collectively applied to more than 150 colleges and universities and received nearly $1 million in merit-based scholarships.