Elevate 215

At Elevate 215’s Innovate and Inspire event, we proudly honored Juniata Park Academy (JPA) with the Inspiration Impact Award for its visionary approach to school leadership.

Through a strong investment in teacher leadership and a culture built on trust and collaboration, JPA has:
✅ Increased math proficiency by 13%
✅ Strengthened teacher retention
✅ Created a shared sense of accountability and purpose

Principal Marisol Rivera Rodriguez put it best: “With Elevate 215’s support, we’re not just working harder—we’re working smarter to ensure students receive the quality education they deserve.”

Join us in celebrating the educators who are leading with heart and results.

We believe Philadelphia’s future starts with advancing our education system and increasing the number of quality schools in the city.

We were proud to be a supporting partner at ’s event with Cherelle Parker because we have a shared belief that a thriving city is possible if we embrace the spirit of “One Philly” and foster collective action to move our schools forward.

As Mayor Parker said: “We need to unleash the power of public education, as it’s a keystone to creating economic advancement.”

As Principal Appreciation Month comes to a close, we want to thank the dedicated principals of the K-8 schools that received our BTO planning grants last year. We awarded these planning grants to six K-8 schools: Alliance for Progress, Morton McMichael, Middle Years Alternative, Juniata Park Academy, Pan American Academy, and Young Scholars. The students at these schools have shown remarkable progress, successfully “beating the odds” (BTO) by meeting specific performance criteria.

The school grantees support nearly 3,000 students, with 90% identifying as Black or Hispanic and 85% coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The grants have facilitated a variety of impactful practices, including the development of student learning data systems, staff training for effective data analysis, and the integration of culturally responsive educational approaches into daily instruction. Over the past year, our school investments team has met with each school’s planning team to assist in integrating these practices in the classroom.

We would like to especially thank Brian Cameron, Dr. Dollette Smith, Dr. Toni Damon, Marisol Rivera Rodriguez, Dr. Darcy Russotto, and Beth Birnkrant for your unwavering commitment to your schools and students. The successes of your students are a testament to your leadership and dedication, and you continue to foster an environment where they can learn, grow, and succeed every day.