Congratulations to STEP Academy’s First Admitted Harvard Applicants

Latifa Said and Mohamed Ahmed are the first two students admitted to an Ivy League college. Both Said and Ahmed attended the Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program that allows Minnesota juniors and seniors to earn college credits at no cost.

PSEO is a major incentive for students from our Somali community. It provides a pathway for students coming from families living below the poverty line to earn free college credits for two years. Many of these students are the first to attend college in their family, and the first to attend college in the United States. PSEO allows these students to receive support and direction from STEP Academy through applying to college and navigating their entire first two years.

Eleven students in STEP Academy’s graduating class earned 48 or more credits by graduation, earning them a Macbook Pro from the school. The awarding of a computer to these students is a tradition STEP Academy prioritizes.

“Our top priority is giving our students every possible boost to reach their highest potential,” shared STEP Academy Academic Dean, Traci Moore.

The school understands that a computer purchase is not a likely reality for these students graduating with their commitment to higher education already realized. STEP Academy cares about students beyond their graduation date.