Announcing Priority Acceptances: 2019 Camelback Semi-Finalists
Each year, our team works to experiment with new methods and tools for Recruitment and Selection, always incorporating applicant feedback and refining our processes. This year, we were excited to offer a priority round in which ready applicants could apply early and hear back a month early, thereby having longer with the more challenging Round 2 questions. We received 93 priority applications, and we are thrilled to announce 30 Semi-Finalists we have chosen to move forward with at this time. We hope you enjoy this introduction to their work; we're excited to get to know them better and to read the rest of the applications!
We expect to select 100 - 120 Semi-Finalists total to move forward with Round 2. We will re-announce the Semi-Finalists below with the rest of our list in late December. If you're interested in applying, there's still time! Please visit www.camelbackventures.org/apply to learn more and apply before our November 26, 5pm central deadline.
View Non-Profits | View For-Profits & Hybrids | View Schools
All organizations listed alphabetically within their categories.
We have included a brief description and websites, both as provided by candidates.
Nonprofits
Camp Common Ground - Ronald Towns, Co-Executive Director/Camp Director
We train youth leaders to bridge cultural gaps between their peers to create identity safe schools, particularly for marginalized students.
Consult Your Community - Kiron Chandy, CEO & Founder
We empower college students in 22 universities to provide pro bono consulting to women and minority-owned small businesses across America.
Delaware College Scholars - Tony Alleyne, Founder and Executive Director
Prepares marginalized students for college. Residential program preps them to academically & socially to apply, enroll & graduate college.
Excellent Readers Intervention Program - Dwann Wagner, Co-Founder
ERx is a separate, in-school reading class for struggling readers in grades K-2 designed to equip them with proficient reading skills.
Fascinate Inc - Justin Shaifer, Executive Director
Fascinate, Inc. excites underrepresented students about STEM and provides pathways to STEM careers.
Hey Mentor - Kevin Truong, Executive Director
Hey Mentor provides college and career mentorship to underserved students and helps college students develop professional career skills.
IssueVoter - Maria Yuan, Founder and CEO
IssueVoter makes civic engagement accessible, keeps Congress accountable, & gives students & teachers a voice year-round.
MindCatcher - Nakeyshia Kendall, Founder & CEO
We increase student agency by working with educators to create student interest collaborations with industry partners during the school day.
Mission Bit - Stevon Cook, CEO
Mission Bit works to eliminate the tech divide for youth living in poverty by building coding pathways and professional opportunities.
Pennez - Rebecca Dove, President & Founder
Pennez creates innovative products that serve K-8 youth to improve reading comprehension and fluency.
The Marcy Lab School - Reuben Ogbonna, Founder
We provide underserved youth with a high-quality and affordable education in software engineering and then place them in high-paying jobs.
Wise Young Builders - Elijah Moses, Executive Director
WYB bridges youth to the STEM trades/construction industry through exposure to building projects, math and connecting them to professionals.
For-profits & Hybrids
Be a Maker Club - Huzefa Neemuchwala, Founder
Be A Maker Club provides mobile makerspaces for children.
Boddle Learning - Edna Martinson, Co-Founder
Our product is a game-based learning platform for practice & assessments that helps teachers find learning gaps their students have in STEM.
Diversity Talks - Kiara Butler, Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Diversity Talks specializes in providing student-led professional development grounded in diversity, equity and inclusion.
Hire HBCU - Lavon Powell, CEO
We provide executive search support to help schools recruit and retain diverse leaders.
Little Bird - Jill Tew, Founder and Head of Product
Little Bird automatically schedules parent meetings for teachers, increasing parent meeting attendance and strengthening family engagement.
PIERCE Plan - Kelly Pierce, Founder and CEO
PIERCE Plan ensures all student-athletes qualify academically for a scholarship to compete athletically.
Skool - Elias Aseged, Co-Founder
The Skool platform helps underserved HS students with college access and helps counselors by providing insight into students' progress.
TasselTurn - Shante Elliott, Founder and CEO
We help youth in foster care graduate!
White Women Anti-Racist Alliance (WWARA, by Cadoux Consulting), Zara Cadoux, Founder, Trainer, Consultant
We foster and support a national network of white womxn dedicated to dismantling racism.
Schools
Academy for Creating Excellence - Marcus Harden, Founder and Lead Learner
ACE is an educational experience that serves as a place of learning, identity and safety for males of color to cultivate their excellence.
Activist Graduate School - Micah White, Program Director / Co-Founder
Activist Graduate School: the online school for movement creators, protesters & changemakers. History, theory, strategy for the resistance.
Believe Schools - Kimberly Neal, Founder
Believe Schools will exponentially increase the number of leaders of color in all industries in our country.
Generation Success - Brandy Williams, Founder & CEO
We create personalized learning opportunities that builds on the self-directed skills and passions of our students.
Invent Learning Hub - Aleicha Ostler, CEO
Provides students equitable access to the future by arming them with skills and mindsets beyond those a traditional education provides.
Ivy New Orleans Leadership Academy - Jaime Johnson-Duplessis, Founding Executive Director
Ivy NOLA leverages our scholars' individual gifts and talents as means for empowering our girls to lead their way.
New Orleans Freedom School & Farm Cooperative - alicia nance, Founder & Chief Equity Officer
We use a 21st century, youth-led model of Freedom and Indigenous Schools/Farms that will co-construct a movement to ensure we all get free.
The Next Generation Academy - Dr. Bethel Cager, Chief Executive Officer/Head of School
The NGA will produce future civic and community leaders.
Urban Renaissance (#URpowerful) - Author Anderson
CEOUR delivers high quality education to children age 0-8 and their parents in low wealth communities; preparing parents for technology careers
Want to join these Semi-Finalists?
There’s still time to apply! Our final deadline for the 2019 Camelback Fellowship is November 26 at 5pm central.