Travelers Awards $175,000 Educational Grant to NAF

The National Academy Foundation (NAF), a leader in preparing young people for college and careers, reports that a $175,000 grant has been supplied by the Travelers Foundation, the charitable arm of The Travelers Companies, Inc.

The funds are part of a two-year grant that will support NAF's work to measure outcomes for students enrolled in NAF academies to drive further refinements of its educational model while meeting the organization's goal of graduating 100,000 students ready for college and careers.

According to NAF, Travelers has been a steadfast supporter the organization, both nationally and through Travelers' generous contributions and work with NAF academies in Hartford, Connecticut. Travelers' employees throughout the country donate time by conducting job shadowing events, reviewing student resumes, holding mock interviews, and offering NAF students internships. The grant will support NAF's innovative Student Certification Assessment System, which measures the core competencies needed to pursue college and careers, as well as the collection of student-level data used to measure academic success and compare NAF students to peers in their school districts.

“Travelers has been an avid supporter of NAF for many years,” says JD Hoye, NAF president. “They understand our vision and the importance of preparing the next generation for success. Their support of our measurement and data collection systems will help us make an exponential impact on the lives of young people and our country's economy.” 

“We are proud to continue our relationship with NAF,” adds Andy Bessette, Travelers' executive vice president and chief Administrative officer, who also serves on the NAF board of directors. “As a strong community partner, Travelers places a high value on providing top-quality educational opportunities to help develop today's students into tomorrow's leaders. NAF shares this commitment, and we are glad to support the Foundation's continued success.”

The National Academy Foundation (NAF) is a network of career-themed academies that open doors for underserved high school students to viable careers. For more than 30 years, the foundation has refined a proven model that provides young people access to industry-specific curricula, work-based learning experiences, and relationships with business professionals. NAF academies focus on one of five career themes: finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. During the 2012-13 school year, 62,000 students attended 546 NAF academies across 39 states, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2012, NAF academies reported 97 percent of seniors graduated.