RISE INDY released its 2024 Annual Report this week.
The report highlighted the RISE INDY’s record growth in multi-generational literacy, civic leadership, education development and supporting student-centered policy. The organization is celebrating a year of “unprecedented impact,” which included mobilizing more than 5,000 parents to engage in K-12 education, impacting nearly 15,000 students with successful literacy legislation, building new partnerships and transforming local classrooms, according to a press release.
“I founded RISE INDY to ensure that every child has access to the same educational opportunities my parents fought for me to have,” Jasmin Shaheed-Young, founder and CEO of RISE INDY, said in a statement. “2024 was a year of passion and accountability. We organized, advocated and made positive impacts on the lives of the children in our community.”
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RISE INDY’s 2024 impact overview
Campaigning and policy wins:
- Registered 563 new voters in Indianapolis.
- Engaged 224 local donors to contribute to student-centered education champions.
- Supported four successful bills at the Statehouse, including the landmark Senate Enrolled Act 1 literacy initiative, which benefitted 14,755 students.
Freedom Readers Program:
- Trained 324 parents and caregivers in the Science of Reading.
- Supported 477 students through multigenerational literacy programming.
- Launched the Freedom Readers Fellowship to train parents to become full-time educators.
- Announced a new 2025 partnership with Warren Township Schools to employ Freedom Readers Fellowship graduates as classroom tutors.
RISE INDY is also working to expand its impact through community leadership development. The RISE INDY Board Governance Training developed 28 board members and community leaders. Circle City Leaders alumni are now serving in positions affecting more than 57,000 students, according to a press release.
The nonprofit organization remains committed to transforming education outcomes by “centering the voices of families, educators and community leaders” — from facilitating IPS’ latest Innovation School partnership to hosting events such as Statehouse Day and the RISE as One Educational Summit.
Even as the organization grows, RISE INDY’s goal remains consistent: “when kids are at the heart of our work, we all rise together.”
For more information about RISE INDY and upcoming programming visit riseindy.org. To view the full 2024 annual report, visit riseindy.org/work.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
