Sharing Higher Ground

It was twenty-five years ago this year that Banyan Community’s Higher Ground Scholarship program began with one student. Since its beginning, this program has helped 84 students realize the dream of high school graduation and college admission. This work represents not just an impressive financial commitment on behalf of a committed group of generous sponsors, but a true partnership between these sponsors, the students and their families, Banyan staff and volunteer tutors, and our partnering school, DeLaSalle High School.

In this partnership, Banyan commits to walk alongside students and their families as they navigate through high school, offering tutoring support, guiding parent advocacy, and celebrating milestones. Students commit to study sessions at Banyan beyond school hours, and college and career exploration sessions. We cannot guarantee graduation for every student but do increase its possibility and over the past 25 years have had a 98% graduation rate.

When students are accepted to DeLaSalle* and receive a Higher Ground Scholarship, they are assigned a specific donor. These sponsors know their student’s first name and will receive an essay and notes throughout their four years. Sponsors remain anonymous to the student until graduation when they gather with family to celebrate the milestone.

At next month’s Corporate Gathering, our featured speaker will be Jazmine Panora,
a Higher Ground Scholarship recipient.

Jazmine’s sponsors had been connected with Banyan for awhile when, at an annual dinner, they heard a Banyan graduate speak, and were inspired to become Higher Ground Sponsor themselves. The Higher Ground Program closely aligns with the calling they feel to contribute to programs that can truly transform individuals and communities through education. The time-bound, results-driven nature of the sponsorship program makes this a meaningful way to give. Reflecting on their opportunities to sponsor students over the past eight years, another of the Higher Ground Sponsorship that brings them joy is the anonymity of the program. To be a part of these partnerships and offer prayers and support from afar throughout the students’ high school years while keeping the focus on the students and their hard work is a special part of the experience and makes the graduation celebration together at the end all the more special.

We are grateful for Jazmine’s sponsors, and for all the Higher Ground sponsors over the past twenty-five years who have helped to make this program possible. If you are interested in learning more about the Higher Ground Sponsorship Program, please contact us at development@banyancommunity.org.

*and starting in the 2025-2026 school year, to our second partner school, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Twin Cities