ASPIRA, Inc. of New Jersey is a private, nonprofit community-based organization founded in Newark, New Jersey in 1968 by a group of parents and community leaders distressed by the high dropout rates of Hispanic students. Since its inception as a small storefront in Newark, ASPIRA NJ has grown into a statewide organization, now operating in Camden, Pleasantville, Jersey City, Paterson, Vineland, Long Branch, and the City of Newark.

ASPIRA implements best practices and evidence-based after-school programming in sixteen (16) schools in seven (7) communities (Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Long Branch, Pleasantville, Vineland, and Camden) across the state. Our largest program is the ASPIRA Youth Development and Dropout Prevention Program serving over 1,000 middle and high school students. ASPIRA has a track record of promoting college access among underrepresented groups. Graduation rates in the high schools served by ASPIRA range from 50-75%. Statewide, 90% of students remain in the program as they persist through their senior year. Of students who persist, 95% graduate from high school and 90% of those enrolled in postsecondary education. Program retention is mostly affected by the mobility of students both within and outside of the districts. Some students remain engaged by transferring to other ASPIRA schools or by receiving services at our community-based locations in Newark, Passaic, and Vineland.

ASPIRA has also been selected to operate several nationally recognized model programs

• Juvenile Delinquency Alternative Initiatives Evening Reporting Center (Essex County)
• Family Friendly Centers (Jersey City and Pleasantville)
• Family Success Centers (Newark)
• Carrera Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (Newark)
• Upward Bound (Camden)
• YouthBuild (Vineland)

ASPIRA promotes leadership through education by offering guidance, career counseling, college placement and assistance in obtaining financial aid for a college education.

Services are provided in Paterson, Jersey City, Newark, Elizabeth, Long Branch, Camden, New Brunswick, Vineland, Pleasantville, and Atlantic City.

Additional Services:

The Early Intervention/Leadership Development Program
Provides middle school students with personal, academic, and career counseling goal setting; tutoring; leadership development and community service projects; life skills workshop (substance abuse prevention, AIDS awareness, anger management, peer support, pregnancy prevention, etc.); educational and recreational activities; and career exploration.

Dropout Prevention/Leadership Development Program
Provides high school students with the services described above, as well as assistance with preparation for the SAT, the college admissions applications process, and the search for financial aid.

Young Filmmaker Academy
An after-school enrichment program offering training to students in TV production, journalism, acting, camera work, and reporter skills. (After school program from 3:00-8:00 pm).

Boxing Club
In 2008 with the guidance of the Harlem-born boxing legend, Joe Cortez, and various supporters, we opened our state-of-the-art boxing gym located on the basement level of our Administrative Headquarters in Newark. In less than two months, our gym has forty youth in the program, most of whom never participated in an ASPIRA program.

The program uses boxing to get the youth engaged. From there we teach them discipline, respect, and conflict resolution so that they use boxing as a sport and not a weapon. The participants also learn the importance of physical fitness, eating healthy, and abstaining from drugs and alcohol. (Afterschool Program from 3:00-8:30 pm)

Music Studio
The ASPIRA Music Studio was created in order to introduce our kids to a new means of creative expression. By offering access to our newly created, full-featured studio, students are able to participate in the production process from start to finish. Participants will learn about songwriting, audio equipment and software (including industry-standard ProTools), mixing cover art design, and much more. The program enables young people both to express themselves creatively and to get to know career opportunities in the entertainment industry. (After school program from 3:00-8:00 pm).

Eligibility	Services are provided in Paterson, Jersey City, Newark, Elizabeth, Long Branch, Camden, New Brunswick, Vineland, Pleasantville, and Atlantic City.
Community Services	Arts & Recreation Music / Dance / Theater Recreation / Social / Sports Education Public School Tutoring / Enrichment
Health Services	Crisis / Safety Crisis / Safety / Prevention

Last Updated: 10/18/23