Spelman College is expanding its innovative partnership with the newly named National Educational Opportunities Network (NEON), formerly the National Education Transition Lab. i Schools in the country rapidly grew their university-credit courses from one class and 50 students in 2023 to high school-credit courses in 2023.
The partnership began with “Educating Black Girls,” a course taught by Andrea Lewis, director of the student success program and associate professor. This fall, Spelman introduced a second neon course: “The African Diaspora and the World,” taught by Omísade Richardson, Ph.D., associate professor and coordinator of the field of education.
“Growth took over,” Lewis said. “To be able to offer a college-level course to high school students in licensed communities has always been a community focus, but this has taken our mission to the next level. It is exposed to continued interest in recent national trends at HBCus.”
What began as a course grew into a powerful model for access and opportunity continues to inspire the collaboration between Spelman and Neon.
“With 60% of female scholars being women and 93% of students reporting as students of color, we’re not only bringing rigorous courses, but profoundly impacting our scholars,” said Neon’s chief higher education officer. “Black girls’ education may not be course victims. Colleagues, students, and teaching fellows expressed their ability to discuss race, gender, and class and lesson topics and how they felt more critically in the classroom, expressing how they did and did not change over time.
Since 2019, Neon has partnered with top colleges and universities to bring head-to-head, university-credit-bearing courses to high school students. Title I High Schools are government designated schools serving primarily students of color where 40% or more of the students receive free or reduced lunch. The goal is to provide higher education and increase college access and persistence among students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.
“As one of our early partners in our network of colleges and universities, Spelman has been instrumental in bringing access to rigorous college courses to I (low-income) high schools across the country,” he said.
Leadership growth: Introduction to a rigorous college experience in high school
Lewis’ course is a modified version of the same class that teaches undergraduates somewhat eligible for a degree without sacrificing academic rigor. Students complete weekly assignments, conduct guided discussions, and receive feedback from their Spelman Teaching Fellows.
“I create a video lecture to introduce each topic, and teaching fellows meet with high school students weekly to lead discussions,” she said. “The parents also appreciate the instructions and support me throughout the course with my guidance. Last semester, I had nine friends with students at several schools.”
Since the partnership began, Neon has inspired many scholars from Spelman’s 47 schools, McDonough, Georgia, Mississippi, Nashville, Tennessee, Charleston, Carleston, DC Spelman to enroll and continue. Eighty-eight percent of students reported that taking the spelling course helped prepare them for college.
The impact is already being felt at the college. To date, 12 Neon graduates have come to Spelman, including one remarkable success story, a point of pride, one of my teaching fellows was a freshman who took the course in high school,” said Lewis. It was a full-circle moment.
From High School Scholar to Spelman Leader: Maya Reyes’
One of those scholars is Maya Reyes, C’2028, a political science major at Spelman. Originally from New York, Reyes is a bona fide scholar committed to civic engagement, creating meaningful change through youth education and service.
Reyes first took a few courses through the National Educational Opportunity Network, which Reyes first started as a high school student in partnership with High School Neon, Reyes recalled. “My teacher, who neglects students in these courses, I shared with him before because he was among my top choices for college before.”
Taking the course challenged him to grow both academically and personally. “One of the biggest challenges I faced when taking a college-level course in high school was the level of autonomy and independence it required,” Reyes said. “With these courses, you have to be in charge of your own education.
For Reyes, the course was a defining moment in her journey to higher education. “Prior to this experience, I often questioned whether I could keep up with the pace and expectations of higher education,” she said. “Overall, I believe that the National Education Network Courses in my National Education Network Courses, with different opportunities and challenges along the way, are the National Education Network Course of the National Education Property with the ability to trust everything.”
Today, Reyes gives back as a teaching fellow with Neon as well as a teaching fellow in college-level courses of the same type. On campus, she is active in the Morehous-Spelman Front Society and Spelman Model United Nations, and the Jane Goodall Institute with Engellman Modely, a Disability Institute and Jane Goodall Institute that connects practitioners, education and community action. Looking ahead, she hopes to pursue a career in public policy and urban planning to expand her reach and capital in education systems.
Teachers see the transformation outside the classroom
Reyes’ experience is just one example of how the collaboration of Neon with Neon with Neon has shaped its generation. Faculty members have witnessed how these courses prepare students academically and help them explore their identities and global connections.
“Students gain a deeper understanding of their place in the world. They feel less global and less connected in the United States.
This spring, Spelman added 400 scientists, Moore noted. “Moving forward, we are excited to further expand our work with Dr. Lewis and Dr. Richardson, and welcome additional Spelman faculty to the partnership.”
As Lewis sees it, this work is just the beginning: “This partnership has evolved beyond just a pipeline—it’s a real bridge between Spelman and the next generation of scientists. And we’re just getting started.”
