Low-income students simply aren't faring well. The lack of resources across the board is apparent when examining academic performance, graduation rates and post-secondary education rates within these communities. While the national average for graduation rates has hit an all-time high of 80 percent, low-income students continue to graduate below the national average in 41 states. Non-low-income students fare much better, with below-average graduation rates in just seven states.

The fact that low-income students continue to face an uphill battle, as the rest of the nation's students flourish, is obvious to Bill Admans, co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Minds Matter, a tutoring and mentoring nonprofit. In a conversation with Latin Post, Admans talked about the status of low-income students and the ways Minds Matter has worked to improve conditions for them on a local and national level.

Bill and Tina Admans founded the seventh chapter of Minds Matters during the fall of 2010, wanting to give back not just money, but time and skill. Like-minded young professionals April Bain and Taber Gonzales also helped to bring the student empowerment venture to fruition.

Minds Matter was originally established in 1991 by six Wall Street professionals in New York, looking to mentor and tutor inner-city youth and help to prepare them to apply to competitive preparatory schools. Years later, the nonprofit has grown to 10 chapters across the nation, and Minds Matter has helped more than 600 students graduate. One hundred percent of their graduates have gone on to be accepted to a four-year college or university.

Los Angeles schools serve a large population — predominately Latino and disproportionately lower-income. In many of these under-resourced schools, there are a number of high-achieving low-income students who are unable to adequately compete because they lack access to mentoring, tutoring. Often, high-achieving low-income students come from homes where they are the first in their families to consider college — meaning that they have little access to, information, advice, finances or the confidence to compete.

In addition, these students aren't offered proper support from schools, which employ fewer counselors to provide expert knowledge, career planning, scholarship information and college application instruction. That's where Minds Matter steps in, supporting high school sophomores, juniors and seniors with strong academic performance and leadership potential and who actively participate in extracurricular and community activities. These high-achieving students earn the opportunity to spend every Saturday throughout the school year enhancing their academic performance and developing their skills.

"Even the most motivated, high-achieving low-income student faces big obstacles at every step in the process of preparing for, applying to, attending and graduating from four-year universities," said Admans, who enlisted the support of the University of Southern California to offer fully equipped classrooms that incorporate technology and online learning tools. "One of the biggest challenges low-income students face is an educational achievement gap that exists for many reasons. Minds Matter's program of academic tutoring and mentoring is designed to close this gap and equip our students with the skills they need to compete in college."

In addition to Saturday workshops, students can also attend transformative, academically challenging summer programs at leading universities and colleges, where they can interact with individuals from a variety of socioeconomic communities and become better acquainted with a college environment.

On average, Minds Matter students see a 350 point improvement in their SAT scores, and some see increases as large as 450 points. But beyond academic assistance, students also receive financial literacy programming, which teaches students to live on a budget and manage money. They receive leadership assistance, developing skills that help them thrive in diverse college environments. Students are also offered advice on good study habits, time management and taught the importance of meeting tight deadlines. The work that Minds Matter does is meant to counter the reality that the 12th grade reading and math scores have not improved over the past five years (according to the latest national report card from NAEP), and to make college more "accessible, affordable and attainable for minority and low-income students."

"We focus on reinforcing deeper learning in core subjects, including math, writing and critical thinking," Admans said. "But getting to university or college is only part of the goal. Our students interact and build close relationships with their mentors and tutors over the three years they are with the Minds Matter program. They can tap into this network throughout their college years for support, advice on financial aid, summer internships and professional connections."

Tina Admans, who leads Minds Matter of Los Angeles, came from a low-income neighborhood in Chicago; her background similar to many of the mentors who assist the students. The support network offers mentees an opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding from individuals with both similar and varied experiences from their own. And once students move on and are attending college, they are encouraged to participate in Minds Matter to help guide younger generations toward a better future.

Applications for enrollment are currently open until May 31. Students can apply on the Minds Matter LA website. (https://mindsmatterla.org/site/students/how-to-apply/)

Minds Matter LA is on Twitter and Facebook.