Brown and Providence Schools

Engaging with High Schools

Brown’s diverse programs and initiatives equip high school students with the academic and problem-solving skills they need to prepare for careers and college.

Through a diverse set of programs and initiatives, Brown’s students, faculty and staff help equip participating Providence high school students with the academic and problem-solving skills they need to prepare for careers and college.

During the academic year, student volunteers provide one-on-one tutoring to city high school students, helping them hone their math and reading skills in the classroom, prepare for SATs and submit college applications. Elsewhere, Brown faculty and students work with Providence public high school teachers to introduce robotics and environmental science curricula to high school classrooms, inspiring local teens to consider careers in emerging STEM fields. 

110 students enroll each year

PPSD students enroll in Brown Summer High School each year

87% of students receive financial aid

of Brown Summer High School students receive full or partial financial aid

87% of students receive financial aid

PPSD students participate in Brown’s Pre-College program each year; 97% receive financial aid

In the summer months, Brown Summer High School and the University’s robust lineup of pre-college programs provide more than 100 local high school students with opportunities to boost college readiness, explore new academic subjects and strengthen their reading, math, science and social studies skills — often at little to no cost to them.

Program and Initiative Highlights

A summertime enrichment program led by graduate teaching students at Brown provides students from Providence, Central Falls and other local communities with a chance to pursue hands-on, experiential study across subjects such as literature, math, science and social studies.
Each summer, high school students have a chance to experience firsthand the challenges and opportunities of collegiate life at Brown through engaging courses, social programs and off-campus excursions. Providence students who apply to Brown’s pre-college programs are eligible for tuition fee waivers and scholarships.
With a mission to narrow educational inequities in Rhode Island’s urban core, the K-12 Tutoring Initiative hosted by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform is mobilizing Brown students to provide free tutoring for students in need at participating Providence schools.
With funding from the National Science Foundation and Amazon, a computer science professor at Brown adapted an introductory robotics curriculum for high school classrooms, helping teachers across 10 Providence high schools get an autonomous aerial drone-making course off the ground.