Improving Schools - Expanding Opportunity

Education is central to Harvard’s mission, and Harvard's commitment to education travels beyond the campus borders. The Office of Community Affairs partners with many University departments linking faculty expertise, talented students and grants to help our surrounding urban communities improve teaching and learning.

The Harvard After School Initiative (HASI) is the University's $5 million grant-making and partnership venture in out-of-school time innovation and improvement. Introduced in 2001, through HASI Harvard has involved over $5 million in grants and other resources in neighborhood-based efforts to facilitate the learning and healthy development of young people in the city of Boston. More

The Cambridge-Harvard Summer Academy is a partnership between the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and the Harvard Graduate School of Education that provides academic assistance to CRLS students, pairing veteran educators and Harvard Teacher Education Program interns as teachers in the classroom. The program allows for personalized instruction in language arts, history/social studies, science, and mathematics. More

The Crimson Summer Academy is an academically rigorous summer program for 60 promising Cambridge and Boston high school students from low-income families. Launched in 2004 with the explicit goal of preparing students for top colleges and universities, the Crimson Summer Academy extended its college preparatory experience to include on-campus living from Sunday night through Friday afternoon. More

The Harvard Extension School is one of the greatest educational resources that the University offers to neighbors. Through special funding initiatives, the Office of Community Affairs has worked with the Division of Continuing Education to offer scholarships to local residents. More

Project TEACH is collaboration with Cambridge public schools to bring middle school students to Harvard for a day to introduce them to the world of college. Harvard undergraduates guide Cambridge seventh-graders through a college information session, tour of the campus, a science class and lunch. More