New prep center will help low-income students get into top colleges

A walking distance east of Lake Worth High School lies a once dilapidated two-story, 5,000 square foot building that’s now on the verge of transforming into the Catapult Youth Mentoring Center.

The nonprofit Path to College — a college-readiness fellowship program in Palm Beach County — is building its first after-school center to help high-achieving, low-income students at Title 1 public schools gain access to top-tier colleges and universities.

From SAT prep and college application guidance to FAFSA workshops, the nonprofit’s fellowship has guided students who live below or at the poverty line for nearly seven years.

According to Founder and Executive Director Christine Sylvain, the program boast a 100% acceptance rate into 4-year universities, with 60% of students in their program being accepted to top-tier institutions — which she estimates equates to "an additional 21% increase in their earning potential."