By Tess Malijenovsky
The Beaufort Fund of Coastal Community Foundation granted Beaufort Academy $5,000 for its new program at The Learning Center — The Aspire Program (TAP).
Possibly through the collaborative efforts with local schools, specifically Lady’s Island Middle School, TAP will attract conscientious and interested students that imagine a new possibility for themselves, their education and their community.
The mission of TAP is to prepare students for success in college and enroll students with the ability and drive to succeed but not necessarily the background or resources to achieve their goals.
“If no one in your family has ever attended college, it can be difficult to imagine yourself there,” said Laura McAlhaney, Director of TAP.  “Our goal is to enable students who have the dream of college to attain it, while offering them the support and guidance they need for both acceptance and success in higher education.”
Through the grant, TAP will be able to offer these services at no charge to students accepted into the program and will follow students through high school course selection and the college application process.
TAP will begin with a Summer Institute in June 2012 and continues as an after-school program when school resumes in the fall. Please contact Laura McAlhaney at 843-524-3393, or lmcalhaney@beaufortacademy.org, for more information.