Earl Phalen

1993

Earl Phalen

BELL (Building Enterprises for Learning and Living) Foundation

http://www.bellnational.org

Dorchester, Massachusetts, United States

Education & Youth Leadership

The Bold Idea:

"BELL exists to dramatically increase the academic achievements, self-esteem and life opportunities of children living in low-income, urban communities."
BELL pursues this mission because they believe in the tremendous potential within all children – who we call “scholars.”  BELL’s after school and summer programs feature:

• Tutoring in literacy and math with research-based and multicultural curricula.
• Mentoring from positive adult role models to build self-esteem and respect for others.
• Staff of committed certified teachers and trained college-age tutors.
• Small-group instruction.
• Experiential learning through guest speakers, field trips and service projects.
• Support for parents to engage as advocates and facilitators of their children’s education.
• Rigorous evaluation for demonstrating results and continually improving program.

In BELL programs, scholars excel. In each of the last five years, every child entering BELL at the “failing” level in reading and math advanced to a higher academic level. More than 80% of BELL scholars achieved “proficient” or “advanced” levels in core skills, compared to 30% of their peers.

BELL currently educates more than 8,000 scholars in 40 public school sites throughout Boston, New York City, Baltimore and Washington D.C. Our corps of educators includes more than 1,000 teachers and tutors.

BELL pursues a goal that 100% of our scholars achieve academic and social proficiency in their formative elementary school years.  BELL scholars will graduate from high school; pursue higher education; and attain meaningful career paths. They will give back to their community.  They will be great fathers and mothers, friends and mentors, leaders and citizens.

Biography:

Earl Martin Phalen graduated from Yale in 1989.  He spent the next year volunteering at a homeless shelter in Washington DC.  He then went to Harvard Law School where, he and other black students at the law school began mentoring children at a community center in Roxbury, a low-income section of Boston.  He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the BELL Foundation.