Scholars Program:
Nominate a Student
Nominations are a way for teachers, school administrators, and other community members to identify motivated students who would benefit from Steppingstone’s college access and success program.
Eligibility
Students apply to Steppingstone in fourth or fifth grade, and must also be Boston residents. In addition, our program looks for:
- Families who are committed to supporting their students through the Steppingstone journey.
- Students who demonstrate a need for our tuition-free program (note: there is a $100 fee for each summer session during the Academy, which can be reduced or waived if it is a hardship).
- Families who are interested in exploring independent schools and select Boston Public Schools, including the three Exam Schools.
If you are a student or the parent or guardian of a student who is interested in our program, please view our admission process.
Submitting nominations
Nominations are a way for teachers, school administrators, and community members to identify 4th and 5th grade students who could be a good fit for the Steppingstone Scholars Program. Please visit our Teacher Nomination Guide to learn more about Steppingstone’s admission criteria, and nominate a student below.
Nominate a StudentHow you can support your nominees
Share your knowledge about the program with the families of your nominees and encourage them to attend a Family Information Meeting to learn more about the program. Family Information Meeting dates for the 2024–2025 Admission season will be posted in the fall.
After submitting the Admission Nomination Form, the family of the student(s) you nominate will receive a personalized email inviting them to complete the Student and Family Application. They will also receive a personalized link to a Teacher Recommendation form which needs to be completed by the student’s current classroom teacher.
Please note that the links are unique to each student and family. Your nominees should only use the links that have been provided directly to their family via an email from Steppingstone.
After submitting the Admission Nomination Form, the family of the student(s) you nominate will receive a personalized email inviting them to complete the Student and Family Application. They will also receive a personalized link to a Teacher Recommendation form which needs to be completed by the student’s current classroom teacher.
Please note that the links are unique to each student and family. Your nominees should only use the links that have been provided directly to their family via an email from Steppingstone.
- If you are not the student’s current classroom teacher: Encourage your nominees’ families to share the personalized link with their student’s current classroom teacher and give your colleague a heads up that they can expect to receive it.
- If you are the student’s current classroom teacher: Remind your nominees’ families to share the personalized link with you as soon as they receive it so that you have ample time to complete it before the deadline. The Steppingstone Admission team will also send reminders.
The Student and Family Application and the Teacher Recommendation are due by Wednesday, January 15, 2025. The Teacher Recommendation consists of the following required components:
- A brief evaluation of student’s academics and classroom citizenship
- Academic records upload: Term 1 Report Card, Spring 2024 MCAS scores, and most recent MAP scores
