The mission of Raising Expectations is to educate, engage and empower youth in challenging circumstances by providing them with opportunities to build strong academic skills, leadership skills and self-esteem. Raising Expectations sets high standards of excellence by raising the academic, social and civic expectations of each child, while exposing them to the world of opportunity beyond their neighborhoods and encouraging children to become critical thinkers. Since 1995, Raising Expectations has provided impactful youth development programming for over 1500 youth in 8 of the most distressed inner city neighborhoods in the city of Atlanta. The organization specifically targets neighborhoods that are marginalized, under resourced and lack the support systems and positive role models. Raising Expectations creates a stable alternative of strategic support, encouragement through mentorship and broadened life experiences that prepare them to overcome the odds stacked against them. It is unique among out-of-school time (OST) programs in that it is longitudinal in its relationship with students. Students begin their relationship with Raising Expectations when they are in elementary school and continue as they matriculate through secondary and postsecondary schooling.