Our Mission 

The mission of Beyond Talent is to empower non-traditional high school graduates in Washington, DC, to overcome barriers to higher education and employment so they can succeed, and start cycles of success in their communities.

Through programs that focus on leadership development, college readiness, and community service, Beyond Talent offers critical support to non-traditional high school graduates who cannot access scholarships and other support programs through the public school system.

Beyond Talent’s target population consists of GED (or other alternative high school) graduates between the ages of 16 and 24 who are transitioning to postsecondary education or training, as well as youth and adults who have dropped out of high school and are enrolled in GED or other programs as an alternative means of secondary education.

In the District of Columbia, which has a high school dropout rate of 60 percent, GED and other alternative education programs receive countless requests from their graduates for support during the transition to higher education; however, these programs are not equipped to provide the level of encouragement or the type of assistance their participants need.

As an independent, central organization, Beyond Talent fills the gap through our innovative programs:  

• College and Career Counseling
• Peer Mentoring
• College Readiness

Our Name

"Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck–and above all, endurance."  James Baldwin

The Beyond Talent name is inspired by the work of 20th century author and civil rights activist, James Baldwin. Best known for his works Go Tell it On the Mountain, and Notes of a Native Son, Baldwin recognized that individual achievement cannot rely entirely on individual capabilities. The support of family, friends, mentors and the community is essential to bolster the hard work and natural ability of the individual.

Beyond Talent exists to lend this kind of support to uniquely capable adult learners.

To learn more on James Baldwin, visit:
PBS American Masters
Wikipedia.org entry on James Baldwin

Additional Resources 

Beyond Talent is listed on GuideStar.org. Click the logo to search GuideStar's database of more than 1.7 million nonprofit organizations

Beyond Talent's IRS Filings

2006 Form 990
2005 Form 990