Pops, Inc.

(POPS) Professional Opportunities, Programs for Students mission is to enrich the life experiences for teenagers as they transition into adulthood by providing personal and professional development opportunities that will have generational impact regardless of the social, economic or environmental barriers that they may face. 

POPS has been committed to preparing teens for FUTURE SUCCESS for more than 15 years.  POPS' focus is to assist teens in the completion of high school, motivate them to pursue advanced education and obtain gainful employment, while providing critical resources and experiences that reinforce their abilities and talents to achieve lifelong success that will have profound influence on their families and communities.  

Professional Opportunities Program for Students (POPS) was formed as a response to the lack of structured summer activities for high school youth in low -income neighborhoods of Orange County, FL. A successful "summer jobs program" was formed for several students, which eventually led to the founding of the nonprofit POPS.  The organization focused on services that provided at-risk high school teenagers with the knowledge and experience to successfully navigate the personal and academic challenges they encounter living in low-income areas of the community.

Today the POPS program is vibrant in 5 local Orange County High Schools (Jones, Wekiva, Evans, Oakridge and Colonial). Working with parents, the school district, local businesses, professional mentors and other nonprofits, the POPS program has increased high school graduation and post-secondary success by 98%, and has offered services to more than 5000 students.

 POPS serves as a deterrent against the possibility of life long poverty, crime, incarceration, substance abuse and economic immobility. POPS ensures on time graduation and preparation for a meaningful post-secondary experience, with the objective of providing a pathway to socio-economic mobility, resiliency and lifetime sustainability that will impact future generations.