vision
Our Mission
exalt elevates expectations of personal success for youth ages 15-19 who’ve been involved in the criminal justice system. We inspire youth at a critical crossroads to believe in their worth, from the first steps in contemplation through the journey to create lasting behavioral change. Our powerful combination of structured classes for tangible skill development, individualized support to navigate the education and justice systems, placement in paid internships and an alumni network of resources equips youth with the tools and experience to avoid further criminal justice system involvement. At exalt, we empower youth to see a future filled with hope – and we provide the road map to get there.
An equitable future for court-involved youth.
“exalt exposes kids to good people, new ideas, and work experience, whereas incarceration shelters them from all of that.”
Our Model
exalt demonstrates the power of effective educational engagement as a viable alternative to criminal justice involvement for today’s young people. At exalt we know that it is our job to inspire and motivate young people to participate in what we have to offer. Because we are voluntary, and because our students are unpaid for the first 6 weeks of their participation, the only reason they will show up is because of the value THEY feel they get.
Our model is not just about avoiding jail. It is about re-engaging young people in their love for learning and in helping them understand the urgency of taking action to reverse their journey along the school-to-prison pipeline. While exalt is not a school, our model has broad implications for the intersection of education and juvenile justice, as well as the future of our economy.
Strategic Vision
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR 2023-2025
Based on the need in the field, our success with our youth, and recent organizational evaluations, strategic planning, and capacity building supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Schultz Family Foundation, and the Carson Family Charitable Trust, exalt is launching its second strategic scaling plan aiming to:
Deepen impact in New York City,
Establish a robust Alumni initiative,
Create an "Institute" to provide strategic guidance to the field, and
Replicate its program model outside of NYC.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Under the leadership of CEO Gisele Castro, exalt completed a three-year scaling initiative (2019-2022) that quadrupled its budget to serve more youth by relocating its headquarters to Manhattan, expanding staff/Board capacity, and leveraging deep partnerships with institutional funders, judges, and district attorneys. As a result of this unprecedented growth, today's exalt serves 1000+ youth.
