In Southeast D.C., a community of scholars is proving that where you start doesn't determine how far you'll go — and every step forward here is a promise kept to the next generation.
One Path, Two Sisters: How College Track Changed the One Family Forever
Resilience, Rebuilt
Some stories start smooth. This one started in the middle of a global pandemic, just weeks after opening its doors. But College Track Southeast D.C. didn’t just survive that beginning; it became the foundation for something built to last.
Since then, the site has moved three times — from its original home at Ballou High School, to Friendship Public Charter School’s campus, to its newest permanent home at St. Elizabeths in Spring 2026. Along the way, it’s weathered leadership transitions and done the hard, patient work of rebuilding scholar engagement from the ground up.
Today, the site draws scholars from ten high school partners across the District, with an intentional focus on schools serving Southeast D.C.’s most disenfranchised communities.
This is what resilience looks like, built one scholar at a time.
College Track opened its first center in the District of Columbia in 2020, welcoming more than 60 students from five neighboring high schools. Six years later, Southeast D.C.moved into its permanent home at St. Elizabeths East.
Coastal Erosion’s Impact on Marginalized Communities: A Scholar’s Perspective
College Track taught me that I am a leader. In 9th grade, I was lost around the whole college process. I did not understand how serious school was. Now, I am a leader and got into dream schools with over 40 acceptances.”
Bethany J.
College Track SEDC
Scholar Demographics
At College Track Southeast D.C., our scholars come from diverse backgrounds but share one common goal: to earn a college degree and create a better future for themselves and their communities. Here’s a closer look at the talented students we’re proud to support.
87% first-generation college students
90% from under-resourced communities
97% from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds
Contact Us
Executive Site Director
Latisha Chisholm, EdD, LICSW
1201 Oak Dr. SE Basement Washington, DC 20032
(202) 897-3500
The site is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM.
