Nonprofit raises over $450K for Baltimore students in honor of Sonja Santelises

Though she’s leaving her post at the end of June, Baltimore students will continue to receive an education in Sonja Brookins Santelises’ name.

The Fund for Educational Excellence, a Baltimore nonprofit that aims to boost equity in the city’s public schools, said Wednesday that it has raised over $450,000 for the Dr. Sonja B. Santelises Legacy Fund. In a news release, the organization said it launched the fund in April to “expand opportunities for Baltimore City students through immersive pre-college academic experiences on university campuses that broaden horizons, build confidence and help young people envision success at the highest levels.”

The fund will support at least eight Baltimore public high school students each year. The first cohort, dubbed Santelises Scholars, will be selected in 2027.

In the release, the fund said it plans to work with high school principals and guidance counselors “to co-design the program and ensure it meets the needs and aspirations of Baltimore City students.” The program may also partner with colleges like Princeton University, which has an intensive academic and leadership program for middle and high schoolers known as the W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars Institute.

The Fund said it established the initiative to honor Santelises’ “decade of transformative leadership and service to Baltimore City Public Schools.”

Santelises, the longest-serving Baltimore superintendent in 80 years, has held her post for longer than most major school district leaders. Her focus on academic progress has resulted in rising test scores, though Baltimore students still lag behind their peers across the state.

Santelises said she is “deeply honored and grateful for the extraordinary support” behind her namesake fund.

“Throughout my career, I have worked to expand opportunities for young people, and I am grateful that the Santelises Legacy Fund will continue that commitment in a lasting way,” said Santelises. “This investment is ultimately about Baltimore City students, expanding their horizons, nurturing their aspirations and helping them see what is possible for their futures.”

The fund said application details will be available this fall.

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.