| The Jane and Robert Toll Program of the Philadelphia Chapter |
 Founded in 1990, the Jane and Robert Toll Program stands out as the Say Yes-sponsored program that has selected the youngest group of students to date. The Toll Program was comprised of two classes of third graders (totaling 57 students) from the Harrity Elementary School in West Philadelphia. The Tolls chose to sponsor a school in Philadelphia because Mr. Toll was born in the area (Mrs. Toll grew up in Long Island, but both the Tolls attended the University of Pennsylvania, which eventually provided key leadership to the Toll Say Yes program).
Throughout the years of their involvement with the program, students
benefited from links to the University of Pennsylvania, which included
after-school tutoring, summer educational opportunities, and a variety
of cultural and social enrichment activities. The most unusual and
exciting example of the latter occurred when Jane and Robert Toll took
a group of Say Yes kids on an extended three-week trip through the
American West. The Tolls' involvement in the Say Yes students' lives
went beyond both the formal education setting, and recreational
outings. Today, two Say Yes alumni work at Mr. Toll's company (Robert
Toll is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Toll Brothers, Inc.,
the nation's leading builder of luxury homes). Mrs. Toll, who is
herself a former teacher and education specialist, is still in touch
with many of the former Say Yes students, some of whom call her
regularly for guidance and advice.Successes 86 percent of the Say Yes Toll group ended up receiving a high school diploma or GED. Among those who graduated from high school, fully 55 percent went on to pursue some form of higher education, with 13 students receiving bachelor's degrees, three acquiring associate's degrees, and 11 receiving vocational training. Students from the Toll group have attended well-respected institutions throughout the country, including Drexel University, Northeastern University, George Washington University, Hampton University, Seton Hall University, Temple University, Delaware State University, Wesley College, Bethune-Cookman College, Eastern College, and Community College of Philadelphia. |
