Initiated in 1989 by New Visions for Public Schools and the United Way of New York City, Project HighRoad offers academic, recreational and counseling programs to steer youth away from destructive behavior and support their healthy development. Participating middle schools form alliances with the local community to build networks of support for students. Working together, Housing Authority staff, tenants organizations, parents, teachers, clergy, health care workers, police officers and students create and run educational activities designed to keep the community's children on the right course.
Activities range from a weekend at a science camp to academic tutoring and career counseling.
Community involvement is crucial to the success of Project HighRoad. Many parents in HighRoad communities are single mothers trying to raise healthy children in neighborhoods where drugs, teenage pregnancies and violence are prevalent. Their children may have been led to view the police as their adversary. Reading scores and attendance are up in HighRoad schools. Substance abuse is down.