Who We Are
Mission & History
Our Mission: Elevating Futures Through Education
Each year, exceptional young men and women graduate from Wilson College Prep with ambition, talent, and resolve. Many, however, face a financial gap that can stand between them and higher education. The Wilson Legacy Scholarship, made possible by generous donors, helps bridge that divide by opening college opportunities for driven students from underserved communities. We invite you to join this transformative work by investing today in the education of tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, and community builders.
This fund is not just about tuition, it is about hope, dignity, and economic mobility. It is about investing in young people who are determined to better their lives and, by doing so, elevate the entire community. As a fiscally sponsored initiative through the Phoenix Union Foundation for Education in partnership with the Arizona Community Foundation, we ensure transparency, sustainability, community partnership, and measurable impact on every dollar you give and all contributions to the Wilson Legacy Scholarship are made through the Phoenix Union Foundation for Education, a 501(c)(3) entity (86-523265) that supports the Phoenix Union High School District’s mission of “Preparing Every Student for Success in College, Career, and Life.
The Power and Impact of Education for Inner-City Youth
College education remains one of the greatest engines for social and economic mobility. For inner-city high school graduates, the stakes are especially high:
Urban disadvantage is not acceptable: Nearly one in four American children attends an urban school; one in six lives below the poverty line. These students face disproportionate barriers such as underfunded schools, food insecurity, and less access to academic resources. Wilson College Prep in Central Phoenix is changing these demographics for their students with a Mission Statement that says, “Wilson’s mission is to provide an AVID schoolwide education that will create compassionate individuals who become agents of change in their lives and communities”. Despite these challenges, their determination and potential are profound.
Unique challenges make us stronger: Poverty, housing instability, and family responsibilities often force students to juggle jobs, caregiving, and studies. Many first-generation students, students of color, and immigrants face myriad obstacles to college success, even when academically qualified. Wilson College Prep is designed and has implemented a campus that has a 100% four-year graduation rate with an average GPA of 3.3 or letter grade of B. The class of 2024 saw 49% attending a 4-year Post Secondary institution and 32% attending a 2-year institution.
Outcomes data: While the national average for on-time high school graduation in urban school’s hovers near 50%, targeted scholarship interventions and support like the Wilson Legacy Scholarship Program can dramatically increase both graduation and college attendance rates, with some programs achieving 98%-100% on-time graduation and more than 95% college matriculation. These national statistics are evident in Wilson College Prep’s class of 2024 that had a 100% graduation rate and 81% post-secondary college admission rate.
Breaking the cycle: Need-based scholarships do more than pay bills. They increase college graduation rates, increase student confidence and engagement, encourage persistence through college, and foster intergenerational change. Recipients become community leaders, professionals, and voices for change.
History
The Wilson Legacy Scholarship was started in 2025 by a former science teacher at Wilson and his wife, Joe and Laura Hauer. During the period Joe taught at Wilson he built a strong connection with the students, their parents, and the greater Wilson business community, who supported the award-winning achievements that were accomplished by the Wilson students in engineering and solar technology. The Wilson Technology and Engineering Program would be recognized by Valley Forward Association at its Annual Environmental Excellence Awards for Outstanding Environmental Education and Communication. The Wilson students would go on to build both solar electric boats and vehicles and race against major universities including both Stanford and MIT. Many of these students would go on to college and be successful as business executives, lawyers, and medical professionals.
Joe and Laura would meet with the Executive Director of the Phoenix Union Foundation for Education and senior college staff at Wilson College Prep and share their desire that the scholarship be a Wilson community scholarship and ask the Wilson College Prep principal and staff to decide on what the scholarship’s name should be. On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, student representatives and the staff voted that the scholarship be called Wilson Legacy Scholarship.