The Evidence Is Clear: buildOn Works in the Bronx
For years, buildOn has believed that service changes lives.
Now we have even better data to prove it.
We recently partnered with two experts at New York University with decades of combined experience in education research and advanced statistical analysis to rigorously measure the impact of our U.S. service-learning program.
The study tracked high school graduation, college enrollment, and attendance across more than 1,700 students in 20 Bronx schools over four years.
The results are clear: buildOn works.
As buildOn works to expand service-learning opportunities for the next generation of students, your support can help more young people stay engaged in school, graduate, and pursue college and career pathways.
Make a tax-deductible donation today to help students discover the power of service and leadership.
What Happens When Students Show Up for Four Years?
Sometimes, it doesn’t take much to create meaningful change.
The study found that just 20 hours of buildOn participation per year is associated with significant improvements in educational outcomes.
Students who participate in buildOn graduate, show up, and attend college at higher rates than their peers.
The numbers tell the story:
- 93% of buildOn students graduate high school on time
- Graduation rates are 16 percentage points higher than comparable peers
- Students attend 38 more days of school over four years
- Chronic absenteeism is 10% lower than peers
- Students are 21% more likely to enroll in college
The gap grows the longer a student is engaged.
Service Builds Leaders
buildOn turns service into leadership by mobilizing high school students to strengthen their neighborhoods through hands-on community service projects.
Students serve in food pantries and soup kitchens. They support seniors. They care for local parks and green spaces. They strengthen their communities while developing leadership skills that stay with them long after graduation.
For our most engaged students, that commitment goes global.
Students travel to rural villages in Nepal, Malawi, Senegal, and Guatemala to build primary schools alongside community members, gaining perspective that shapes who they become.
The study demonstrates that these experiences do more than create memories. They help students stay connected to school, persist toward graduation, and pursue higher education.
We Work for Students Who Need It Most
Nearly 90% of students in buildOn schools in the Bronx live in poverty.
This research shows our service-learning program moves the needle. For all of them.
Graduation rates and college enrollment rates were higher for buildOn participants across race, gender, and background.
The results remained significant even after accounting for barriers that often impact educational outcomes, including poverty, English language learner status, and disability status.
Across all groups, the buildOn effect was consistent and significant.
This matters because buildOn was never designed for students who already have every advantage. It was designed for students facing some of the greatest obstacles.
And the data demonstrates that our methodology works.
Why Does This Study Matter?
The findings go beyond individual outcomes. Students who participate in buildOn are predicted to have:
- Higher graduation rates
- Lower dropout rates
- Increased college enrollment
- Better attendance
- Stronger outcomes for students who need it most
These are the outcomes that help create pathways to opportunity. They are also outcomes that benefit families, schools, and communities.
When students stay engaged in school, graduate, and continue their education, the impact extends far beyond a single individual.
What Makes This Study Credible?
The study used quasi-experimental methods that meet What Works Clearinghouse Tier 2 standards, a federally recognized benchmark for real-world program evaluation.
Researchers analyzed official NYC Public Schools records from 1,774 students across 20 Bronx schools.
buildOn participants were matched with similar non-participants, creating an apples-to-apples comparison based on demographics, academic starting points, and school environments.
The study also tested whether increased participation in buildOn led to stronger outcomes. It did.
The more Bronx students engaged with buildOn, the stronger the results became.
Evaluated by World-Class Researchers
The study was independently evaluated by two NYU faculty members with decades of combined experience in education research and advanced statistical analysis.
Thomas Gold, Ph.D., is an Adjunct Associate Professor at New York University and former Director of Research at the New York City Department of Education.
Ying Lu, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Applied Statistics and a nationally recognized expert in statistical analysis and public policy research.
Together, they rigorously evaluated the data and validated the findings.
The Bottom Line
The results are clear.
buildOn produces significant, measurable improvements across every key high school educational outcome. And the impact is strongest among students who need it most.
For more than 30 years, buildOn has believed that service builds leaders. Now we have the research to prove what’s possible when students show up.
Help more students turn service into leadership. Make a tax-deductible donation today and invest in the next generation of graduates, college students, and community leaders.