At Urban Achievers, we harness the power of sport to inspire, educate,
and empower young people, equipping them with the skills and mindset needed for both personal and professional success.
Why Sport?
Sport is more than a game—it’s a catalyst for growth. Through sport, young people learn discipline, resilience, teamwork, and leadership. Urban Achievers taps into this power, using sport as a foundation to develop life skills that translate to success in academics, careers, and communities. Beyond athletics, our approach opens doors to diverse professions in the sports industry, helping students turn passion into purpose.
Why Education?
Education empowers and opens minds. But traditional systems often overlook student-athletes' unique needs, leaving potential untapped. Urban Achievers bridges this gap with an education that blends academic rigor with lessons from sport, building well-rounded scholars and leaders. Here, learning extends beyond textbooks to real-world, sports-related opportunities, setting students up for success beyond the field.
Why Now?
The need for change is urgent. Many student-athletes face barriers—lack of resources, career guidance, and dropout risks. Urban Achievers responds with a bold model that supports students from underserved communities, giving them the tools to succeed now and in the future. By focusing on the synergy of sport and education, we’re creating a generation of leaders ready to make a lasting impact on the world they inherit.
Meet our Founder Lino Sanchez:
For Lino Sanchez, sport has been a life-changing force. As a young man growing up in Boston’s inner city, sport provided the structure and inspiration he needed to rise above adversity. Now, he’s channeling that same power to help young athletes thrive at Massachusetts’ first sport-centric high school—equipping them with the tools for academic success, career paths in sports, and a chance to make a meaningful impact in their communities.
Hear His Story Now ->
TAKE ACTION NOW TO HELP US IMPACT MORE LIVES
The Crisis in Traditional Student-Athlete Education
While the American public education system offers a range of educational opportunities, it struggles to effectively accommodate the dual roles of student-athletes.
National Overview of High School Student-Athletes in America:
Consider a young athlete, fueled by the ambition to compete at the highest level, standing at a critical junction torn between the rigors of their sport and the demands of their education. While our education system provides different avenues for learning, the unique needs of student-athletes call for a more customized educational experience that supports their dual commitments. These
aspiring athletes endure a constant tug-of-war between rigorous training schedules and challenging coursework. This ongoing conflict often results in compromised holistic development, leaving them unprepared academically, overburdened athletically, without a defined career pathway, and a life full of unfulfilled potential.
A Scholar-Athlete Focused Education (SAFE)
At Urban Achievers, we’ve reimagined education, offering students a seamless pipeline into post-secondary opportunities and promising careers within the sports industry. We ensure that students no longer have to choose between their love for sports and their academic responsibilities. By fostering a balanced, nurturing environment, we prepare them for higher education, rewarding careers, and a life of purpose.
Urban Achievers at a Glance
9-14
Grades
12
Average Class Size
6:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
120
Maximum Student Enrollment
95%
From Underserved Communities
95%
Boys of Color
100%
Receive a Tuition-Free Education
100%
Engage in Annual Service Projects
100%
Participate in Work-Based Learning
- Our Story
The Birth of Urban Achievers: A Vision for Change
Urban Achievers was born from a deep passion for both education and sport, and a desire to create lasting opportunities for young people in underserved communities. Our founder saw a glaring gap: too many talented student-athletes were navigating a fractured system that either failed to nurture their academic potential or overlooked their future career possibilities. Many athletes, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, faced an uphill battle to balance sports with school, often having to choose one over the other.
