Support Our Annual Fund Today!

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Please consider an annual fund gift today to support our scholars and alumni.

I can't begin to think about my life and career without also thinking about Buffalo Prep.

I was raised on the West Side of Buffalo by my father, who worked two jobs to support my sister and me. He instilled in us the value of education, always reminding us that it is the key to success. Wanting to create educational opportunities for his children, my father sought out a program like Buffalo Prep. I was admitted into the High School Prep program in 7th grade, and I will never forget how I spent my evenings, weekends, and summers in Prep's rigorous classes. I excelled in school because of the academic support I received from Buffalo Prep. The staff also assisted me outside of the classroom, including helping me to apply for the scholarships that I needed to attend St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute and, subsequently, Clarkson University.

Just eight years after graduating from college, I founded my own business - Rodriguez Construction Group (RCG). Realizing that there are many ways to give back to Buffalo Prep, I hired my first Preppie as an engineering intern several summers ago, and there are now five Prep alumni employed full-time at the firm. I joined the Buffalo Prep board of directors in 2014 and was recently voted in as the first alumnus to serve as board president in Buffalo Prep's history. Alumna Judge JaHarr Pridgen '94 and alumnus Matthew Becton '01 sit alongside me on the board, further amplifying the voice for the Buffalo Prep students and their legacy. We feel honored to serve and support the organization that provided us with the access and opportunities that helped to shape us into the CEO, city court judge, and senior manager that we are today.Buffalo Prep invites students with top academic promise to participate in highly personalized academic and enrichment programs that guide, nurture, and prepare them as they strive to make the most of their education. Data from the last eight years of Buffalo Prep graduates shows that 92% have graduated with their bachelor's degree or are on track to do so. This illustrates that with access, guidance, and support, every child has the chance to succeed.

I am the reality of what Buffalo Prep can do to help create educational access and opportunity for our community's underrepresented youth. This year, Buffalo Prep will serve approximately 650 students and alumni across its pipeline of programs. These talented, diverse, brilliant, and hardworking scholars are our future leaders, but a program like this needs financial support. Buffalo Prep is a nonprofit organization that relies solely on the generosity of our community to fund its programming.

I’m eager to expand and provide opportunities to students in the community I was born and raised in and help shape the future leaders of tomorrow. As board president and a proud Buffalo Prep alumnus, I hope you join me in supporting Buffalo Prep today. Thank you for considering a donation to support future scholars.

Luis A. Rodriguez, Jr. | Buffalo Prep Class of 1997 | CEO, Rodriguez Construction Group