Since 2008, Educating Children of Color (ECOC) has worked to dismantle the cradle-to-prison pipeline by empowering students, families, and educators through programs that inspire, educate, and create opportunities for students of color and students in poverty in the Pikes Peak Region. We provide scholarships, mentoring, information sessions about college and careers, free SAT/ACT prep, and leadership and recognition opportunities to youth of color and youth in poverty. Our Summit and Diversity University programs bring national speakers to Colorado Springs, equipping families and professionals with the tools to challenge systemic inequities and uplift the youth in their communities.
A student receives a $1,000 scholarship at our 2025 Summit.
Why This Matters
Too many students of color and low-income students face barriers that limit their potential. In 2023, Black youth were six times more likely to be in custody than white peers. ECOC envisions a future where every child can reach their full potential, regardless of background or identity. To date, we have reached over 9,000 youth and provided more than $628,000 in scholarships and educational gifts.
The ECOC Summit
Each year, ECOC hosts an all-day Summit Conference at the Trojan Arena at Fountain-Fort Carson High School, bringing together youth, parents, and youth-serving professionals to learn from nationally recognized experts. Students explore college and career opportunities, develop critical life skills, and receive scholarships and laptops. Last year, ECOC awarded over $100,000 in scholarships and educational gifts. Youth-focused sessions emphasize leadership, financial literacy, self-empowerment, and career readiness.
Parents and professionals learn from experts about how to better understand, retain, and inspire youth while leveraging their own roles to drive meaningful change. Adult sessions cover implicit bias, culturally responsive pedagogy, self-care for educators, an inspirational keynote, and more.
Leadership Academy students speak
Leadership Academy
Our year-long Leadership Academy equips 8th–12th graders with a foundation for success. Students receive mentorship from college students and community members, attend exciting field trips, visit three college campuses, and plan a service-learning project in the community. In 2024–25, none of our 300+ students entered the juvenile justice system, demonstrating the program’s power to change trajectories for vulnerable youth. Donations support rising trip costs, helping us expand experiences that instill confidence and spark curiosity in students who may have otherwise never had the opportunity to experience a Zoo or rock climbing gym.
Diversity University
Our two-part Diversity University program was designed to increase justice by helping individuals understand systemic issues, address their bias, and leverage their power to address problems of disparate treatment and outcomes for young people. Families and professionals participate in Diversity University, exploring challenging topics in a safe and open environment.
Your support makes these transformative experiences possible.
Donate today to give students opportunities to succeed and strengthen the communities they live in.
Dulce Davis, Provider Recruiter, SCL Health | Scholarship Recipient
"As one of the first ECOC scholarship recipients I am proud to know that ECOC is still going strong and providing opportunities for other minorities such as myself. My scholarship allowed me to fulfill my dream to work in healthcare and make a difference in the lives of others ... ECOC helped to afford me an opportunity to find a way as a latina woman to build a career I am passionate about while having the ability to support myself and my family. ECOC does incredible work and is needed now more than ever as college education is becoming more difficult to attain especially among minorities. We need to stand together to build a colorful community of dedicated and passionate individuals to take a stand for our rights to education and success."
Colorado Springs Police Department Representative | Diversity University Attendee
"Attending Diversity University was a powerful and emotional journey. It challenged the unconscious biases we all have and reminded us not to believe everything we think. Exploring these difficult topics in an open and safe setting allowed me to really hear where others were coming from regarding their experiences or perceptions of law enforcement. From a law enforcement perspective, it taught us how to put our ego aside and start the journey of learning to love beyond ourselves and to reach out and wipe the tears of those who grieve."
A Leadership Academy Student on a Field Trip to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
"How did you find this place?"
Many of our youth have never had opportunities like this to explore and grow. Donations cover rising trip costs, helping us to provide more life-changing field trips that instill confidence and spark curiosity.
Our mission is to dismantle the cradle-to-prison pipeline for children of color, and children in poverty, through education.
In 2007, the Minority Over-representation Committee of the Best Practices Court decided to adopt a new approach to address the issue of minority over-representation across our systems.
Our research documented that children and youth of color are more likely to be poor than their white peers; more likely to be involved in the child welfare system; more likely to age out of the foster care system without permanence; less likely to graduate on time; more likely to be involved in the juvenile justice system; and ultimately more likely to be involved in the adult system of justice.
Based on that research our new approach focuses on ensuring that children and youth have support to successfully achieve educational milestones as a key to escaping poverty and "our systems."
We made a goal to encourage all youth to pursue higher education, to support teachers to be successful educators, and educate parents on what it takes to be college ready and to hold your child and your child's school accountable.
The first Educating Children of Color Summit took place in January 2008. Approximately 350 educators, students, parents, and juvenile justice and child welfare professionals attended the first summit.
Since then, attendance has increased dramatically.
Organization name
Educating Children of Color
other names
ECOC
2014
Tax id (EIN)
46-3347809
Category
Education
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
Educating Children of Color 12830 Falcon DriveMailing
PO BOX 2017El Paso County, CO, US