Greylock ABC, Inc. is a local chapter of the national program of A Better Chance Inc. (at abetterchance.org). Since the founding of A Better Chance in 1963, its mission has rested on a single goal: to substantially increase the number of under-represented youth assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American society. Through a range of programs, A Better Chance works with under-represented students—from the sixth grade through college—to help them access expanded educational and career opportunities.

The A Better Chance Mission consists of five parts:

• To provide educational opportunities to students of color with the talent and potential to excel academically through their recruitment and placement into some of the nation’s most outstanding secondary schools;
• To provide assistance and guidance to the schools, students and families to ensure the best possible learning experiences;
• To provide direct academic and career development assistance, and to generate opportunities and support for these students in the corporate and public sectors;
• To expand the universe of students served by A Better Chance, and to develop and nurture their potential; and
• To advocate for our students and for our educational viewpoints and strategies

A Better Chance was founded during the 1960’s, a time of political and social unrest and a formal and recognized civil rights movement. The organization was originally known as the Independent School Talent Search Program (ISTSP). ISTSP was founded by 23 independent schools in response to President John F. Kennedy’s call for equal education access. It was funded by a grant from the Charles E. Merrill Foundation. During the summer of 1964, the program name was changed to Project ABC: A Better Chance.

A Better Chance first recruited students for placement in communities with excellent, public education in 1966. The first Public School Program opened that year in Hanover, N.H., under the auspices of Dartmouth College. In 1967, a second program was established in Andover, Mass.

With the support of community residents and Williams College, a chapter opened in Williamstown in 1968. Four young men lived in individual homes and attended nearby Darrow School. The chapter soon developed into its current form, with young men and women living with resident directors at the ABC House on Hoxsey Street and attending Mt. Greylock Regional H.S.

Public School Programs are community-based efforts. Each program has, in a sense, established its own educational institution - a boarding school that uses the resources of the public high school and is supported by the dedication, generosity and expertise of local citizens.