About us
Transforming communities & changing lives one child at a time.
Historical Timeline
OUR HISTORY
Where We Started
PROPEL was started by Jim and Marta Batmasian with the hopes of rescuing kids that were on the fringes of the justice system. At this time, we only served about 6-8 students and met on Sundays at First United Methodist Church. These kids were transitioning out of jail and some in rehab programs. Many of these students were assigned mentors to help them succeed. Most of them resided in high risk areas. At the time, they had no transportation and they had to walk to attend our programs.
PROPEL transformed into more of an academic hub. We acquired a small office space with computers for our students. This space allowed students to study and fill out applications to jobs and even colleges after school. We were able to get a van that provided students with transportation to participate in community service projects and impactful field trips. Around this time, we grew to about 30 high school students in the program.
PROPEL obtained a much larger facility which really allowed us to expand our mission to enrich education, leadership, and life skills. The facility has five classrooms, a full kitchen, a cafeteria, a game room, and field space for outdoor activities. We were serving about 50 students after school. We hired college-educated tutors that came and worked in our facility to assist the students daily. PROPEL was also able to secure another van to transport students. Our students were now receiving a home-cooked meal every day, transportation to and from the center, and classes focused on fitness, arts, music, etc.
PROPEL gained a larger reputation in Palm Beach County. We started accepting middle school students because we realized that if we take students in at an earlier age, we can have a greater impact on their life. Knowing how essential transportation is for our youth, we got two more vans so more students can benefit from what we had to offer. We were serving 70-80 middle and high school students a day with a waitlist of kids excited to join the program. Our list of programs offered began to grow; we offered financial literacy classes, reading clubs, coding and robotics, SAT prep boot camps, and more. We also started a summer program that allowed us to help students fill gaps in their mathematics and reading skills before returning back to school.
As a result of PROPEL’s success in Boca Raton, other communities voiced their needs for our services. Jim and Marta started a PROPEL 2.0 initiative, developing PROPEL centers to serve youth in cities outside of Boca Raton. We currently have two other centers in Florida, one in Coral Springs and another in Lakeland. This new initiative does not stop here. By 2030, PROPEL is projected to have 20 centers throughout the country.
Programs & Services
PROPEL offers many educational opportunities to prepare its students to be industrious, creative, caring and productive citizens as well as lifelong learners. The academic, career, social, and emotional needs of all students are best met when there is a cooperative approach among the program staff, students, and parents.
Our Dedication
PROPEL is dedicated to supporting the academic and social-emotional needs of the most vulnerable in our community.
Our Why
We believe in the potential of every student. After school, our students are transported from their schools and bused to our facility where they receive a meal, fun-activities, and tutors to assist with their school assignments. At no cost to the students and/or their families.
Our Approach
Daily Tutoring. SAT/ACT Prep. Physical Training. Life Skills. Over the course of our programs, students are introduced to mentors, scholarship opportunities, and/or training programs.
Our Impact
Mentorship. Scholarships. Employment. Be the change you want to see in the world. When it comes to making a positive change, Propel provides a variety of charitable programs and initiatives for you to get involved with. We’re looking forward to having you involved.
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