About ASPIRE

What is ASPIRE?

ASPIRE Capital Region is a community-driven initiative working to ensure every student in Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla counties has the tools, support, and opportunities to succeed after high school.

We bring together schools, colleges, nonprofits, businesses, and local leaders around one shared goal: helping more students access and complete education or training after high school. Whether that’s college, trade school, the military, or a credential program — we believe every young person deserves a strong pathway to success.

Our Mission

Our mission is simple: to close equity gaps and expand opportunity so all students can thrive.

We do this by:

Supporting students and families with college and career resources
Helping schools and counselors with tools like FAFSA completion and planning guides
Partnering with businesses and community groups to create real-world opportunities
Using local data to measure progress and focus on what works

What is "Collective Impact"?

You’ll hear us say ASPIRE is a collective impact initiative. What does that mean?

It means no single school, nonprofit, or business can solve educational challenges alone. But when the whole community works together — sharing data, aligning goals, and pooling resources — we can make lasting change.

For students in Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla counties, collective impact ensures:

Students and families don’t face the journey to college or career alone
Schools have strong partners who fill gaps and provide extra support
Local employers help shape pathways that lead directly to good jobs

In short: collective impact is about working better together so every student has the chance to succeed.

Why It Matters Here

In our region, too many students graduate high school but don’t continue to college or career training — or they start, but don’t finish. That means lost opportunities for them, and for our community.

By aligning efforts across Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla counties, ASPIRE helps ensure: