When a community rallies around a Matchbook school, we promise to give them what they really want: an institution that invests in and equips the next generation of civic and business leaders. 

"What other institution represents a systemic opportunity for the American dream to our next generation?  Where else can the members of our underprivileged, high poverty communities go?"

Schools represent a systemic opportunity for revitalizing the American dream. Underprivileged and high poverty communities look to their schools for hope that tomorrow might be better than today. Because these communities often lack political influence, economic power and any kind of collective or individual social standing, turnaround schools represent the last bastion of hope on their frontier. That’s why Matchbook’s design process includes bi-directional communication whereby we listen and engage with key stakeholders of the community before, during and after school. We do not change the name of a school that Matchbook assumes the management responsibility for.  The school’s name and identity remains unchanged; a continual and improving local institution with local history, heritage and community support.