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Highlighting the voices of our Empower students, parents, teachers, leaders, and friends of the school.

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Two Empower College Prep elementary-aged students – a boy and a girl – play together on the school playground.
Blog

It’s Summer. Relax, Recharge, Get Ready!

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12 tuition-free public charter school offering a values-based, college preparatory education for every child in the family, we pack a lot of learning into each school day. As we…
A female Empower College Prep elementary-aged student sits at her desk reading a book
Blog

You Are Unique and So Is ECP

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12th grade tuition-free public charter school centrally located in Phoenix, we believe every child is unique. Our values-based, academically rigorous education empowers each individual to find their unique purpose…
3 Empower College Prep elementary-aged students sit at a circular table with a female teacher who’s holding a flash card of the word, earth.
Blog

What Every Family Wants to Know about ECP

Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions a parent makes. We know you have questions about why Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 charter school is…
An Empower College Prep female elementary student walks with her mother on the school campus.
Blog

At ECP We Support Our Families

According to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, more than 50 years of research reveals that student outcomes improve when schools offer social supports to families. Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 charter…
An Empower College Prep class of seniors celebrate their graduation on an outdoor field on campus.
Blog

How ECP Supports Your Journey to College 

At Empower College Prep (ECP), our tuition-free, values-based college preparatory K-12 charter school located in central Phoenix, every scholar is preparing to succeed in college from the first day of kindergarten through their senior year…
Empower College Prep students dressed in cap & gown viewed from behind as they stand in line in preparation for their graduation ceremony
Blog

Test Scores Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Test scores may give a clue to how students perform at a school, but they don’t tell the whole story. At an innovative K-12 tuition-free public school like Empower College Prep (ECP) it is the…
3 female and one male Empower College Prep high school students work together on a science experiment.
Blog

Step Onto Your Career Path at ECP

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 public school in central Phoenix, we are preparing our scholars for a successful future. We believe in empowering you with the tools and opportunities to achieve…
An Empower College Prep female elementary student works on an alphabet worksheet.
Blog

All the Answers to Your Questions about Enrolling at ECP

We’re always enrolling at Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 public school for students in Phoenix and beyond. It’s easy to join the ECP community, but you may have questions. We answer them…
A young Empower College Prep student steps off the school bus arriving at school.
Blog

Student Safety is a Priority at ECP

Empower College Prep (ECP) offers a values-based, tuition-free education to K-12 students on a secure, protected campus centrally located in Phoenix.  The 7 buildings on our 5 acres right off the Black Canyon Freeway were…
Empower College Prep Founder and Executive Director, Brian Holman stands with his son on the ECP campus.
Blog

Empowered Profile: Brian Holman, Founder

Brian Holman founded Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 public school in 2012 to prepare an underserved population of students for college and the life of opportunity higher education offers them. ECP has…
Empower College Prep elementary school math teacher Jessy Aceituno stands in front of a board displaying math formulas.
Blog

Empowered Profile: Jessy Aceituno, ES Math

It’s been more than a decade since Jessy Aceituno joined the team at Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12 values-based, tuition-free school centrally located in Phoenix. Ms. Aceituno graduated from the University of Arizona with…
Headshot of Empower College Prep teacher, Shaylan Richardson
Blog

Empowered Profile: Shaylan Richardson, HS Teacher

Shaylan Richardson joined our Empower College Prep (ECP) faculty in 2019. He teaches high school Student Government, Entrepreneurship/Communication, and Financial Literacy classes. Teaching these courses at our values-based K-12 tuition-free school gives Mr. Richardson the…

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Two Empower College Prep elementary-aged students – a boy and a girl – play together on the school playground.
Blog

It’s Summer. Relax, Recharge, Get Ready!

GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJuly 1, 2025
A female Empower College Prep elementary-aged student sits at her desk reading a book
Blog

You Are Unique and So Is ECP

GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJune 25, 2025
3 Empower College Prep elementary-aged students sit at a circular table with a female teacher who’s holding a flash card of the word, earth.
Blog

What Every Family Wants to Know about ECP

GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsMay 23, 2025
An Empower College Prep female elementary student walks with her mother on the school campus.
Blog

At ECP We Support Our Families

GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsMay 21, 2025
An Empower College Prep class of seniors celebrate their graduation on an outdoor field on campus.
Blog

How ECP Supports Your Journey to College 

GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsMay 12, 2025

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Two Empower College Prep elementary-aged students – a boy and a girl – play together on the school playground.
Blog

It’s Summer. Relax, Recharge, Get Ready!

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12 tuition-free public charter school offering a values-based, college preparatory education for every child in the family, we pack a lot of learning into each school day. As we…
Read More
A female Empower College Prep elementary-aged student sits at her desk reading a book
Blog

You Are Unique and So Is ECP

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12th grade tuition-free public charter school centrally located in Phoenix, we believe every child is unique. Our values-based, academically rigorous education empowers each individual to find their unique purpose…
Read More
3 Empower College Prep elementary-aged students sit at a circular table with a female teacher who’s holding a flash card of the word, earth.
Blog

What Every Family Wants to Know about ECP

Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions a parent makes. We know you have questions about why Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 charter school is…
Read More
An Empower College Prep female elementary student walks with her mother on the school campus.
Blog

At ECP We Support Our Families

According to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, more than 50 years of research reveals that student outcomes improve when schools offer social supports to families. Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 charter…
Read More
An Empower College Prep class of seniors celebrate their graduation on an outdoor field on campus.
Blog

How ECP Supports Your Journey to College 

At Empower College Prep (ECP), our tuition-free, values-based college preparatory K-12 charter school located in central Phoenix, every scholar is preparing to succeed in college from the first day of kindergarten through their senior year…
Read More
Two Empower College Prep elementary-aged students – a boy and a girl – play together on the school playground.Blog
July 1, 2025

It’s Summer. Relax, Recharge, Get Ready!

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12 tuition-free public charter school offering a values-based, college preparatory education for every child in the family, we pack a lot of learning into each school day. As we…
GrowSchools
Love0
A female Empower College Prep elementary-aged student sits at her desk reading a bookBlog
June 25, 2025

You Are Unique and So Is ECP

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12th grade tuition-free public charter school centrally located in Phoenix, we believe every child is unique. Our values-based, academically rigorous education empowers each individual to find their unique purpose…
GrowSchools
Love0
3 Empower College Prep elementary-aged students sit at a circular table with a female teacher who’s holding a flash card of the word, earth.Blog
May 23, 2025

What Every Family Wants to Know about ECP

Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions a parent makes. We know you have questions about why Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 charter school is…
GrowSchools
Love0
An Empower College Prep female elementary student walks with her mother on the school campus.Blog
May 21, 2025

At ECP We Support Our Families

According to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, more than 50 years of research reveals that student outcomes improve when schools offer social supports to families. Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 charter…
GrowSchools
Love0

Filter

Two Empower College Prep elementary-aged students – a boy and a girl – play together on the school playground.

It’s Summer. Relax, Recharge, Get Ready!

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12 tuition-free public charter school offering a values-based, college preparatory education for every child in the family, we pack a lot of learning into each school day. As we…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJuly 1, 20253 min
A female Empower College Prep elementary-aged student sits at her desk reading a book

You Are Unique and So Is ECP

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12th grade tuition-free public charter school centrally located in Phoenix, we believe every child is unique. Our values-based, academically rigorous education empowers each individual to find their unique purpose…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJune 25, 20253 min
3 Empower College Prep elementary-aged students sit at a circular table with a female teacher who’s holding a flash card of the word, earth.

What Every Family Wants to Know about ECP

Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions a parent makes. We know you have questions about why Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 charter school is…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsMay 23, 20253 min
An Empower College Prep female elementary student walks with her mother on the school campus.

At ECP We Support Our Families

According to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, more than 50 years of research reveals that student outcomes improve when schools offer social supports to families. Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 charter…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsMay 21, 20253 min
An Empower College Prep class of seniors celebrate their graduation on an outdoor field on campus.

How ECP Supports Your Journey to College 

At Empower College Prep (ECP), our tuition-free, values-based college preparatory K-12 charter school located in central Phoenix, every scholar is preparing to succeed in college from the first day of kindergarten through their senior year…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsMay 12, 20254 min
Empower College Prep students dressed in cap & gown viewed from behind as they stand in line in preparation for their graduation ceremony

Test Scores Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Test scores may give a clue to how students perform at a school, but they don’t tell the whole story. At an innovative K-12 tuition-free public school like Empower College Prep (ECP) it is the…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsApril 28, 20253 min
3 female and one male Empower College Prep high school students work together on a science experiment.

Step Onto Your Career Path at ECP

At Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 public school in central Phoenix, we are preparing our scholars for a successful future. We believe in empowering you with the tools and opportunities to achieve…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsApril 14, 20253 min
An Empower College Prep female elementary student works on an alphabet worksheet.

All the Answers to Your Questions about Enrolling at ECP

We’re always enrolling at Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 public school for students in Phoenix and beyond. It’s easy to join the ECP community, but you may have questions. We answer them…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsApril 4, 20253 min
A young Empower College Prep student steps off the school bus arriving at school.

Student Safety is a Priority at ECP

Empower College Prep (ECP) offers a values-based, tuition-free education to K-12 students on a secure, protected campus centrally located in Phoenix.  The 7 buildings on our 5 acres right off the Black Canyon Freeway were…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsMarch 24, 20253 min
Empower College Prep Founder and Executive Director, Brian Holman stands with his son on the ECP campus.

Empowered Profile: Brian Holman, Founder

Brian Holman founded Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 public school in 2012 to prepare an underserved population of students for college and the life of opportunity higher education offers them. ECP has…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsMarch 11, 20254 min
Empower College Prep elementary school math teacher Jessy Aceituno stands in front of a board displaying math formulas.

Empowered Profile: Jessy Aceituno, ES Math

It’s been more than a decade since Jessy Aceituno joined the team at Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12 values-based, tuition-free school centrally located in Phoenix. Ms. Aceituno graduated from the University of Arizona with…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsMarch 5, 20254 min
Headshot of Empower College Prep teacher, Shaylan Richardson

Empowered Profile: Shaylan Richardson, HS Teacher

Shaylan Richardson joined our Empower College Prep (ECP) faculty in 2019. He teaches high school Student Government, Entrepreneurship/Communication, and Financial Literacy classes. Teaching these courses at our values-based K-12 tuition-free school gives Mr. Richardson the…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsFebruary 25, 20253 min
headshot of Empower College Prep graduate, Alexis Herrera ’23

Empowered Profile: Alexis Herrera ‘23

This spring Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 school in central Phoenix will celebrate the Class of 2025 at our 6th graduation ceremony. More than 300 students have received diplomas here with close…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsFebruary 18, 20253 min
Empower College Prep seniors pose together in their graduation regalia as they prepare to receive their diplomas.

Life after ECP

What do you want to be when you grow up? From the first day of Kindergarten until high school graduation, Empower College Prep (ECP) scholars are preparing for a future of unlimited opportunities. ECP is…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJanuary 26, 20253 min
A group of Empower College Prep students from various grades arrive at school together in the morning.

Start Here/Finish Here

Students who learn in the same school environment for their entire K-12 career benefit academically, socially, and personally. Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 college preparatory school, is nurturing scholars in an inclusive,…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJanuary 21, 20253 min
Empower College Prep Kindergarteners gather in a circle. One boy faces the camera and smiles.

Kindergarten @ ECP

A child’s first school experience sets the stage for a lifetime of learning. At Empower College Prep (ECP) our Kindergarteners are taking the first step in their journey towards college at our tuition-free, values-based K-12…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJanuary 10, 20253 min
Empower College Prep Executive Director & High School Principal, Brian Holman congratulates an ECP senior as they receive their diploma.

We Celebrate Our Scholars at ECP

When schools celebrate the accomplishments of their students, great things happen! Studies show that acknowledging a student’s successes has a powerful impact on the entire school community. At Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJanuary 3, 20252 min
An Empower College Prep teacher hugs one of her students in their classroom.

ECP is More than a School; We’re a Family!

Empower College Prep, the values-based, tuition-free K-12 school in Central Phoenix serves a highly diverse student population in an inclusive community of scholars, families, and staff that feels like a family. “ECP is more than…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsDecember 6, 20243 min
Female Empower College Prep student sits at her desk in the classroom, raising her hand.

We’re Preparing Every Scholar for College

90% of the scholars who graduate from Empower College Prep (ECP), the values-based, tuition-free K-12 school centrally located in Phoenix, enroll in college. ECP graduates have been accepted into schools across the country, from California…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsNovember 27, 20243 min
an exterior view of the Empower College Prep K-12 campus featuring the administrative offices.

Why Empower College Prep?

Families in Maricopa County have many schools from which to choose for their children’s education. So why choose Empower College Prep (ECP)?  Well, for starters we are a tuition-free, values-based K-12 school. We are also…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsOctober 8, 20243 min
An Empower College Prep elementary classroom featuring brightly colored walls and a floor rug.

Our Campus & Facilities

When Empower College Prep (ECP) was founded in 2012 as a tuition-free, values-based school 61 students attended classes in a church basement. Today the learning space for the more than 1000 Preschool -12th grade scholars…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsSeptember 30, 20243 min
An Empower College Prep scholar hugs her mother on the ECP campus.

At ECP We Partner with Parents

When families are involved in their child’s school experience, research shows that students improve their academic performance. At Empower College Prep (ECP), the K-12 tuition-free, values-based public charter school, we partner with parents to lead…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsSeptember 3, 20244 min
Empower College Prep elementary school male students stand together on the school’s playground and pose for the camera.

Why We’re Values-Based at Empower

Tuition-free, values-based Empower College Prep (ECP) was founded in 2012 to prepare scholars to succeed in college, solve real-world problems, and maximize their impact in the world. We do this by providing an academically rigorous…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsAugust 20, 20242 min
Empower College Prep Elementary-aged scholars gather together outside.

At Empower, We Serve Everyone Every Day!

More and more parents are enrolling their children in schools that educate students from multiple cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Why? According to a study from Columbia University the benefits of attending a school with a…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsAugust 6, 20243 min
Two Empower College Prep elementary school-aged girls pose for the camera in the school’s hallway.

Start the College Journey Here

Research shows that the earlier and more often you talk with young children about college and career, the more they will envision their future selves attending an institution of higher education. At values-based, tuition-free Empower…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJuly 30, 20243 min

Guide to K-12 Charter Schools in Phoenix, Arizona

Charter school enrollment is growing. Since the first charter school opened in 1992 in St. Paul, Minnesota, charter schools have served over 12 million students. Charter schools' uniqueness makes them a popular choice with many…
GrowSchoolsGrowSchoolsJanuary 28, 20248 min

Michelle Dorame

Michelle Dorame is an Empower College Prep graduate and will be attending NAU to study elementary education teaching both in Spanish and English. She's interested in becoming a second grade teacher focused on helping students…
David ByrdDavid ByrdJanuary 1, 20232 min

Nallely Pacheco

Nallely Pacheco is an Empower College Prep graduate and will be attending the University of Arizona. She plans to major in philosophy, politics, economics, and law, and then after college attend law school to become…
David ByrdDavid ByrdJanuary 1, 20232 min

Ajanae Davis

Ajanae Davis is an Empower College Prep graduate and first generation college student. She was recruited to South Mountain Community College to play soccer and will major in biology and minor in liberal arts, and…
David ByrdDavid ByrdJanuary 1, 20231 min

Angel Lazalde Hernandez

Angel Lazalde Hernandez is an Empower College Prep graduate and plans to attend GCU, Grand Canyon University to study behavioral sciences. He is hoping to become a mental health counselor to help people in my world.…
David ByrdDavid ByrdJanuary 1, 20232 min

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