The Bronx Institute received a $29 million grant from the Department of Education. The institute offers an academic support and college prep program at eight middle schools. 

Dr. Herminio Martinez, a professor at Lehman College, understands the impact of having support. He came to the United States from Cuba as a refugee under Operation Peter Pan in the 1960s. 

"There were many people that gave me help in big and small ways. There was no one person that did it all,” says Martinez. 

He created the institute to give back, and says the money will help so many children 

Students begin the program in sixth or seventh grade and can stay through their first year of college. They receive help with school work, college applications and attend trips to museums and cultural centers. 

The program is completely free. Many of the students come from low-income backgrounds. 

“All parents have high aspirations for their children,” says Martinez. “But then the reality of their income kicks in.” 

Martinez says many of the students who participated have gone on to have careers as architects, doctors and more. 

He says the money will help to add to the program by bringing on-site mentors at each school. 

"It's a total effort to provide a first-rate quality education for the students to really supplement the efforts of the teachers in the schools,” says Martinez.