Our History

Currently, Making Waves serves more than 1,000 middle school, high school, and college students from Richmond and San Francisco. Below is a brief timeline showing the path to this remarkable achievement.

1989

Making Waves is established and selects 46 fifth graders from two low-performing elementary schools in Richmond to participate in an eight-year tutoring and teaching program.

1994

Glenn W. Holsclaw is appointed Executive Director.

1995

The Second Wave, a group of 50 students from Richmond schools, is admitted to the program and Making Waves expands its range of services to students.

1997

The First Wave graduates from high school. The Third Wave is admitted.

2001

Making Waves Education Program expands its operations to San Francisco.

2003

Richmond’s Second Wave graduates from high school and from that point on each new Wave has had six to 75 students.

2005

Richmond’s Third Wave graduates from high school; San Francisco’s First Wave starts high school.

2006

Richmond‘s Fourth Wave graduates from high school; San Francisco’s Second Wave starts high school.

2007

Richmond’s Fifth Wave graduates from high school; Richmond’s Eighth Wave enters high school; San Francisco’s Third Wave enters high school. Making Waves Academy opens with 100 Wave-Makers in its fifth grade class.

2008

Nearly nine in 10 students of this year’s graduating class gain acceptance to four-year institutions in the fall, 47 percent of whom are accepted to campuses in the University of California system, which accepts the top 12 percent of students in the state.

In the fall, Making Waves Academy expands to include fifth and sixth grade classes, and doubles its enrollment to 200 students.

2009

Making Waves Academy launches a seventh grade class and total enrollment reaches 300.

2010

In June, 100 percent of Making Waves graduates from the Bay Area will attend college. Nine in 10 will go on to four-year institutions. Three-quarters of the graduates are accepted by University of California campuses.

In the fall, Making Waves adds an eighth grade class and enrolls a total of 400 Wave-Makers.