BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) is a community-based, nonprofit organization with a mission to enhance the academic performance, self-esteem and life opportunities of Black and Latino elementary school children living in low-income, urban communities.

BELL was founded in 1992 by a group of students at Harvard Law School. Led by Earl Martin Phalen (BELL's current CEO), members of the Harvard Black Law Students Association collaborated with a parent group to develop a tutoring, mentoring and homework-assistance program for children. The success of those initial efforts and the recognition of the dire need for academic support among Black children led to the founding of BELL.

BELL currently operates two programs: BELL After-School and the BELL Summer. BELL has been operating high quality programs in Boston since 1992, in New York City since 1996, in Washington, D.C. since 2000, and Prince George’s County (MD) and Baltimore since 2004.

Since BELL’s inception in 1992, the organization has grown significantly:

• From 15 tutors serving 20 children in one city, to 700 teachers and tutors educating over 5000 children in three regions.

• From a 2-day per week after school program, to 4 and 5-day per week year-round programming and Saturday programs.

• From homework help to comprehensive literacy and math curricula.

• From a 10-hour staff orientation to 85 hours per year of training for program staff.

• From informal communication with parents, to comprehensive parent involvement activities