THE GEM PROJECT

Welcome

Thank you for visiting! Since 2006, The Gem Project has been proudly headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, delivering high-quality programming that fosters leadership and community service among school-age youth, adolescents, and young adults. Over the years, we’ve stretched our impact nationwide, engaging youth from across the country in our transformative programs. Evolving and consolidating our efforts, we offer service-based fellowships that connect high school and college students to meaningful opportunities for growth and leadership.

Our

Mission

Boost high school to college student engagement and on-time graduation through peer-based mentoring, youth organizing, employment, and service-learning initiatives, which take on a social justice approach.

Our

Vision

Our vision is a world where every young person, regardless of their background, is equipped with the tools and resources to catalyze positive change in their communities. 

Years of Service
Youth Impacted

Our Impact

For over 18 years, The Gem Project has transformed the lives of young people through a unique peer-based fellowship model that empowers high school and college students to take an active role in community advocacy, leadership, and social justice.

Core Justice Pillars

Education
Health Justice
Criminal Justice
Democracy

Our Work

We champion on time graduation through peer mentoring, youth organizing, employment, and service-learning, all rooted in a social justice framework. Our efforts are driven by ‘4’ core justice pillars: education, criminal justice, health justice, and democracy.

Service Learning Approach

Traditional service-learning follows a 5-step process: investigation, preparation, action, reflection, and demonstration, with learning often confined to the classroom and the service itself. However, this approach rarely addresses deeper systemic issues underlying social challenges.

By critically examining identity, race, privilege, policy, systemic barriers, and power through a social justice lens, we equip our fellows to tackle societal issues more inclusively and effectively.

The Gem Project

Inspiring the Next Generation of Changemakers

Discover how Gem Project Fellows Breanna (Campbell) Quist and Nathaniel Esubonteng helped lower the voting age in Newark school board elections. Their youth-led advocacy, backed by Vote16 New Jersey, the NJ Institute for Social Justice, and the Newark City Council, is featured in Junior Scholastic Magazine.
Read Now

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Our Supporters

These organizations have supported/highlighted The Gem Project over the years.

M&T Weiner Foundation

& More…

The Gem Project

We Captivate to Educate

Contact Us
The Gem Project
P.O. Box 32322
Newark, NJ 07102

Email: HQ@thegemproject.org
Phone: 973-506-9275

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