Washington Jesuit Academy

What Washington Jesuit Academy does

Washington Jesuit Academy (WJA) is a tuition-free Catholic middle school founded in 2002 in Washington, D.C., serving boys in grades 4 through 8 from underserved communities in the greater Washington region. The school operates an extended-day (approximately 11 hours, 7:20 a.m. to 6:20 p.m.) and extended-year (11 months) model that includes a mandatory 5-week Summer Enrichment Program, delivering roughly twice the instructional time of peer institutions. Each grade is capped at two sections of up to 15 students, with current enrollment of 115-140 boys whose demographics are 82% African-American, 18% Latino, and 87% Non-Catholic, selected based on academic motivation, family support, and income eligibility approximating National School Lunch Program guidelines.

The Academy's curriculum integrates Jesuit Ignatian Spirituality and Cura Personalis (care of the whole person: mind, body, and spirit) with rigorous academics, athletics (soccer, basketball, baseball, track), clubs (STEM, debate, art, cooking), daily Formation classes, weekly social-emotional learning with certified counselors, and three nutritious meals daily prepared on-site through a partnership with DC Central Kitchen's Fresh Start Catering. The Office of Student and Alumni Success (OSAS) provides lifetime mentoring, high school placement services starting in 7th grade, college test prep, and workforce preparation to nearly 400 alumni. Documented outcomes include a 99% high school graduation rate versus an 84% national average and 90% college/trade/workforce enrollment.

The revenue model is entirely philanthropic. WJA does not charge tuition; every student attends on a full scholarship funded through individual student sponsorships, the Varnum Society annual fund ($1,000+ donors), the 900 Club monthly giving program ($75/month), corporate matching gifts, planned giving and Legacy Society bequests, workplace giving through CFC and United Way, donor-advised funds (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, BNY Mellon), AmazonSmile, and annual events such as the WJA Pickleball Tournament and Carr Cares Benefit Concert. Day-to-day operations are led by President Marcus Washington, Principal Brian Farmer, and Vice Principal Kevin Winston, with governance provided by an independent Board of Directors; the Academy holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status (EIN 52-2336694) and operates under sponsorship of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

Name

Washington Jesuit Academy

Legal name

Washington Jesuit Academy

Website

https://wjacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Student Sponsorship Program: Individual donors sponsor students enabling tuition-free education. Sponsors receive updates on student progress, attend events, and build relationships with students. Every student attends on a full scholarship.
2. Varnum Society Annual Fund: Annual fund gifts of $1,000+ from donors providing critical support for WJA programs, student experience, graduate support services, and Academy expansion. Named after WJA's address on Varnum Street.
3. 900 Club Monthly Giving: Recurring monthly gifts of $75, recognizing individuals who commit to sustained giving. '900' reflects both the annual total and campus location on Varnum Street.
4. Corporate Matching Gifts: Corporate employer matching gift programs where companies match employee donations to WJA, maximizing donor impact.
5. Planned Giving/Legacy Society: Bequests, retirement plan assets, life insurance, charitable remainder trusts, and appreciated property donations for long-term support.
6. Event Fundraising: Annual events including Pickleball Tournament and Carr Cares Benefit Concert generating significant fundraising with corporate sponsorships at various levels.
7. Workplace Giving: Payroll contributions through Combined Federal Campaign (CFC ID #14236) and United Way workplace giving programs.
8. AmazonSmile: Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchases when customers select WJA as their AmazonSmile charity.
9. In-Kind Donations: Non-monetary donations of goods and services supporting the Academy and students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Washington Jesuit Academy provides tuition-free Catholic education to fourth through eighth grade boys from underserved communities in the Washington, DC area, operating an extended-day (approximately 11 hours) and extended-year (11 months) schedule. The educational program bundles rigorous academics, athletics, clubs, three nutritious daily meals, counseling services, a mandatory 5-week Summer Enrichment Program, and a High School Placement Program, plus lifetime alumni mentoring through the Office of Student and Alumni Success.

Product overview

Washington Jesuit Academy is a tuition-free Catholic school offering a single, comprehensive educational program for fourth through eighth grade boys from underserved communities in Washington, DC. The core academic program operates extended hours (approximately 7:20 a.m. to 6:20 p.m.) and extended year (11 months), providing 11 hours of daily instruction alongside three nutritious meals. The program integrates athletics, clubs, counseling services, summer enrichment, and high school placement support as integral components. The Academy provides ongoing alumni support through its Office of Student and Alumni Success, offering mentorship and college/workforce preparation to nearly 400 graduates. Student attendance is fully funded through a sponsorship program. The Academy also operates donor engagement programs including the Varnum Society (for gifts of $1,000+), 900 Club monthly giving ($75/month), and annual fundraising events such as the Pickleball Tournament and Carr Cares Benefit Concert.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Core Academic Program (Grades 4-8) A comprehensive, rigorous tuition-free Catholic education program for fourth through eighth grade boys from underserved communities, featuring an extended-day schedule (approximately 11 hours, 7:20am-6:20pm) and extended-year format (11 months) with three nutritious meals daily. Class sizes are capped near 15 students, and the program integrates athletics, clubs, spiritual formation, and summer enrichment.
• Athletics and Sports Programs Competitive sports teams including soccer, basketball, baseball, and track and field, offered as part of the extended-day schedule. All students participate in sports and/or organized extracurricular activities.
• Clubs and Extracurricular Activities After-school clubs and activities including newspaper, cooking, gardening, art, STEM, Geography Bee, debate, and more, scheduled within the extended-day programming.
• High School Placement Program Assists students and families with selecting and applying to high schools starting in 7th grade, covering private/Catholic schools, boarding schools, and public magnet/charter schools. Services include essay writing, test prep, interview skills, and application assistance.
• Office of Student and Alumni Success (OSAS) Lifetime mentoring, coaching, academic, and social support program for WJA graduates from 4th grade through college and career, including college test prep starting in high school sophomore year and workforce preparation. Serves nearly 400 alumni.
• Summer Enrichment Program Mandatory 5-week summer program providing academic, recreational, and cultural activities as part of the extended-year schedule, included in the tuition-free educational offering.
• Counseling Services Emotional and social development support delivered by licensed clinical social workers, including individual and small group counseling, parenting workshops, school-wide SEL programming, and outside resource referrals.
• Three Nutritious Meals Program Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared on-site through partnership with DC Central Kitchen's Fresh Start Catering, using fresh, natural, often local and organic ingredients with unlimited salad bar access, provided free of cost to families.
• Student Sponsorship Program Individual donor sponsorship of specific WJA students, enabling every student to attend on a full scholarship. Sponsors receive student correspondence, leadership updates, event invitations, and graduation attendance opportunities.
• Varnum Society Donor recognition society for annual fund gifts of $1,000 or more, with tiered giving levels from Leaders ($1,000-$2,499) to President's Circle ($50,000+), supporting WJA programs, student experience, and Academy expansion.
• 900 Club Monthly Giving Program Recurring monthly gift program of $75 per month ($900 annually) recognizing individuals who commit to sustained giving to WJA's Impact Fund. Named after both the annual total and the campus location on Varnum Street.
• Legacy Society Planned Giving Planned giving program accepting bequests, lifetime gifts of appreciated property, retirement plan assets, life insurance, and charitable remainder trusts for long-term support of the Academy.
• WJA Pickleball Tournament Annual fundraising pickleball event supporting WJA students and alumni, with sponsorship tiers ranging from Individual Registration ($150) to Champion Sponsor ($7,500).
• Carr Cares Benefit Concert Annual fundraising concert organized by Carr Properties benefiting WJA and Washington School for Girls, with a 2026 goal of $400,000 (including a $50,000 match). The event has raised over $2.3 million since 2018.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of WJA alumni graduate from high school, compared to national average of 84%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DC Central Kitchen (Fresh Start Catering)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with DC Central Kitchen's Fresh Start Catering program provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner free of cost to families. Meals are prepared on-site with fresh, natural, and often local and organic ingredients. Students have access to an unlimited salad bar each day.
• Merrill LynchminorOthersBroker contact: Madeleine Scanio at Merrill Lynch for processing appreciated stock donations. Account number: 5TL-03270, DTC number: 8862.
• Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal employees can donate through CFC workplace giving campaign using CFC ID #14236. Enables payroll contributions to support WJA.
• United WayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUnited Way workplace giving program allows employees to designate contributions to Washington Jesuit Academy (#9483).
• Fidelity CharitableminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonor Advised Fund provider enabling donors to make gifts to WJA through existing DAF accounts.
• Schwab CharitableminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonor Advised Fund provider enabling donors to make gifts to WJA through existing DAF accounts.
• BNY MellonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonor Advised Fund provider enabling donors to make gifts to WJA through existing DAF accounts.
• AmazonSmileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazonSmile program donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to WJA when customers select Washington Jesuit Academy as their charity.
• BlackbaudcoreTechnology or IntegrationDonor management and fundraising platform used for donation processing, event registration, and Varnum Society management. Hosts donor forms and event registration.
• Carr PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarr Properties organizes annual Carr Cares Benefit Concert, raising funds for WJA and Washington School for Girls. Since 2018, has helped raise over $2.3 million for local community. Goal of $400,000 for 2026 concert with $50,000 match.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Gonzaga College High School: Jesuit college-preparatory school in Washington, DC serving young men. Directly comparable as a Jesuit school in the same metro area applying Ignatian pedagogy to college-bound students from the same demographic base WJA feeds into.
• Cristo Rey Network: National network of Catholic, college-prep schools primarily serving low-income youth in urban communities. Closest national peer to WJA in mission and target population, though Cristo Rey schools are mostly high-school level.
• Eagle Academy Foundation: Network of all-male, college-preparatory public schools serving young men of color in urban communities. Directly comparable in single-gender-for-underserved-youth focus and college-prep orientation.
• SEED Schools of Maryland/DC: Urban, tuition-free boarding schools for underserved youth in the DC/Maryland area. Comparable in mission (serving underserved urban families) and operational model (extended day, comprehensive services).
• Georgetown Preparatory School: Jesuit boarding school in suburban Maryland serving young men from the DC region. Comparable in Jesuit identity and as a downstream high-school destination for WJA alumni pursuing Catholic college prep.
• Bellarmine College Preparatory: Jesuit college-prep school in California serving diverse students, including a significant portion from low-income families. Comparable in Jesuit educational model, Ignatian spirituality, and college-readiness outcomes focus.
• Brother Martin High School: Catholic, all-male college-prep high school in New Orleans run by the Christian Brothers. Comparable in faith-based, single-gender education model and college-prep outcomes focus.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP DC: Local charter-school network serving low-income DC students across multiple campuses. Comparable as a broader-scale, tuition-free provider competing for the same underserved DC families from pre-K through high school.
• Noble Schools (Chicago): Chicago charter network serving predominantly low-income students of color with a college-prep model. Comparable as a broader-scale operator competing for the same demographic and outcome orientation.

Regional players

• Sidwell Friends School: Elite private K-12 school in Washington, DC. Regional comparable in private-school operations in the DC market, but serves a very different demographic (well-resourced families, not underserved).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WashingtonJesuitAcademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/washingtonjesuit
• Xx.com/WashJesAcademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/washington-jesuit-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Washington Jesuit Academy