KIPP Next Up! Competition

At a young age, Atalia Castro lived in an orphanage in Mexico that was operated by her parents. It was during those early years that Atalia remembers her interest in early childhood education first being sparked. Later, while studying Child Development and Family Studies at Stephen F. Austin State University, Atalia interned at a Head Start program, an experience which further ignited her passion for early childhood development, especially for children growing up in educationally underserved communities.

In 2017, Atalia and her brother Jaciel came up with a vision for a program that could help children from bilingual households improve their literacy skills. The concept leverages international best practices and research-based education philosophies to help bridge the gap for children struggling to read. Through their passion and experience, Atalia and Jaciel launched the program through The Home Centers, an existing community-based, family-operated organization in Houston.

Born and raised in the city of Newark, A’Dorian founded SHE Wins Inc. to create a pipeline of college, career, and community-ready young women leaders. SHE Wins is a leadership and social action organization for middle and high school girls affected by violence in Newark, New Jersey. Through mentorship, service, and trauma-informed care, SHE Wins programs have reached nearly 500 girls in the Newark area and SHE Wins service projects have touched more than 1,300 members of the Newark community.

For her work in education and women’s empowerment, A’Dorian has received numerous awards. She was honored as a White House Champion of Change by President Obama, and named one of Glamour Magazine’s College Women of the Year, a Youth Service America Everyday Young Hero, and a Young Futurist by The Root Magazine. A’Dorian is a 2016 graduate of Swarthmore College and holds a B.A. in Political Science and Educational Studies. She is currently running for school board in Newark to continue deepening her impact in the city she knows best.

Khalil was born in Newark, New Jersey. He started his journey with KIPP in the sixth grade at KIPP New Jersey’s first school: TEAM Academy. He went on to attend the first KIPP high school in New Jersey: Newark Collegiate Academy. NCA is where he began his entrepreneurial endeavors, selling candy and sneakers to schoolmates. In 2011, he began his collegiate career at Rutgers University as a business management major, and started concentrating on entrepreneurship.

He eventually started his own clothing brand on campus, “Amenity” and produced and sold clothing out of his dorm to students on campus and via his e-commerce site. In 2013, Khalil dropped out of school to focus solely on his business. In the midst of building his brand, he started interning for fashion designers in Manhattan. In 2016, Khalil created his luxury brand, Khalil Idris, where he sells made-to-order shoes for men and women. Khalil is currently building his two brands and enjoys spending time with his wife and family, and playing basketball.

Shirin Vetry is a proud KIPP alum from Houston, Texas. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania last May, she moved to Colombia where she is currently working as a Fulbright Scholar. Her experience working in community development across four continents inspired her to create Fishing Rod, a no-interest fund focused on providing comprehensive expert assistance for local entrepreneurs to establish and scale social enterprises.

Shirin has extensive experience in community development. Some highlights of her journey include implementing part of an EU-based program for Strengthening Social Cohesion and Slum Stability at the International Organization for Migration in Uganda, piloting a social enterprise for refugee integration in France, and leading research projects in the Bolivian Amazon.