About Operation Bootstrap

“A Broader, Bolder Approach to Basic Skills & Further Training”

Operation Bootstrap started in 1976 as an employment training program for young people referred by the Juvenile Court. With the establishment of an Adult Learning Center in 1979, the major emphasis of the program became its educational services to the adults of the Greater Lynn area. In 1981, the organization received its tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. A major shift in the program’s approach to providing instructional services occurred in 1990, when Operation Bootstrap changed from a “drop in” program to a comprehensive Adult Learning Center. Operation Bootstrap’s mission is to address the educational needs of adults in the Greater Lynn area by providing high quality services.

Currently, Operation Bootstrap offers on-going classes in three program areas: Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education (ASE), and English as a Second Language (ESL). In addition to the core instructional offerings, we provide a range of supplemental educational services such as employment/career readiness, computer assisted instruction, family literacy, citizenship, student leadership and community participation. Operation Bootstrap serves the most educationally and economically disadvantaged adults in our community: youth (16 or older) who have dropped out of school, adults who do not have a high school diploma and immigrants in need of learning English. Most of our students are from Lynn, but we also serve individuals from other North Shore communities. About 77% of our students identify as ethnic/cultural minorities, including Asian, Hispanic and Black. The center serves between 400 and 600 community residents annually