The University of Missouri–St Louis Partnerships for Progress, Project Compete partnership programme was initiated in 1986 between the University and the St Louis School District, stimulated by a large grant from one major St Louis-based international corporation. Initially, the project involved only one major programme element, known as the ‘Bridge’ programme, which operated in two St Louis city high schools (grades 9–12). A second programme for high-school youth – the Engelmann Institute – was added in 1987, and a third programme, Access to Success, was added in 1988 to extend the programme to the middle school (grades 6–8). Each programme is discussed in this article, as are the lessons learned from Project Compete and its potential for future development.