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Enhancing academic potential for Littles
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Education Initiative
The BBBS of NYC Education
Initiative provides a wide range
of academic support services to
nearly 150 youth in the various
programs. To help college-bound
high school students, the Education
Initiative partnered with Harvard
Square Tutors, an elite private
tutoring company, to offer Littles
the opportunity to enroll in a
complimentary seven-week intensive SAT Prep
course taught at BBBS of NYC headquarters in
Manhattan during the fall semester. High school
juniors and seniors enrolled in the various
BBBS of NYC programs immediately filled all
20 available spots (valued at $3,225 per student).
Due to the heavy interest, another SAT intensive
prep class will be offered in early 2013.
Making college readiness
a reality
“We feel very fortunate to be able to take this
prep class because we know so many other
kids who do not have the opportunity but could
really use the help,” commented twins Kenya
and Jessenia, both of whom are taking the free
course. Their mother, Denise, also expressed
appreciation for the class, explaining, “I was
relieved to hear about the free prep courses
offered by BBBS of NYC. With a limited budget
and twin girls looking forward to going to
college, the prep will help them to excel on the
SAT and potentially secure acceptance to the
colleges of their choice.”
Harvard Square Tutors has also committed
to provide additional programming in the
area of college readiness, hosting different
workshops throughout the year focused on
choosing the right college, financial aid and
scholarships, and transitioning from high
school to college. All will be available free of
charge to Littles in the program.
“Not everyone can afford a tutor, and we think
it’s important to make our materials and teachers
available to as many students as possible. We’re
so happy about the partnership with BBBS
of NYC, and we’re really looking forward to
working with more of their Littles,” adds Sheila
Akbar, manager, Harvard Square Tutors.
More prep for more students
The Education Initiative doesn’t stop there.
Students in the BBBS of NYC Workplace
Mentoring Program are able to use an online
SAT Prep program thanks to Graph It Forward
Today, a not-for-profit organization committed
to creating equal education opportunities for
high school students nationwide. Their mission
is to provide the necessary educational tools to
deserving high school students limited not by
ability, but by financial means.
“Graph It Forward Today is thrilled to have
partnered with BBBS of NYC to add another layer
of support to many high school juniors who lack
the means to access essential academic tools. By
providing graphing calculators and scholarships
to the Wilson Daily Prep SAT/ACT prep program to
all BBBS of NYC juniors who demonstrate strong
commitment and motivation to the program, we
are making college admissions more equitable,”
comments Nina Auerbach, Executive Director,
Graph It Forward Today.
Scholarships for
academic performance
This year more than 20 Littles applied for each of
the program’s annual in-house scholarships: the
Lindsay Morehouse Memorial Scholarship and the
Going the Extra Mile Scholarship. Eight recipients
received a total of $11,000 in college scholarships.
The students
were awarded
their scholarships
at the Education
Initiative’s second
annual Academic
Recognition Event
in June. Lindsay
Morehouse’s family
and Lari Stanton of Going the Extra Mile, the
two scholarship funders, were in attendance and
had the chance to meet the award recipients.
The event also honored 32 Littles who had
achieved strong academic performance and
improvement throughout the school year. Littles
were nominated by their social
workers and were honored
at the ceremony with their
families, their Bigs and
friends in attendance.
Denise, mother
“With
twin girls
looking forward to
college, the SAT Prep
will help to potentially
secure acceptance
to the college
of their
choice.”