SteppingStoneSpring2012Newsltr - The Steppingstone Foundation

Photo credit: Bill MilesCSA Scholar Abubakar Aden, Class 1.No Winter Blues atCollege Success AcademyAfter the school bell rings fordismissal, 42 fifth-grade CollegeSuccess Academy Scholars atthe Jackson/Mann and EdisonK-8 Boston public schools stayto attend Steppingstone classesevery Tuesday, Wednesday, andThursday afternoon to advancetheir math, reading, and writingskills. Through a math project,Scholars calculated that the timethey spend in CSA classes eachyear is equivalent to 90 extraschool days. In writing workshop,Scholars practice non-fictionwriting through drafting scientificreports as well as articles for theschool newspaper. English andmath skills intersect in sciencelab where Scholars are collectingdata, applying scientific method,and reporting on their progress invarious experiments, including arecent contest to construct a bridgeof popsicle sticks holding themost weight. Scholars are alsointegrating technology into theclassroom through video projectsand learning blogs. In January,Scholars earned the opportunityto visit the Boston College campusand attend a BC women’s basketballgame. Applications arestreaming in for the second classof fourth-grade Scholars to begintheir journey in CSA this summer.Boston Non-Profits BondOver College AccessHow does a non-profit effectivelyexpand educational access for theyouth it serves? By stepping outof the silo and sharing informationwith like-minded, goal-drivenorganizations, that’s how! Steppingstone’sNational Partnershipfor Educational Access (NPEA) notonly connects its 219 membersacross the country but has alsocreated a regional group calledthe Boston Learning Network(BLN). BLN is comprised of eightBoston-area non-profits* that arecommitted to improving educationalaccess for youth. With NPEA asthe convener, the BLN received atwo-year grant from Third SectorNew England in 2011 to workcollectively on the following areasin support of underrepresentedstudents: 1) collaboration, 2) communication,3) best practices, and4) student and family services.The BLN is also committed toenabling the transitioning ofstudents between Boston-areaNPEA member programs andto improving communicationbetween programs through themonthly NPEA meet-ups that areheld for both NPEA members andnonmembers.Wes Moore Featured atNPEA ConferenceThe fourth annual NPEA Conference,Innovative Collaborations:Strategies for Supporting UnderrepresentedStudents, will take placeon April 19-20 in Chicago, IL. Thelead keynote speaker will be WesMoore whose book, The OtherWes Moore, was published in April2010 and became an instant NewYork Times and Wall Street Journalbestseller. Nearly 300 attendees,including school- and non-schoolbasedacademic enrichmentprograms, independent schools,charter schools, colleges anduniversities, education non-profits,and interested individuals, areexpected to attend. Highlights willinclude more than 20 workshopson topics such as student transitions,college persistence, andpublic/private partnerships andcollaborations.News of Note*Boston LearningNetwork Members:Building Educated Leadersfor Life (BELL)Breakthrough CambridgeFamilies United in EducationalLeadership (FUEL)MIT Office of EngineeringOutreach Programs (OEOP)National Partnership forEducational Access (NPEA)Pine Manor CollegeTrinity Education for ExcellenceProgram (TEEP)The Steppingstone FoundationFounded in 1990, TheSteppingstone Foundation isa non-profit organization thatdevelops and implementsprograms which prepareurban schoolchildren foreducational opportunitiesthat lead to college success.Based on the premise that,regardless of circumstance,children can achieve at highlevels if they are preparedin a focused, demandingacademic environment,Steppingstone programsemphasize rigorous standardsand achieve meaningfulresults.spring 2012 News3

spring 2012 NewsRecently, a Steppingstone Scholar in her senioryear at a highly competitive eastcoast college called Matt Waldman,Steppingstone’s Director of CollegeServices, for advice. She wasstruggling academically and wantedhelp transferring to a new college.In many cases, transferring schoolscan lead to a longer––and moreexpensive––college career; transferstudents also have a higher risk ofdropping out.Mr. Waldman worked with theScholar to identify the challengesshe faced at her current school andhelped her navigate school resourcesto meet her needs. The Scholar isnow on track to graduate from hercurrent university.The transition from high school tocollege can be an overwhelmingexperience for many students,including Steppingstone Scholars.For most, it signals a series offirsts––relocating to a new state,living with roommates, and balancinga job with heavy academic demands.Steppingstone’s answer to thischallenge was creating the CollegeServices department in 2011. Once aScholar graduates from high school,College Services becomes theirprimary Steppingstone resource, andthe department offers personalizedsupport, as well as myriad initiativesGetting in ancollProfiSteppingstCollege SDepartdesigned to increase Scholars’chances of earning their four-yearcollege degree.From mentoring programs, toworkshops on personal financeand résumé writing, to financial aidadvising, Steppingstone’s CollegeServices department provides criticalsupport to Scholars and equipsthem with the skills needed to attaina four-year college degree, andsubsequently, enter the workforcecapable of achieving a lifetime ofsuccess.4

d staying inege.le onone’s NewervicesmentOn the day each Scholar makes the ceremoniouswalk to the podium to accept his or herhigh school diploma, a Steppingstone staffmember is in the audience cheering that Scholar’saccomplishments. Since middle school,Steppingstone has been an integral part of theScholar’s academic journey. Leading up to thispoint, Scholars have sacrificed fun with friendsin exchange for two summers of academicwork at The Steppingstone Academy, attendedcountless Saturday Mentoring and Study Hallsessions to get ahead of homework assignments,toured colleges with other Scholars, andreceived financial aid and college placementcounseling. And now, finally, it’s timefor college.H Steppingstone Send-off This annual gatheringis held in June for Scholars heading to collegein the fall and provides an opportunity to connectwith Steppingstone and share experiencesand concerns related to the transition to collegein an informal and fun setting.H Pre-College Bridge Program Steppingstoneoffers a three-part workshop series focusingon personal finance, addressing college socialconcerns, and accessing campus resources.Scholars in high school have the chance tochat with Steppingstone Alumni about what toexpect in college.H Mentoring Program Alumni in their juniorand senior year in college are paired withfreshmen and sophomores at their respectivecolleges.H College Services E-Newsletter A monthlynewsletter updates the Alumni collegecommunity about the latest Steppingstoneservices and activities.H Care Packages In December of theirfreshmen year, all Steppingstone Alumnireceive a package filled with goodies tocongratulate them on completing their first-evermid-term exams in college.H Young Alumni Parties These gatheringsprovide a networking opportunity to Alumniduring winter and spring breaks.H Advising Alumni and their parents receiveone-on-one advising on various topicsincluding college financial aid forms.H Career Services Résumé and cover letterwriting workshops are offered along withcoaching on interview skills and on-campusrecruiting opportunities.H Workshops on Personal Finance Seniorsin college who are about to embark on thenext phase of their life are offered strategieson successfully joining the work force.From left to right: Marleah Cummins ’05, Mahawa Sidibay’05, Matt Waldman, Director of College Services, andJamelia Willock ’05.spring 2012 News5

For the first term of the 2011-2012 academic year, 223 Scholarsreceived the Honor Roll distinctionat their respective schools.Scholars are narrowing downcollege decisions. Earlyadmission recipients includeBoston Latin School’s GabriellaGilbert ’06, who will attendColumbia University in the fall,and Southfield School’s AshleySantelises ’08, who was acceptedto MIT.On January 16, Scholars, families, and staff joined more than 500volunteers as part of Boston Cares to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.by gathering at the Curley Middle School in Jamaica Plain to makescarves and blankets to benefit Room to Grow and the New EnglandCenter for Homeless Veterans.Boston Latin School’s Angie Isaza’06 and Boston Latin Academy’sMelissa Rodriguez ’06 received Possescholarships and will have theirfull tuition needs met in college.Angie will attend Bucknell Universityand Melissa is heading toUnion College.Zoe Li ’06 of Boston Latin School isthe captain of the mock trial team,layout editor of the school newspaper,Argo, and editor of BLS’literary magazine, The Register.Boston Latin Academy’s AndrésCardona ’06 was awarded theBrown University Book award atBLA’s National Honor Societyinduction ceremony. FaetitiaDesamours ’06, Kara Blackwell ’06,Simon Ngo ’06, Stephanie Thermora ’06,and Carliana Teixeira ’06 were alsoinducted into the National HonorSociety.Cassandra Vickers ’06 of NewtonCountry Day School was inductedinto the National Honor Society asa junior. She spent last summerworking in a research lab at theBroad Institute of MIT and Harvard.Bruna Lee ’09 of The Rivers Schooldelivered the 2011 SteppingstoneGala keynote address, and heraccomplishments were thenprofiled in the CharlestownPatriot-Bridge.Edosa Onaiwu ’09 of St. Sebastian’sSchool was elected vice presidentof the ninth grade.Dexter School’s Daniel Haro ’05was featured in The East BostonTimes-Free Press for completingan architecture apprenticeship andvolunteering for the Boston NaturalAreas Network.Milton Academy’s Sean Chanicka’08 was elected as a ninth gradeStudent Government representative.He recently played Romeo inMilton’s production of The Hauntingof William Shakespeare.Justin Jimenez ’08 of Noble andGreenough School participatedin his school’s Student DiversityLeadership Conference in December.Gabriella Ureña ’10 won a trophyfor performing the best monologuefrom Romeo and Juliet in front ofthe entire Nobles middle school.Also at Nobles, Felix Liang ’06 wasfeatured on WCVB Channel 5News as an “A Plus Student.”Roxbury Latin’s Bassil Bacare ’08and Tevin Barros ’07 will beattending The Roxbury LatinSchool’s 2012 Immersion Programin Burgos, Spain this summer.Akeem Lindo ’09 of BostonPreparatory was accepted intoMIT’s SEED Academy.Scholarly AchievementsBoston College High School’sBoma Dikibo ’07 received the HousemanScholarship through BostonArchitectural College to participatein its summer 2012 high schoolprogram.Winsor School’s Priyokti Rana ’08was elected president of the 10thgrade class.Derek DaSilva ’09, a freshman at RoxburyLatin, addresses attendees at the RoxburyLatin Annual Fund Kick-Off Dinner.Photo credit: Suzanne Camarataspring 2012 News7

Spotlight on Noble andGreenough School155 Federal StreetSuite 800Boston, MA 02110®NONPROFIT ORGUS POSTAGEPAIDBOSTON MAPERMIT 50495RETURN SERVICE REQUESTEDPhoto credit: Karen SnyderAlso Inside:H Wes Moore Speaks atNPEA Annual ConferenceH Getting in and Stayingin CollegeScholars at Nobles, pictured here: Henry Liang’10 and Gabriela Ureña ’10. Pictured on frontclockwise, left to right: Adriana Ureña ’05,Felix Liang ’06, Justin Jimenez ’08, Bryan Huynh’08, Sebastian Viasus ’07, and Genesis De LosSantos ’08. Not pictured: Ava Brignol ’08, Noahspring 2012Poindexter ’08, and Sophia Lesperance ’10.teppingstonenews