Going for it at Nobles Photo credit: Karen Snyder ®

Every fall, hundreds of prospective Scholars and their families check the box on their Steppingstone applications indicating their interest in independent schools. These schools offer an exciting world of opportunity, but those first days in an unfamiliar environment can be filled with anxiety, even after 14 months of Steppingstone’s academic and social- emotional preparation. When Brittany Reid ’05, Nobles ’11, first heard of Steppingstone as a fourth-grader at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, she recalls, “My teacher said I should ‘go for it.’ But I had no idea what it would feel like to walk into Nobles’ front door. (cont’d) 2

springEnrollment Management 2012~ JenniferHines,Deanof any ofourstudents.” door doesn’ttocloseon start Newsent hatstomakesurethatthe - doors, andweallweardiffer education isthekeytoopen person. We understandthat rest ontheshouldersofone students likeBrittanydoesn’t recognize thatsupporting “Nobles’ strengthisto of ResidentialLife. Karen Gallagher, Director Dean ofStudents;and Front, fromleft:ErikaGuy, ment; andBillBussey, Provost. Dean ofEnrollmentManage- Initiatives; JenniferHines, Tejada, Deanof Diversity Back, fromleft:Steven Nobles ’97,Williams’01. and DevareauxBrown’91, Mawr’11; Nobles ’07,Bryn Monahan’01, Courtney ’05, HolyCross’09; David Medina’99,Nobles currently workingthere: three SteppingstoneAlumni have beenintheirshoes,with additional rolemodelswho don’t havetolookfarfind The 11ScholarsatNobles Brittany Reid’05.

Photo credit: Karen Snyder Photo credit: Tiffany Tran Partner School Noble Profile: Partner and Greenough she agreed to“goforit.” doing.”comfortable lucky NoblesandSteppingstone were certainly thingsthatI amnotcompletely best andtobe forever readyto try check willbetoSteppingstone. Steppingstonepushedmetodomy marketing andpromotions.And whenIachieve thisgoal, my first “I expecttobeaphilanthropist aftermy successfulcareerin attending Nobles, forthefuture. Brittany isonherownandfortified It was allofthemcombined.” teacher whoguidedmetotake advantageofallNobleshadtooffer. BrittanyIndia andNew Orleans. reflects, “There wasn’t aparticular in also traveled communityservice withtheschooltoperform lacrosse andboys’ basketballand managedthegirls’ teams.She Student LifeCouncilrepresentativeandanadmissiontourguide, Brittany soared.Sheplayed basketball, softball,asa served opportunities, andareadyear.” Buttressedwiththissupport, providing academicsupport, mentalhealthcounseling, affinitygroup but rather, ofthestudents, adultsareintegratedinto theworld “Student LifeTeam” here approach.“Therearenosilosofsupport InitiativesSteven Tejadaof Diversity describestheschool’s changedmyokay themandthistrust life.” totrust “Myteamtaughtmethatit’s fivefacultymembers. these trusted atNoblescameprimarilyfrom lessonshelearned most important benefittedfromtheacademicrigor,clearly Brittany believes thatthe providing alaptop, toagraduation dress, tocounseling.” Whileshe “My teamwas abletofulfill my tangibleandemotionalneeds, from parent,her dorm collegecounselor, andcoach.InBrittany’s words, five-day boarderinninthgrade, shealsoreliedonMeganHamilton, Batty,respectively; andMary Counselor. WhenBrittany became a Financial Aid,but whoseofficialtitlesareProvost andDirectorof Nan Bussey toas“my whomBritrefers second setofparents” asBrit’sHines serving Billand academicadvisorforallsixyears; toasher“dreamteam.”refers sheaffectionately Brittany abroadarray ofindividualsupport—what But inadditiontoofferingthesethoughtfulinitiatives, Noblesgave inSeptember.created topreparenew minoritystudentsfortheirarrival of colorwitholderstudents.“Bridges,” asummerorientation, was The schoolinstituteda“BigSibling”program, linkingnew students asseamlesspossible. transitions forSteppingstoneScholars inner-citykidsenteringthe school.”how tobestsupport with almostallstudentsofcolor. Ibelieve Nobles, too, was learning I hadnever receivedlessthanaB+andwas usedtobeinginclass violence.” gottoNobles, “WhenIfirst Ihadanadjustmentperiod. who grew upinaneighborhoodshedescribesas“plaguedby the dininghall.Butitwasn’t always suchsmoothsailingforBrittany time,” twojobsatBates, sheworks inthefinancialaidofficeand studyinginCopenhagen.Inher“spare her junior-yearspringterm ice hockey andrugby, takeslessons, drum andisplanningtospend studies majorwithaminorinmathatBatesCollege.Shealsoplays become aSteppingstoneScholar.” into agoodcollege, andthat’s allIneededtoknowwant to All Iknew atthetimewas thatSteppingstonewouldhelpmeget With the dream team supporting the 11 Scholars currently currently the11Scholars Withthedreamteamsupporting The useoftheword“team”isquitedeliberateatNobles.Dean This cadreincludedDeanofEnrollmentManagementJennifer tomakeNoble andGreenoughhasbeendetermined these All went accordingtoplan, asBrittany anenvironmental iscurrently

Photo credit: Bill Miles to visittheBostonCollegecampus theopportunity Scholars earned blogs.InJanuary, and learning videoprojects through classroom integrating technologyintothe also most weight.Scholarsare of popsiclesticksholdingthe contesttoconstructabridge recent various experiments,includinga in ontheirprogress and reporting data, applyingscientificmethod, collecting Scholarsare lab where math skillsintersectinscience school newspaper. Englishand aswellarticlesfor the reports draftingscientific writing through Scholars practicenon-fiction school days.Inwritingworkshop, year isequivalentto90extra they spendinCSAclasseseach Scholars calculatedthatthetime amathproject, skills. Through andwriting their math,reading, toadvance Thursday afternoon every Tuesday, Wednesday, and to attendSteppingstoneclasses K-8 Bostonpublicschoolsstay the Jackson/MannandEdison Success AcademyScholarsat dismissal, 42fifth-gradeCollege After theschoolbellringsfor College Success Academy No Blues Winter at their journey inCSAthissummer.their journey of fourth-gradeScholarstobegin inforthesecondclass streaming ball game.Applicationsare and attendaBCwomen’sbasket- CSA ScholarAbubakarAden,Class1.

nonmembers. held forbothNPEAmembersand monthly NPEAmeet-upsthatare the through between programs communication to improving and NPEA memberprograms students betweenBoston-area enabling thetransitioningof 4) studentandfamilyservices. munication, 3)bestpractices,and students: 1)collaboration,2)com- in supportofunderrepresented collectively onthefollowingareas New Englandin2011towork ThirdSector two-year grantfrom the convener, a theBLNreceived access foryouth.With NPEAas educational committed toimproving The fourthannualNPEAConference, ConferenceNPEA Wes Moore at Featured non-profits Boston-area (BLN). BLNiscomprisedofeight Network the BostonLearning called group aregional created thecountrybuthasalso across only connectsits219members for EducationalAccess(NPEA)not pingstone’s NationalPartnership organizations, that’show!Step- with like-minded,goal-driven of thesiloandsharinginformation youth itserves?Bysteppingout expand educationalaccessforthe effectively How doesanon-profit Access College Over Bond Non-Profits Boston collaborations. public/private partnershipsand tions, collegepersistence,and on topicssuchasstudenttransi- than20workshops include more expected toattend.Highlightswill individuals,are and interested universities, educationnon-profits, charter schools,collegesand independentschools, programs, based academicenrichment including school-andnon-school- bestseller. Nearly300attendees, York Times and 2010 andbecameaninstantNew Wes waspublishedinApril Moore, whosebook,TheOther Moore lead keynotespeakerwillbeWes on April19-20inChicago,IL.The Students,willtakeplace resented - Strategies forSupportingUnderrep Innovative Collaborations: The BLNisalsocommittedto Wall Journal Street * that are thatare

The SteppingstoneFoundation Trinity EducationforExcellence Pine ManorCollege for National Partnership MIT OfficeofEngineering Families UnitedinEducational Breakthrough Cambridge Building EducatedLeaders Network Members: *Boston Learning Note of News results. and achieve meaningful emphasize rigorousstandards Steppingstone programs academic environment, in afocused, demanding levels ifthey areprepared children canachieve athigh regardless ofcircumstance, Based onthepremisethat, that leadtocollegesuccess. educational opportunities urban schoolchildrenfor programs whichprepare develops andimplements a non-profitorganizationthat Steppingstone Foundation is Founded in1990, The Program (TEEP) Educational Access(NPEA) Outreach Programs(OEOP) Leadership (FUEL) for Life(BELL) 3

spring 2012 News 4 Getting inandstaying in

spring 2012 News Getting inandstaying in support, as well as myriad initiatives support, aswell asmyriadinitiatives personalized the departmentoffers and primary Steppingstoneresource, College Servicesbecomes their highschool, Scholar graduatesfrom Services departmentin2011.Oncea theCollege challenge wascreating Steppingstone’s answertothis a jobwithheavyacademicdemands. andbalancing living withroommates, toanewstate, firsts––relocating For most,itsignalsaseriesof including SteppingstoneScholars. experience formanystudents, college canbeanoverwhelming highschoolto The transitionfrom university. current her now ontracktograduatefrom es tomeetherneeds.TheScholaris - helped hernavigateschoolresourc schooland she facedathercurrent Scholar toidentifythechallenges Mr. Waldman workedwiththe out. dropping students alsohaveahigherriskof transfer expensive––college career; can leadtoalonger––andmore In manycases,transferringschools help transferringtoanewcollege. struggling academicallyandwanted Services, foradvice.Shewas ofCollege Steppingstone’s Director coast collegecalledMattWaldman, year Recently, aSteppingstoneScholarinhersenior atahighlycompetitiveeast

success. capable ofachievingalifetime subsequently, entertheworkforce a four-year and collegedegree, them withtheskillsneededtoattain cal supporttoScholarsandequips criti- Services departmentprovides advising, Steppingstone’sCollege and résuméwriting,tofinancialaid workshops onpersonalfinance to mentoring programs, From college degree. theirfour-year chances ofearning Scholars’ designed toincrease

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Getting inandstaying in Getting inandstaying in Steppingstone’ New College Ser college. college. Profile on Depar tment for college. counseling. Andnow,finally,it’stime financialaidand college placement received collegeswith otherScholars,and ments, toured sessions togetaheadofhomeworkassign- countless SaturdayMentoringandStudyHall work atTheSteppingstoneAcademy,attended in exchangefortwosummersofacademic point, Scholarshavesacrificedfunwithfriends Leadinguptothis Scholar’s academicjourney. Steppingstone hasbeenanintegralpartofthe ar’s accomplishments.Sincemiddleschool, member isintheaudiencecheeringthatSchol- high schooldiploma,aSteppingstonestaff ous walktothepodiumaccepthisorher - On thedayeachScholarmakesceremoni vices

on successfullyjoiningthework force. strategies offered next phaseoftheirlifeare abouttoembarkonthe in collegewhoare H W opportunities. recruiting coaching oninterviewskillsandon-campus alongwith offered writing workshopsare Résuméandcoverletter Services H Career including collegefinancialaidforms. one-on-one advisingonvarioustopics receive H AdvisingAlumniandtheirparents during winterandspringbreaks. anetworkingopportunitytoAlumni provide H Young Thesegatherings AlumniParties examsincollege. mid-term congratulate themoncompletingtheirfirst-ever apackagefilledwith goodiesto receive year,freshmen allSteppingstoneAlumni PackagesInDecemberoftheir H Care services andactivities. community aboutthelatestSteppingstone newsletter updatestheAlumnicollege E-NewsletterAmonthly H CollegeServices colleges. attheirrespective andsophomores freshmen with paired and senioryearincollegeare Alumniintheirjunior H MentoringProgram expect incollege. chat withSteppingstoneAlumniaboutwhatto Scholars inhighschoolhavethechanceto andaccessingcampusresources. concerns, collegesocial on personalfinance,addressing workshopseriesfocusing athree-part offers Steppingstone BridgeProgram H Pre-College andfunsetting. in aninformal tothetransitioncollege related and concerns experiences nect withSteppingstoneandshare anopportunitytocon- in thefallandprovides is heldinJuneforScholarsheadingtocollege Thisannualgathering H SteppingstoneSend-off Jamelia Willock’05. ’05, MattWaldman, and Director ofCollegeServices, From lefttoright:Marleah Cummins’05,MahawaSidibay orkshops onPersonalFinance Seniors

5 spring 2012 News 6 Stepping Out Xaverian BrothersHighSchool The WinsorSchool The SouthfieldSchool Shady HillSchool St. Sebastian’s School St. Paul’s School St. Mark’s School LatinSchool The Roxbury The RiversSchool Phillips ExeterAcademy The ParkSchool School John D.O’Bryant Noble andGreenoughSchool DaySchool Newton Country The MeadowbrookSchool School Holderness The Governor’s Academy The FessendenSchool The DexterSchool DaySchool Dedham Country Dana HallSchool Cambridge SchoolofWeston Buckingham Browne Brimmer andMaySchool Boston UniversityAcademy Boston LatinSchool Boston LatinAcademy Boston CollegeHighSchool Belmont HillSchool Belmont DaySchool DaySchool Beaver Country Schools Steppingstone Placement

spring 2012 News Jackson/Mann K-8School Edison K-8School Schools College SuccessAcademy of Weston & NicholsSchool

Photo credit: Briini Kern Headmaster ofTheFessendenSchool. grader atFessendenwithDavidB.Stettler, Bottom Photo:JosephOkafor‘10,seventh and KellyGlew, PresidentandCOO. Board Chair, MichaelP. Danziger, Founder, Top Photo(Lefttoright):BrianJ.Conway, for Steppingstoneprograms. than$750,000 event raisedmore grader atTheRiversSchool. and BrunaLee’09,aneleventh ’10, aseventhgraderatFessenden, Scholar speakers,JosephOkafor 18 headsofschoolandfeatured Pep RallyGala.Guestsincluded Cambridge forSteppingstone’s spirit attheCharlesHotelin 400 guestsshowedtheirschool than On November2,2011,more Rally Pep Steppingstone Scholars admitted to the program lastspring. Scholars admittedtotheprogram languages spokenathomebetweenthe46 10different are andthere Language Learners, English College SuccessAcademyScholarsare Academy thissummer. HNearlyhalfof toteachatTheSteppingstone returning are Steppingstone Academy.H11Summerfaculty during theirfirstSteppingstonesummeratThe homeworkalone over 1,525hoursonreading Did you know? Collectively,Scholarsspend Co-chairs Ayres Hellerand BrianMorris. Pellerin ’96 Donavan Brown ’95 Donavan Brown SteppingstoneAlumni programs. to raisemoneyforSteppingstone a masquerade-themedCrystalBall finery andmysteriousmasksfor February 24,donningtheirbest the FourSeasonsHotelonFriday, Young at Bostoniansgathered Ball! Crystal Masquerade and raised$95,000. attracted nearly 500 attendees committee forthe eventwhich servedonthehost and Kaitlin Barry Kaitlin Barry

Photo credit: Michael Blanchard Photography Society. inducted intotheNationalHonor Broad InstituteofMITandHarvard. Broad labatthe working inaresearch a junior. Shespentlastsummer into theNationalHonorSocietyas Country DaySchoolwasinducted induction ceremony. induction ceremony. BLA’s NationalHonorSociety University Bookawardat Brown Union College. sity andMelissaisheadingto Angie willattendBucknellUniver full tuitionneedsmetincollege. scholarships andwillhavetheir ’s program. in itssummer2012highschool Architectural Collegeto participate Boston man Scholarshipthrough ’06 ’06 Gilbert hermora ’06, Simon Ngo’06,StephanieThermora Desamours ’06,KaraBlackwell Boston LatinSchool’s to MIT. grade class. ofthe10th was electedpresident Boma Dikibo’07 Lee’09 Bruna Cassandra V Zoe Li’06 Melissa Rodriguez’06 Boston LatinSchool’s include admission recipients college decisions.Early down narrowing Scholars are schools. at theirrespective theHonorRolldistinction received 2012 academicyear, 223Scholars ofthe2011- For thefirstterm and SouthfieldSchool’s Columbia Universityinthefall, Santelises ’08 Boston LatinAcademy’s literary magazine,TheRegister. paper,, andeditorofBLS’ Argo layout editoroftheschoolnews- the captainofmocktrialteam, Boston CollegeHighSchool’s Patriot-Bridge. intheCharlestown profiled then accomplishments were andher Gala keynoteaddress, the2011Steppingstone delivered Cardona ’06 Cardona and andBostonLatinAcademy’s Carliana T ofBostonLatinSchoolis , whowillattend wasawardedthe ickers ’06 ofTheRiversSchool , whowasaccepted eixeira ’06 received theHouse- received Priyokti Rana’08 received Posse received ofNewton Faetitia Angie Isaza Gabriella were also were Ashley Andrés -

Milton Academy’s Network. ral Areas volunteering fortheBostonNatu- and apprenticeship an architecture forcompleting Press Times-Free inTheEastBoston was featured ber. inDecem - Leadership Conference in hisschool’sStudentDiversity Schoolparticipated Greenough of William Shakespeare. ofTheHaunting Milton’s production playedRomeo in He recently representative. Student Government Latin Annual Fund Kick-Off Dinner.Latin AnnualFundKick-Off Latin, addressesattendees attheRoxbury Derek DaSilva’09, a freshmanatRoxbury Justin Jimenez’08 Edosa Onaiwu’09 Center forHomelessVeterans. andblanketstobenefitRoomGrowtheNewEngland scarves by gatheringattheCurleyMiddleSchoolinJamaicaPlaintomake LutherKing,Jr. ofBostonCarestohonorMartin volunteers aspart joinedmorethan500 16,Scholars,families,andstaff On January Dexter School’s of theninthgrade. School waselectedvicepresident Akeem Lindo’09 in Burgos, Spainthissummer. School’s 2012ImmersionProgram attending TheRoxburyLatin Roxbury Latin’s News asan“APlusStudent.” onWCVBChannel 5 featured and ’08 MIT’s SEEDAcademy. wasacceptedinto Preparatory Also atNobles, Noblesmiddleschool. the entire of RomeoandJuliet infront from thebestmonologue for performing was elected as a ninth grade waselectedasaninthgrade T abriella Ureña ’10 Gabriella Ureña evin Barros ’07 evin Barros ofBoston ofSt.Sebastian’s ofNobleand Felix Liang’06 Bassil Bacare ’08 Bassil Bacare Daniel Haro ’05 Daniel Haro Sean Chanicka willbe won a trophy wonatrophy was

Photo credit: Suzanne Camarata Scholarly Achievements Scholarly 7 spring 2012 News NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE Spotlight on Noble and ® PAID BOSTON MA PERMIT 50495 Greenough School 155 Federal Street Suite 800 Boston, MA 02110

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Photo credit: Karen Snyder

Also Inside: H Wes Moore Speaks at NPEA Annual Conference H Getting in and Staying Scholars at Nobles, pictured here: Henry Liang ’10 and Gabriela Ureña ’10. Pictured on front in College clockwise, left to right: Adriana Ureña ’05, Felix Liang ’06, Justin Jimenez ’08, Bryan Huynh ’08, Sebastian Viasus ’07, and Genesis De Los Santos ’08. Not pictured: Ava Brignol ’08, Noah spring 2012 Poindexter ’08, and Sophia Lesperance ’10. Steppingstonenews