UB Scholar's Digest

Northfield Mount Hermon School Winter 2011 UB Scholar’s Digest Director’s Notes... Greetings! Anna Rigali, our Holyoke advi- UB MISSION sor will be heading to Washing- It has been a very ton D. C. for the Council for Our mission is to provide snowy winter at Opportunity Policy Seminar UB Attends Food and the skills and motivation UB! We are catch- with the hope of learning more for low-income and first ing our breath after about the legislative process. She Justice Summit in Boston generation youth to be a week of exciting events and is part of the Massachusetts successful in high school trips, including our annual Ca- delegation which will be engag- and to be able to enter reer Day and a trip to Boston ing our representatives in discus- On Saturday, Feb. 26th, UB staff and over 50 freshmen, and succeed in college. for a Food Justice Conference. sions about the future of Up- Alumni Heather Hume and sophomores and juniors at- ward Bound and other TRIO tended the 2011 Northeast Food Omar Williams joined us and programs. Like all federally and Justice Summit at North- shared their insight and experi- In this issue . funded programs, Upward eastern University in Boston. ences in their respective fields of Bound is feeling the pressure of The conference offered a pleth- transportation and accounting. ora of food justice-related work- UB Attends Food Justice 2 proposed cuts. It is more impor- shops that helped UB kick off Summit in Boston tant than ever for all of us to Our seniors are beginning to its spring enrichment and Sum- continue to communicate the Staff Spotlight 2 get good news from colleges and mer Academy food justice value and success of our pro- theme. College and Career 3 we are getting to know our new grams. Please share your success Exploration students through our afterschool stories and speak out! Students participated in interac- Legislative Forum for 3 programs. tive and informative workshops, Youth Gisele Litalien including sessions on farm Photo Collage: High- 4 workers’ rights, the truth behind lights from February fast food, gardening, multicul- tural food traditions, the impact New Student Orienta- 5 of food systems on the individ- tion, Experiences College and Career Exploration Continued on page 3 ual, environment and commu- Senior Spotlights 6 After wrapping up an intense change the world. They also nity, ―slow food‖ preparation, season of SAT preparation, UB learned about the importance of corner store ―makeovers‖ and College Acceptances 7 students embarked on a new grades, GPA and academic rigor examining the food chain from chapter of after-school enrich- in the college application process ―seed to plate.‖ Alumni Updates and 8 Spotlights ment this January: college and and how financial aid can help career exploration. During en- make college affordable. (continued on page 2) Beast Point Events 10 richment, students learned about balancing personal and profes- In February, students gathered at Parent Corner 10 sional values, researched careers NMH for the annual UB Career online, explored college majors Day, where 10 pro- Leadership Spotlight 11 and brainstormed how they could fessionals – including Beast Point Challenge 12 Winter 2011 UB Scholars attend Food Summit in Boston (continued from page 1) corner stores and bodegas impact a community’s access to healthy food and the steps they can take to address the issue of ―food deserts.‖ The workshop entitled ―The People Behind the Food‖ presented informa- The concept of food justice is a tion about the legal and societal broad one, with many aspects and factors that contribute to the perspectives to consider. The exploitation of farm workers, workshops at the Summit re- while in another workshop, stu- flected the multi-faceted nature of dents talked about the connec- this issue and helped introduce tion between activism and food UB staff and students to some justice. ―We talked about civil basic information while helping rights, Gandhi’s Salt March, the everyone understand the relevance Greensboro sit-ins and the of food justice in our lives. Black Panthers,‖ Renaissance junior Tim Flavin reported. In In ―Food Justice 101‖, students ―Youth and Good Food,‖ stu- learned about workers’ rights is- dents considered the impact of sues and how to be a more in- McDonald’s on our food system formed consumer when making and discussed ways to stop cor- personal food choices. The work- porate abuse of food. shop was presented by youth from Left: students write interns in The Food Project, a The conference also gave UB poetry in the “Poetry and Boston-based movement. In students a chance to explore the your Story” workshop. ―Healthy Corner Store Make- Northeastern University campus Above: UB scholars overs,‖ students discussed how in the heart of Boston. explore Northeastern University. Staff Spotlight: New Role at UB Sharon Gralnick Hometown: Long Island, NY Current town: Brattleboro, VT Position: Turners Falls Academic Advisor; Assistant Director What do you enjoy about your new role at UB? Getting to know new kids! And working in a new community. What goals do you have for your students this year? For them to push themselves to the edge of their comfort zone and to work to become the best of who they are. What is your favorite food from Alumni Dining Hall? Meatless Mondays in general. What is the last book you read that you loved? Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende. (Recommended to me by Gisele!) What’s your favorite part about the winter? The snow that sticks on trees. And going on walks at night. Definitely not bundling my newborn up — it takes like 20 years. THE UB SCHOLAR’S DIGEST UB Scholar’s Digest College and Career Exploration (continued from page 1) UB alums Heather Hume and The next few days in mid- Omar Williams – gave presenta- February were busy ones for UB tions about their careers. students! On Tuesday, a group of students visited Stonehill This year’s event featured speak- College in Easton, Mass. and ers in the fields of video game Wheaton College in Norton. On design, allied health, criminal Wednesday, another group justice, public transportation, toured Fairfield University in accounting, information tech- Fairfield, Conn. and Connecticut nology, neonatal nursing and College in New London. Thurs- engineering. UB students took day’s trip was to UMASS Dart- advantage of the opportunity to mouth, where sophomores and learn about so many different juniors toured the campus while career paths; they asked insight- seniors applying to the school ful questions and some even interviewed and tested for the connected with the professionals College Now program. Visiting afterward. Holyoke High junior colleges also gave UB students a Naiomi Robles and Renaissance chance to reconnect with freshman Leila Melendez each alumni; they met up with Vianca spoke to presenters about find- Ramos, (Holyoke High 2010) a ing internships in their commu- freshman at Fairfield University nities in the fields of forensic studying accounting, and Julian psychology and criminal justice. Jiminian, (Renaissance 2010) an engineering freshman at UMASS After the presentations, the stu- Dartmouth. dents enjoyed a delicious meal in Alumni Dining Hall and split up UB students enjoyed the chance to participate in fun group ac- to see new places, ask questions, tivities ranging from yoga and picture themselves on college Thriller-dancing to basketball, campuses and consider new board games and watching a possibilities for their futures. movie. Work hard, scholars — one day you’ll be giving tours yourselves! UB Students Participate in Legislative Forum for Youth an open dialogue with legislators UB scholars and GHS students Yasmin from Massachusetts state and Forbes, Cheyenna Woodard, Rahul local government. Among the Malik and Manisha Malik attended the forum. Woodard, a freshman, participated in legislators in attendance at this discussions with Sen. year’s forum were Senator Benja- Downing and [the DA]. ―I min B. Downing, Representative asked Sen. Downing why In January, several UB students partici- Denise Andrews, Sen. Steve the state had to close the pated in the 9th [?] annual Franklin Brewer, Berkshire Rep. Gail elementary school and why County Legislative Forum for Youth Cariddi, Greenfield Mayor Bill the building is just sitting there; why can’t they open held at Greenfield High School. The Martin and District Attorney it again?‖ Woodard said she David Sullivan. In two roundta- event, organized by YouthServe Ameri- enjoyed hearing what her fellow students Corps members and the DIAL/SELF ble-style sessions, students asked had to say and hearing the responses from program, presents high school students the legislators questions about the legislators, affirming that she would like with a unique opportunity to engage in issues and laws affecting their to attend the forum again in the future. THE UB SCHOLAR’S DIGEST February Event Highlights Wheaton College Stonehill College UMASS Dartmouth Career Day Activities Winter 2011 New students gear up for Upward Bound At the New Student Orientation Ambassadors Summer Forcier, at NMH on Saturday, Jan. 15th, Alex Carlo, Aliona Olaru, UB staff, Student Ambassadors Nidhi Malik, Katherine and current UB scholars wel- Casado and Rosa Oliveras comed new students and their introduced new students to UB’s families to the program. ―No Diss‖ policy and led ice- breakers to help everyone get to Director Gisele Litalien and know each other. academic advisors from Holy- oke, Springfield and Franklin After lunch at Alumni Hall, Am- County introduced freshmen, bassadors led new families and sophomores and their families students on tours of the NMH to the goals, expectations and campus. The entire UB commu- culture of Upward Bound. nity is excited to welcome its newest members! New students shared their ex- citement and apprehension with the group and discussed their academic goals with their families and new advisors.

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