The Steppingstone Foundation
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The Steppingstone Foundation 2010 ANNUAL REPORT Contents 5 . Letter from the Founder Michael P. Danziger 6 . Letter from the Chairman Brian J. Conway 6 . Board of Directors 7 . Placement Schools 8 . About our Programs 10 . Colleges & Graduate Schools 11 . 2010 Gift Report 15 . Corporate Gifts 15 . Berylson Fund for Leadership Development 15 . Summer Opportunities Fund 16 . Financial Statements Twenty Years b 1990 1991 Schoolteacher 11 Scholars Michael Danziger complete and entrepreneur Steppingstone’s John Simon admit academic 14 Scholars to component and the pilot class of are admitted to The Steppingstone seven placement Scholars Program. schools. A NTOINE T ROWERS ’91 The Steppingstone Academy Antoine Trowers is one of the 14 Scholars in Steppingstone’s pilot class. He graduated from Thayer Academy and 1 earned a B.S. from Bryant University and an M.S. 1992 1993 1994 199D 1996 in management/marketing Six new placement L. G. Balfour from University of The Steppingstone schools added to Foundation makes Maryland, University Fellowship is make a total of five-year grant College. Antoine currently created to enable 13 schools where of $400,000. works as a Direct Support recent college Scholars are placed. 40 Scholars professional at Sasha Bruce graduates to gain Steppingstone’s admitted to Youth Works in experience in headquarters move The Scholars Program. Washington, D. C., an teaching, from Danzigers’ organization which helps admissions, and apartment to State meet the urgent needs advising. Street office space. of at-risk youth and their families. He is married and the proud dad of a two-year-old son. ............. C HERYN B YRON Steppingstone Mentor Cheryn Byron works at Phillips Healthcare as a Senior Field Marketing Manager. For the past year, she has mentored 1997 1998 1999 Rojae Rowe.2000 Cheryn 2001 The Magnet The Steppingstone chose to volunteer at Magnet and Program is created Scholars Program The Steppingstone Scholars Programs to prepare Boston in Philadelphia is Academy’s SMASH merged to form students for launched and (Saturday Mentoring The Steppingstone placement at the a pilot class and Study Hall) because Academy; 98 three exam schools. of 28 admitted. of the value placed on Scholars admitted. 18 Scholars are quality education. Scholars in Boston admitted to pilot She remarks, “Scholars pilot class graduate class. are so appreciative of the from college. mentors’ time and are eager to learn.” ............. R OJ A E R OWE ’09 The Steppingstone Academy Rojae Rowe is an eighth grader at Boston Latin Academy and an honor roll student. Rojae meets with Cheryn on Saturday mornings 2002 2003 2004 200D 2006 during the school year, Saturday mentoring Steppingstone Steppingstone and says he truly The Steppingstone Academy admits program expands receives launches Campaign enjoys spending time with 152 Scholars. to include study $1 million grant for Growth to raise her at SMASH, fine- The pilot class hall and is renamed from the Richard $15 million to tuning his math skills. He in Philadelphia SMASH (Saturday and Susan Smith support program wants to be an engineer graduates from Mentoring and Family Foundation, expansion. and attend MIT. Study Hall). making it the high school. first gift received of ............. The Steppingstone that magnitude. Academy Hartford is launched in partnership with the Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation. M IR AY Y ILDIZ College Success Academy, Class 1 Miray Yildiz is a member of the inaugural class of the College Success Academy. She attends fifth grade 2007 2008 at the Edison2009 K8 School 2010 2011 in Brighton. National McLane Fund is Steppingstone’s The College Miray’s parents Partnership for established with first class in Success Academy emigrated from Turkey Educational Access a $1 million gift Philadelphia (CSA) is launched because of the educational (NPEA) is created. from TA Associates’ graduates from in two Boston opportunities available Jamilah Ryan ’95D Managing Directors college. public K8 schools, to their daughter, and to is the first Scholar to honor partner The Steppingstone the Edison and the women in general, in the Alumna to teach Andy McLane and Academy in Boston Jackson/Mann. United States. Miray at Steppingstone. support placement serves 1,000 loves reading, making at boarding schools. Scholars in grades new friends at CSA, and Campaign five through 12. teaching her dad English. for Growth raises She wants to be a doctor. $19 million. ............. WHEN I LOOK AT the accomplishments While the 20-year mark is a good on the timeline on the previous pages, time to reflect and give thanks for all I am humbled by all of the work that that has happened so far, we are as the Scholars, their families, and the staff passionate as ever to find new ways to help have done, grateful for every bit of advice those students who have the will to earn and support I’ve gotten along the way, educational opportunities that lead to a and inspired to make the next 20 years four-year college degree. We are particu- even better. larly excited to be in a position to offer In 1990, the faculty consisted of Steppingstone’s academic and support John Simon and myself, and there were services to more underserved students in 14 Scholars in the pilot class. Now, the Boston Public Schools. The Steppingstone Academy serves more At every milestone, know that I am than 1,400 Scholars in Boston, we have acutely aware and grateful that none of affiliates serving several hundred Scholars what we have accomplished would be in Philadelphia and Hartford, and we’ve possible without your support. I can’t wait launched the National Partnership for for us to start filling in the next timeline. Educational Access, whose member organizations collectively serve more Michael P. Danziger than 100,000 underserved students across Founder and CEO the country. Just last July, we launched The Steppingstone Foundation the College Success Academy, which has the potential to help countless public school students in Boston and beyond. Our growth has outpaced our wildest ambitions, but only because we’ve received more support than we could ever have imagined. Behind each notch on the timeline lie innumerable stories. These tales include the heroic work of Scholars, the heartfelt generosity of donors, and the perseverance and patience of mentors. Every day, for two decades, a myriad of people have quietly but purposefully committed themselves to the vision that with proper preparation and support, and a lot of hard work, any student can go to college and succeed. Letter............. from the Founder 5 WHILE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to capture together regionally to collaborate, share Steppingstone’s first 20 years of life on a best practices, and create a college pipeline few pages, the timeline in the preceding within their communities, beginning in pages features some of its most celebrated Boston. accomplishments. By tracing these Perhaps Steppingstone’s most notable highlights, you will note the rise in the recent expansion is the launch of a new number of Boston students Steppingstone initiative, based in the Boston Public has been able to serve, the building of Schools, called the College Success Academy. affiliate programs in Hartford and Last July, Mayor Menino helped kick-off The Steppingstone Foundation Philadelphia, and the launch of the the program, as the inaugural 46 Scholars Board of Directors National Partnership for Educational buckled down to start their collegebound Access (NPEA) which supports programs journey. I give those diligent rising fifth- Amy Smith Berylson dedicated to college access for underserved graders tremendous credit, but I also Chuck Brizius students. The ink is not even dry on the give you a heartfelt thank you. These Robert Clagett last timeline entry reflecting the creation Scholars will spend five summers and Brian Conway, Chairman of the College Success Academy in four academic years after school in classes, Michael P. Danziger Boston last July. fortifying what they learn in their regular Bart Epker None of this progress could have Boston Public School curriculum, while Richard Friedman occurred without your critical support. benefiting from the Steppingstone culture Andrew Hahn Your steadfast belief in Steppingstone’s of hard work, high expectations, and high William Helman mission has enabled the Board to chart achievement. Once these Scholars are in Allison Johnson Steppingstone’s course for the future. their Boston public high schools, they will Isabelle Loring Steppingstone Scholars have had great receive the same quality college counseling Dr. Richard I. Melvoin success graduating from four-year colleges, and financial aid assistance, college tours, A. Peter Monaco, Jr. and as larger classes come through the and socio-emotional support that the Karl W. Reid, Ed.D. program, we want to ensure that future Scholars from The Steppingstone Acad- Brent E. Shay Scholars have the same opportunity. emy receive. We quite literally couldn’t John G. Simon As a result of last year’s strategic plan, provide them with this path to college John S. Weinberg Steppingstone has restructured The without you. Christina Wing-O’Donnell Steppingstone Academy’s support services On behalf of the 1,400 Steppingstone component to include college services, Scholars headed back to school, ranging ensuring that Scholars transition success- from a fifth-grade classroom in Brighton fully to college and earn a degree. Services to a college senior seminar in Cambridge, include summer bridge workshops, thank you for your