“Steppingstone Planted the Seed and Park Let It Grow.” Laniesha Gray ’00
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® Photo credit: Karen Snyder Photography “Steppingstone planted the seed and Park let it grow.” Laniesha Gray ’00 With the buds of spring come admission letters to hopeful Boston students anxiously waiting to hear if they are admitted to The Steppingstone Academy. Twelve years ago, one such letter was delivered to Laniesha Gray’s mailbox in Dorchester. That letter not only transformed Laniesha’s life, but also deeply affected the lives of the many people she would touch in the years ahead, starting with the students, faculty, and administration at The Park School. After the 14-month academic component of (Continued) News of Note other program staff are collaborat- Partner School Profile: The Park School ing closely with the schools’ principals, developing curriculum (continued from front) The Steppingstone Academy, Laniesha entered that will complement classroom The Park School in the seventh grade. “The Admission office made me material at the two partner schools, feel comfortable right from the start. I loved touring the school where interviewing summer faculty, and Scholars the kids seemed real and the academic environment was rigorous.” admitting the first class of fourth- Making their Laniesha recalls her very first day at Park as well. “My host student grade students to join the inaugural class. and I connected at first sight, and I immediately felt at home. I loved my Mark at Park Mary Driscoll, principal of the whole experience at Park––serving on Student Council, starting a school Edison School, is excited to join Ayan Warfa ’09, 8th grade newspaper, running on the track and cross country teams, and appearing forces with Steppingstone to set Favorite subject is history, in school musicals. Steppingstone planted the seed and Park let it grow.” more of her students on the path is captain of Junior Varsity to college success. She shares, Girls’ basketball team, and Park is now fortunate to have Laniesha back on campus as a co- “The College Success Academy just cast in the spring play. teacher in seventh- and eighth-grade English. Laniesha discovered her brings the high level of rigor and love of teaching while serving as a summer intern at The Steppingstone A New College Pipeline Bassil Bacare ’08, 9th support that are Steppingstone Academy. “I discovered how much I enjoy working with middle-grade for Boston Students grade Volunteers at Beth hallmarks to families who want to students and realized the draw to give back to the Park community, take full advantage of the K-8 Israel and the Homework In response to the high demand experience and be ready for Assistance Program, sings in including the Scholars who are currently in the classroom.” After for Steppingstone’s academic success in a traditional Boston the chorus, and plays Varsity graduating from Columbia College where she most enjoyed her course- programming, and in recognition public high school and college.” basketball and soccer. work in Shakespeare and creative writing, Laniesha joined the Park that the vast majority of Boston faculty. “Of course, I have a soft spot when I see a Steppingstone schoolchildren attend traditional Nancy Kacupaj ’08, 8th Scholar, as I know how hard they worked to be at a place like Park.” public high schools —and not grade Enjoys ballet, soccer, the highly selective college prep Head of School Jerry Katz is quick to counter. “In fact, it is the 40 basketball, and softball schools that The Steppingstone and participates in the Math Steppingstone placement schools including Park which benefit from Academy places students into— Counts Club, Photo Club, having Scholars in their respective communities.” Katz, currently in his Steppingstone has launched a Helping Hand Community 18th year at the helm, notes that Park’s commitment to Steppingstone new initiative: the College Success Service Project, and Green pre-dates his time at the School. “Our commitment to Steppingstone Academy. Club. The College Success Academy is unwavering not just because we believe in its mission, but because will increase the number of Boston Denny Yu ’10, 7th grade Steppingstone students at Park raise the bar in terms of work ethic and students graduating from four-year Plays Junior Varsity Soccer, character. While Park is committed to a range of diversity starting in colleges. Starting in July, the pro- Junior Varsity Basketball, gram will be piloted in two Boston and enjoys community pre-K, we continue to value our partnership with Steppingstone as a public K-8 schools, the Edison service activities. means to bring high quality students and good citizens to our halls.” School and the Jackson/Mann Students in NPEA-Boston programs posing Park feels so strongly about the strengths that Steppingstone School, both in Brighton. Based on questions during a college tour. Scholars bring to the community that the School endowed a fund the successful Steppingstone Acad- specifically committed to the financial aid of Steppingstone students emy model, the College Success Joining Forces for Founded in 1990, The Photo credit: Karen Snyder Photography at Park. Katz shares, “The Board of Trustees views this Academy will provide after-school College Access Steppingstone Foundation is fund as a vital tool both to ensure our future commitment and summer programming to a non-profit organization that students at these two schools, In November, six members of develops and implements to Steppingstone and to fulfill the greater mission of beginning the summer before Steppingstone’s National Partner- programs which prepare The Park School.” fifth grade and continuing through ship for Educational Access’ (NPEA) urban schoolchildren for Katz notes that having Laniesha Gray on the faculty the summer after eighth grade. Boston Learning Network joined educational opportunities is particularly rewarding. “We are always proud when This extended academic program- forces and led a tour of several that lead to college success. bright and talented Park alumni want to explore teaching ming will provide College Success Massachusetts colleges. Thirty Scholars with the skills they need high school students from the six Based on the premise that, as a profession. It is an added bonus to have Laniesha to enter high school ready to organizations, including The regardless of circumstance, here serving as a role model to all of our students. participate in a college-preparatory Steppingstone Academy, hopped children can achieve at high Laniesha is a colleague whose voice needs to be heard.” curriculum. Additional academic on a bus and visited Clark University, levels if they are prepared Katz further reflects that, “while Steppingstone may programming will be offered dur- College of the Holy Cross, and in a focused, demanding academic environment, Head of School Jerry Katz chats with faculty have started as an opportunity to transform individual ing ninth grade to support students Brandeis University (see photo). member Laneisha Gray ‘00 at The Park School. NPEA will host its third annual Steppingstone programs students’ lives, schools like Park have come to realize as they make the often challenging transition to high school. Students conference on April 28-29, 2011. emphasize rigorous that students and faculty who come to us through different paths enrich Entitled Developing 21st Century standards and achieve S will benefit from support services, S the lives of the whole community.” including college guidance, Leaders: Creating Paths to Success, meaningful results. EW EW N Laniesha Gray and the four Scholars currently at Park are testament throughout high school and college the conference will take place at N to that. Laniesha recalls that in that her acceptance letter, Steppingstone to ensure that they graduate from the Westin Buckhead in Atlanta, told her the program doesn’t end at Steppingstone commencement. high school and a four-year college. Georgia. For more information Steppingstone has been busy about the conference, or to register, “Steppingstone sure held up on their end of the bargain and more. The this winter laying the groundwork please visit www.educational- RING 2011 greatest gift I received from Steppingstone was the confidence to know for the College Success Academy’s access.org. RING 2011 SP what I could achieve with hard work. I am the first person to graduate July launch: the new director and SP 2 3 from college in my family and I am making a difference.” ACCESS works to ensure that all young people have the financial information and resources necessary to find an affordable path to––and through––a postsecondary Beating the Odds: A education. Adam Reinke, Director of Community Steppingstone Placement Engagement at ACCESS, states that “by providing free Schools Collaborative Effort Since financial aid advice and advocacy to students and their Beaver Country Day School families from middle school through college graduation, Belmont Day School Belmont Hill School in Massachusetts ACCESS has helped students secure 1990, The Steppingstone Boston College High School more than $150 million in financial aid in the last three Boston Latin Academy years alone, and awarded $2 million from their own Boston Latin School Foundation has helped Boston Trinity Academy scholarship fund, Last Dollar Scholarship.” Boston University Academy Steppingstone Support Services Associate Luz Brimmer and May School Boston’s schoolchildren get Buckingham Browne & Mederos is a former recipient of an ACCESS Last Dollar Nichols School Scholarship. Mederos recalls meeting weekly with her Cambridge School of Weston into and succeed at top ACCESS Advisor during her senior year in high school. Commonwealth School Concord Academy “She made sure I knew exactly what my options were Dana Hall School independent and public and what type of financial aid to apply for. Basically, Dedham Country Day School my ACCESS Advisor was a great source of information Deerfield Academy exam schools, and put Derby Academy and support.” Mederos went on to graduate from The Dexter School Northeastern University with a degree in business Fay School The Fessenden School them on the path to college management, thanks to the financial support of an The Governor’s Academy ACCESS Last Dollar Scholarship.