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News for Steppingstone Placement Schools

The Steppingstone Academy NOVEMBER 2011 Placement Schools Steppingstone Gala Beaver country day School Steppingstone’s Pep Rally Gala surpassed all Belmont day School expectations on Wednesday, November 2 at Boston college high School The Charles Hotel in Cambridge. This year’s Boston latin academy event celebrated all of the placement schools Boston latin School that partner with Steppingstone to set more Scholars on the path to college success. Many Boston university academy thanks to all Scholars, families, placement Buckingham Browne & schools, and donors for making the Gala so cambridge School of Weston memorable. Steppingstone raised more than $725,000 with 400 guests and 18 heads of school in attendance. dedham country day School Mike danziger, Founder, and Kelly glew, president & cOO, with Scholars from eight Steppingstone placement schools. The dexter School Scholars Tour Colleges This past summer marked Steppingstone’s The second annual Overnight College Tour. The governor’s academy Steppingstone Advisors spent four days with 32 The Meadowbrook School of Weston Scholars from August 23-26 visiting the following colleges: Amherst, UMass Amherst, Newton country day School Union, Skidmore, Mt. Holyoke, Rensselaer Noble and greenough School Polytechnic Institute, Colgate University, and John d. O’Bryant School Syracuse University. Steppingstone staff took more than 50 Scholars this fall on college tours, including The visits to Babson College and Boston College, and The on tours sponsored by Steppingstone’s National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA) to St. Mark’s School St. paul’s School Brown University, Providence College, Amherst St. Sebastian’s School Scholars receive warm welcome at colgate. College, and UMass Amherst. The Southfield School The Xaverian Brothers high School National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA) Several Steppingstone placement schools sent participants to the NPEA 2011 National Conference College Success Academy Schools in Atlanta, GA last April. Milton Academy sent six faculty members and administrators, while Phil- Edison K-8 School Jackson/Mann K-8 School lips Academy sent four and Phillips Exeter sent one. With a focus on improving educational oppor- tunities for underrepresented students, the NPEA conference is a valuable professional development opportunity for faculty and administrators at all placement schools. Save the Date: NPEA’s 4th Annual Conference, Innovative Collaborations: Strategies for Supporting Underrepresented Students, will take place April 19-20, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. Confirmed keynote speakers include Eric Bettinger (Stanford University), Wes Moore, author, The Other Wes Moore, and Melissa Roderick (University of Chicago).

ThE STEppiNgSTONE FOuNdaTiON iS NPEA is a membership association dedicated to promoting quality, success, and growth amongst a NON-pROFiT ORgaNizaTiON ThaT member organizations, partner schools, and communities committed to educational access. There dEVElOpS aNd iMplEMENTS pROgRaMS are nearly 200 members in 30 states collectively serving more than 100,000 underserved students. ThaT pREpaRE uRBaN SchOOlchildREN For more information on becoming an NPEA member, visit www.educational-access.org. FOR EducaTiONal OppORTuNiTiES ThaT lEad TO cOllEgE SuccESS. Did you know? www.tsf.org • Steppingstone Family Forums are scheduled periodically to focus specifically on supporting 617-423-6300 Steppingstone families new to independent schools and to help in the adjustment process. The most recent forum was held November 12 at Boston Latin Academy. • All placement school faculty and administrators are invited to observe Steppingstone classes in action on Wednesday afternoons or Saturdays. Meet Steppingstone faculty and staff and learn more about how Steppingstone supports Scholars in your schools, from admission and placement guid- ance, to academic and socio-emotional support, to college counseling. Please contact Matt Kessler to schedule a visit to a Steppingstone class session at [email protected].

110% of myself to whatever I do,” she explains. she do,” I whatever to myself of 110%

take the rest of high school extremely seriously in preparation for the next step. “I give give “I step. next the for preparation in seriously extremely school high of rest the take

go, (“Maybe out-of-state since I’ve lived in Boston my whole life”), she is determined to to determined is she life”), whole my Boston in lived I’ve since out-of-state (“Maybe go,

While Najat doesn’t know quite yet what she wants to study in college or where she might might she where or college in study to wants she what yet quite know doesn’t Najat While

organization that gave me the skills I need to be successful,” Najat shares. shares. Najat successful,” be to need I skills the me gave that organization

(Saturday Mentoring and Study Hall). “It is important to me to give back to the same same the to back give to me to important is “It Hall). Study and Mentoring (Saturday

emy’s Peer Leader program, where she mentors younger Scholars on Saturdays at SMASH SMASH at Saturdays on Scholars younger mentors she where program, Leader Peer emy’s

opposed to the standard five. This year, Najat participates in The Steppingstone Acad- Steppingstone The in participates Najat year, This five. standard the to opposed

between the administration and the students. Meanwhile, she is taking six courses, as as courses, six taking is she Meanwhile, students. the and administration the between

as a member of Thayer’s Community Council, an organization that functions as a bridge bridge a as functions that organization an Council, Community Thayer’s of member a as

A student-athlete participating in basketball and track and field this year, Najat also serves serves also Najat year, this field and track and basketball in participating student-athlete A

to it,” she advises. advises. she it,” to

and not her differences from other students. “Find what you like to do and be dedicated dedicated be and do to like you what “Find students. other from differences her not and

was a challenge for Najat, but she learned quickly to make her mark based on her abilities abilities her on based mark her make to quickly learned she but Najat, for challenge a was

to give me,” she says. The adjustment to an and a new community community new a and school independent an to adjustment The says. she me,” give to

be where I am today without the opportunities and support that Steppingstone continues continues Steppingstone that support and opportunities the without today am I where be

. “I wouldn’t wouldn’t “I . attending currently Scholars Steppingstone 19 of one and Dorchester from grader 10th a is Thayer Academy Thayer Najat Goso Najat

Scholar Profile Scholar

research on DNA for a study that will be published later this year. year. this later published be will that study a for DNA on research

Society student and spent last summer working at the Broad Institute conducting conducting Institute Broad the at working summer last spent and student Society

is a National Honor Honor National a is (Newton Country Day School, 12) School, Day Country (Newton Cassandra Vickers ’06 Vickers Cassandra

his church. his

tennis instructor for boys under age 12 in Dorchester and teaches Sunday School at at School Sunday teaches and Dorchester in 12 age under boys for instructor tennis

campus, a varsity athlete, and a host for prospective students. He is also a volunteer volunteer a also is He students. prospective for host a and athlete, varsity a campus,

is treasurer of his class, a tour guide on on guide tour a class, his of treasurer is (Roxbury Latin, 11) Latin, (Roxbury Aman Stuppard ’07 ’07 Stuppard Aman

grade class. grade

was elected president of the ninth ninth the of president elected was (Park, Beaver CDS, 9) CDS, Beaver (Park, Nancy Kacupaj ’08 Kacupaj Nancy

Romeo in Milton’s upcoming production of of production upcoming Milton’s in Romeo The Haunting of Will Shakespeare. Shakespeare. Will of Haunting The

representative of his school’s Student Government Association. He will also be playing playing be also will He Association. Government Student school’s his of representative

was recently elected as a ninth grade grade ninth a as elected recently was (Milton Academy, 9) Academy, (Milton Sean Chanicka ’08 Chanicka Sean

for outstanding written and verbal communication skills. communication verbal and written outstanding for

Honors Society and a recent recipient of the NHS Book Award from Brown University University Brown from Award Book NHS the of recipient recent a and Society Honors

is a member of the National National the of member a is (Boston Latin Academy, 12) Academy, Latin (Boston Andrés Cardona ’06 Cardona Andrés Scholar Highlights: Scholar

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