The Boast • December 2018 the Boast • December 2018
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A PUBLICATION THE OF CITYSQUASH An Urban Youth Enrichment Program DECEMBER 2018 ROAD SCHOLARS GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK Expanding horizons and making memories through travel. Gatlinburg, TN Middle school students stop to camp in the Appalachian Mountains on their There is something unique about a road trip, where often the journey is as memorable as way to St. Louis. With the growing the destination. It is no surprise that team member feedback consistently rates travel—and the popularity of CitySquash’s Wilderness camaraderie it provides—as the most impactful part of the CitySquash experience. Club, more and more team members are enjoying the outdoors. Travel is introduced as a core part of the CitySquash experience as early as the elementary school level. For many, trips with CitySquash are the first time spent away from home. Our annual team wilderness retreat brings our entire team to Lake Placid, NY for a week of hiking, team- building, and leadership development. During spring break, our staff plans and leads multi-day Spring Enrichment Tours for groups of students. This past year, our six spring tours hit 14 cities WASHINGTON MONUMENT and covered over 7,000 miles. And though sites like the National Aquarium or the Gateway Arch Washington, DC are highlights, it is often the little things that leave the most cherished memories. “I have connected Amaya Diggs gets the perfect shot more with my teammates,” said junior Seth Canales, reminiscing about the high school tour. as part of our Brooklyn team’s trip “My favorite part was when we prepared a meal together. It was challenging but we learned new to our nation’s capital. Other stops skills such as communication, working together, and patience.” included the Air and Space Museum, Travel not only opens the world of possibility to our students but also lays the foundation for the the National Museum of African comfort and confidence required to navigate the transitions to boarding school, college, and beyond. American History and Culture, and Thank you to all who have helped make these experiences possible! the National Portrait Gallery. MASS MoCA CITYSQUASH BUS North Adams, MA On the Road Xitlaly Santos and the high school Spring Our 14-passenger bus is the backbone Enrichment Tour take in the Sol LeWitt of the CitySquash fleet, helping our Wall Drawing Retrospective as part of team members travel to 26 different their visit to the Massachusetts Museum tournaments, 14 different cities, and of Contemporary Art. over 7,000 miles of enrichment tours last year. MAKING COURTING THEIR MARK SUCCESS! Our alumni are leading the way in Hard work and dedicated coaches the community. help bring home more titles. This fall, CitySquash alum Chris It was a banner year on court for our Fernandez was named the new Men’s and CitySquash team members. As always, our Women’s Head Squash Coach of Dickinson coaches and team members were on the road College. Fernandez first stepped onto the most weekends of the 2017-18 junior squash squash court in 2004 as part of the third season, participating in 26 tournaments with cohort ever to try out for CitySquash. Chris 340 total tournament entries—not to mention went on to win a scholarship to the Canterbury an additional 20 competitive matches with School in Connecticut and then moved on to other clubs and urban squash programs. St. Lawrence University, where as a senior, he This winter, our BU13, GU15 and BU17 teams captained the men’s squash team that finished were victorious in their respective divisions at #2 in the country. For the past three years, he the SEA Urban Team Nationals in New York. has served as CitySquash’s Director of Squash In June, Randy Guzman, Maury Escalona, in the Bronx. “I am truly grateful for such Squash + Education Alliance, the umbrella Lizbeth Barroso, Caleb Boateng, and Joana an opportunity and look forward to making organization of the urban squash movement, Pacheco won their respective divisions at urban squash, Dickinson, and everyone who’s becoming the first urban squash alum to serve the Urban Individual Nationals at Amherst supported me proud,” Fernandez said. Both of in that capacity. Manuela Perez is also serving and Williams Colleges, bringing CitySquash’s senior Andreina Benedith closed out her Dickinson’s teams finished in the top 20 in the urban squash more formally, having just joined tally of Urban National Titles to 101— college career at the #3 spot on the ladder by country last year. the Junior Board of CitySquash, becoming a national record. winning five out of her last six matches. Chris is not the only CitySquash alum the first CitySquash alum to do so. Both Jesse Other highlights include Caleb Boateng One secret to our success has been the to have taken a key leadership role in their and Manuela look forward to bringing their winning the U.S. Middle School Team enthusiasm to seek extra time on court outside community. Jessenia Pacheco was recently experience and perspective to help guide the Championships as part of the Brunswick normal programming hours. Coach Bryan elected to the Board of Directors of the next generation of urban squashers. School, becoming the first urban squash Patterson’s weekly morning squash club has student to be in the lineup of a U.S. National elementary and middle schoolers on court Championship-winning team. Hobart & before school at 6:30am, our Elite Effort group William Smith freshman Joana Pacheco and participates in extra training during school I AM“ TRULY GRATEFUL FOR sophomore Karina Lazaro combined to go year weekends, and this summer, CitySquash SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY AND 20-8 on the season to help lead their team to secured 31 squash camp opportunities. LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING the Epps Cup, and Franklin & Marshall When there is court time available, our players URBAN SQUASH, DICKINSON, come running! AND EVERYONE WHO’S SUPPORTED ME PROUD. Chris Fernandez Above Coach Raheem Logan embraces Randy Guzman after he captures Brooklyn’s first individual Above Chris Fernandez will Urban National Title. be taking charge of two Left Giselle Ciriaco (L) top-20 squash programs at and Lizbeth Barroso Dickinson College. (R) made it an all- Right Chris, seen here with CitySquash affair in the teammate Tanesha Jackson, GU15 Championship joined CitySquash back in Final at Urban Individual 2004 as a 6th grader from Nationals. Middle School 45. THE BOAST • DECEMBER 2018 THE BOAST • DECEMBER 2018 BOARD CHARACTER NEW MILESTONES OF DIRECTORS IN THEIR OWN WORDS Sanford M. Schwartz COUNTS FOR BROOKLYN! Founder & Chair Excerpts from Admissions Essays Social Emotional Learning takes From high school admissions to success on court, Kim Huchro President off thanks to new partnerships. big things are happening at CitySquash’s newest site. Nick Burgin An Urban Youth Silvia Campo ERIC MOLINA GISELLE Enrichment Program Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has CitySquash’s Brooklyn site achieved two Buzz Doherty CABRERA on being a boarding been an increasingly important focus within new milestones amidst another year of growth. www.citysquash.org Teri Galluccio school student from on overcoming a education and youth development work. Recent Team members Karolina Majewska and research holds that building SEL competencies, Mariya Novosad become the first two students Mailing Address David Ganek the Bronx. learning disability. such as self-awareness and goal-management, from the site to earn scholarships to boarding Michael Luskin P.O. Box 619 is as crucial, if not more, to later academic and growth as well as provide feedback to program school. Karolina now attends the Lawrenceville Fordham Station Ben Mandel personal success as grades and test scores. design. Both programs were piloted last year, School and Mariya attends the Kent School. Tours: a shorter trip to Philadelphia, and a road Bronx, NY 10458 Gerry Murray In many ways, it is the kind of work and the CitySquash middle school program was The third student in our placement program, trip to Atlanta via Washington D.C. and the CitySquash has long been doing—providing recognized by the Student Success Network Catherine Wang, earned admission to Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. (718) 220-7400 Peter Nicol students with an opportunity to belong in a as a “bright spot” for having a statistically Brooklyn Tech, one of New York City’s Exciting changes are also on the horizon Jerry Ouderkirk FRESHMAN AT HOBART & WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES FRESHMAN AT MT. HOLYOKE COLLEGE [email protected] high expectations, high support environment significant effect on two SEL competencies: specialized high schools, rounding out a stellar for this programming year. A new partnership Palmer Page I have realized that being different is a good thing in a world Eventually, I got a wonderful CitySquash tutor named Jasmine that cultivates discipline and commitment. growth mindset and belonging. “This, to me, first year of high school admissions. On the with M.S. 136 in Sunset Park brought in a Julia Pershan where people are so much alike. I am different for not being a who helped me catch up. And through it all, I learned what More recently, CitySquash has built on this is the core of our work,” said Academic Chair squash front, Randy Guzman became the first new group of 6th graders and the program typical kid from the Bronx or a typical St. George’s student. really makes a scholar. It means more than just grades or labels; foundation, introducing “circles,” special and Director of Middle School Academics Brooklyn student to win an individual Urban welcomed two new staff members:Grace Gillian Steel Colin UPCOMING I am different because of the things I do but I am also proud of it means never giving up and working as hard as you can to meeting times designed to encourage and Murfree.