Fighting the Summer Slide Summer learning loss has made headlines recently and has been a hot topic in education circles for the past several years (see sidebar on page 2). According to Ron Fairchild, CEO of the National Summer Learning Association and keynote speaker at the 2009 Steppingstone Gala, “There is an idyllic view of summer, but we’ve known for decades that the reality is very different for a lot of underprivileged kids.” (“The Case Against Summer Vacation,” Time, July 22, 2010.) Scholars who complete Steppingstone’s academic preparation component often find themselves ahead of their peers in September, after participating in the Academy’s academically rigorous summer session. But as Scholars get older, they, too, face the daunting challenge of retaining all that they have learned in Photos by Bill Miles Photography. the prior academic year. (continued)

® 2 Fall 2010 News high schoolorentercollege. less likelytograduatefrom result, lower-incomeyouthare Asa opportunities. learning unequal accesstosummer youth canbeexplainedby lower- andhigher-income achievement gapbetween F Morethanhalfofthe make slightgains. that theirmiddle-incomepeers achievement, despitethefact than twomonthsinreading students alsolosemore summer months.Lower-income computation skillsoverthe equivalency inmathematical two monthsofgradelevel F Moststudentsloseabout schoolyears. elementary duringthe opportunities access tosummerlearning be explainedbyunequal grade achievementgapcan F Two-thirds of the ninth (summerlearning.org), Association Summer Learning According totheNational in her“MakingtheBest ofaCollegeVisit” summerworkshop. Kate Ramsdell,college counseloratNoble&GreenoughSchool,sharestipswith Scholars

without herhavingtoworryaboutit.” of,”saidXio,“andthiswayIcanvisit colleges take care to tour inPennsylvania.“Mymomhasalotofchildren Steppingstone college and signedupforthethree-day to the weekly drop-in sessions Application, Xio returned andstartinghercollege Common some summerreading puter, andlotsofsiblingstodistractme.”Afterdoing “Athome,IhavetheTV,focus andbeproductive. com- studysessionsoshecould & Nichols,cametoadrop-in at theendofasummerworkday!” ofteenagers alwaysthecasewithagroup responsive–not essay session.“Ifoundthestudentsengagedand ofAdmissionsatYale,Director afterfacilitatingacollege JessieRoyceHill,SeniorAssistant attention,” shared of theirinsightsaboutwritingandthequality energized bothbythesophistication bythegroup, theessayworkshop evident toall.“Icameawayfrom in Pennsylvania,withover25Scholarsparticipating. tourofcolleges in Augustwithathree-day concluded college applicationworkshops.Theprogram sessions,abookclub,andseriesof summer reading studyand inaugural summerincludedweeklydrop-in have completedtheacademiccomponent.Theprogram’s opentoallScholarsingradessix12who program, summer, Steppingstonelaunchedanewsummerlearning to helpScholarsstayacademicallyengagedoverthe This pastsummer, parents from torequests inresponse aid. financial adequate opportunities thatdonotoffer fund wassetuptohelpScholarspay for summer Severalyearsago,a and makingrecommendations. summer, options program alistofdifferent providing to encouragethemsignupforactivitiesoverthe Each spring,SteppingstoneadvisorscontactScholars Xiomara Manning, a senior at Buckingham Browne Xiomara Manning,asenioratBuckinghamBrowne The Scholars’enthusiasmfortheworkshopswas

April 28-29,2011intlanta. on annualNPEAconference the third Save TheDa [email protected]. Karin Elliott,ExecutiveDirector, at pleasecontact information, more members andnon-members.For officeandisopentoNPEA on September28attheACCESS The firstmeetingwillbeheld thecollegepipeline. strengthen middle tohighschool)inorder school yeartosummerorfrom points(suchasfrom natural break at students betweenprograms transition how toeffectively aforumtodetermine to provide missions. Specifically,NPEAseeks workingtowardsimilar programs facilitate collaborationbetween is toencouragenetworkingand collegeaccessprograms. area course ofthenextyearforBoston- host aseriesofmeetingsoverthe Educational Access(NPEA)will The NationalPartnershipfor What’s New at NPEA News ofNote cess, were both recipients oftheChampion ofAccess/SuccessAward. both recipients cess, were Steppingstone’s initiative, theNationalPartnership forEducationalAc- served students. OnMay13,2010,TheSteppingstone Academyand schools thathelpmakecollege access andsuccesspossibleforunder and nonprofits leadersfrom Pine ManorCollegeannuallyrecognizes NPEA! and Steppingstone Congratulations, W award fromBarry Steppingstone FounderMichaelDanzigerandMarissaLowmanofNPEAproudlyaccept the The goalofthesemeetings ard, Vice PresidentforEnrollmentManagementatPineManorCollege. te: pleasejoinusfor LinkedIn: bit.ly/NPEAlinkedin. bit.ly/NPEAfbook orjoinusat Become afanonFacebook: collegetours. Boston-area on information this fallformore www.educational-access.org later Please checktheNPEAwebsite: the endofacademicyear. tours forBostonmembersbefore other. NPEAwillholdtwocollege with theopportunitytomeeteach programs different students from and expensewhileproviding to easetheburdenofplanning college tourswillallowprograms Joint dents ofmemberprograms. forstu- tours intheBostonarea tours! NPEAwillorganize college Also newforthefall:college Photo byStephanieRonan. - Newbury College Newbury Le CordonBleu Benjamin FranklinInstitute Bay StateCollege Two-year institutions: Wheaton College W Technology W W W W University ofToronto University ofTampa Lowell Dartmouth Boston Amherst University ofMassachusetts University Suffolk State UniversityofNewYork St. John’s University Rochester InstituteofTechnology Quinnipiac University University Northwestern University Northeastern Mt. IdaCollege Institute &Design art Massachusetts Collegeof Lehigh University Georgetown University George W Emmanuel College College Dartmouth Colgate University Brown University Bridgewater StateUniversity Brandeis College Bates College for thefallof2010: year collegesanduniversities admitted tothefollowingfour- Steppingstone cholarswere esleyan University Instituteof entworth ellesley College agner College orcester PolytechnicInstitute of Technology at StonyBrook of Technology ashington University 3 Fall 2010 News 4

Fall 2010 News ComesFullCircle A ClassicsScholr over thesummerbetween classesto discusshisexperience. LatinSchoolfrom whichhegraduatedbury in2005.We satdown withhim Academy thispastsummer. InSeptember, hejoinedthefaculty ofTheRox- ’99taughtLatinto atThe Steppingstone Scholars Darian Reid-Sturgis Classics and a minor in Education Studies. While at Bowdoin, Bowdoin, at Classics and a minorinEducationStudies. While Bowdoin Collegein2009then graduated from with a B.A. in RoxburyLatinin 2005,and diploma in1999, Igraduatedfrom As ateacher, sorewarding. those moments are one-on-one time,andexplanations havefinallycometogether. does. It’sasifsomething clicksinhisorhermind.Allthelessons, the studentyoudon’texpecttohaveanswer all ofasudden one daybeinmyshoes,asateacher. too,thattheymay and theyseethat.Ithinkithelpsthemrealize, the program, ofhavinggone through themasaresult ing before I’mstand- foralloftheirefforts. experience theeventualreward myown tations forthem,ashadbeendoneme.Iknow from summer istough,butIchallengetheScholarsand sethighexpec- the in school first-hand howdemandingtheAcademyis.Attending Tell tothispoint. usaboutyour journey What’s yourfavoritethingaboutteaching? a SteppingstoneScholar? You themanyinsightaboutbeing once intheirshoes.Haveyouoffered were T pared and ready towork. andready pared - pickingupthematerial,andtheycome toclasspre They are at channelingthatenergy environment. learning intoaproductive goodjob and IthinkI’mdoingapretty so excitedaboutlearning, ell usaboutteachingatTheSteppingstoneAcademy. challenging, but in a good way. The Scholars in my class are challenging, butinagoodway.TheScholarsmyclassare I tell them I’ve been there, andI ItellthemI’vebeenthere, know After receiving my Steppingstone mySteppingstone Afterreceiving Ilovethosedayswhen It’s been pretty It’sbeenpretty

at Steppingstone. the facultymemberpositionthatIultimatelylandedthissummer teacherledmetoapplyfor positive experienceIhadasanintern atTheSteppingstone Academyandlovedit.The I interned studies.Onesummerduring college, Prize forLatin-related as asenior, IwasawardedtheHannibalHamlinEmeryLatin andthen, theJBSewallLatinPrizeasasophomore I received and Greek toseventh,ninth,andtenthgraders.Itshouldbefun! and Greek my journey asa teacheratRoxburyLatin andbeyond. my journey on keepingin touchwithSteppingstone andfillingyouallin on going.Lookingahead,Iplan pleasedwithhow thingsare really soI’m camaraderie amongstfaculty andSteppingstonestaff, senseof agreat Andthere’s andthey want tolearn. to behere ence teachingatTheSteppingstone Academy.TheScholarswant Any thoughtsyou’dliketowrapupwith? Whatcourseswillyou beteaching? That’s great. Bowdoin? What haveyoubeendoingsincegraduatingfrom teaching there thisfall. teaching there mater, I’mlookingforwardto RoxburyLatin,Icouldn’trefuse. toteachatmyalma enjoyed it,butwhentheopportunityarose Varsity footballandJuniorVarsity andVarsity .Ireally Inadditiontoteaching,Icoached high schoolinNewHampshire. as aLatinteacheratKimballUnionAcademy,an independent I’mhavinganamazingexperi- IwillbeteachingLatin Photo byBillMilesPhotography. I was hired I washired 5 Fall 2010 News 6 Fall 2010 News General Hospital. Director atMassachusetts Clinical ResearchProject and Rochelleisa DevalPatrick, tant toGovernor asSpecialAssis- brose serves about­ excited tolearn jobs thatScholarswere Scholars. Bothhaveunique for currentSteppingstone inacareerpanel participate of theirbusyschedulesto Williams ’94tooktimeout Faturoti ’93andRochelle Steppingstone Alumnimbrose House andMG! Wisdom from theState Scholars’ Words of

—Am- Scholarly Achievements Improved forscience. Improved of theTerm formathandMost awardsastheStudent received John D.O’Bryant’s Center fortheArts. a gallerymanagerattheBoston Andover andspentlastsummeras of “CampusesAgainstCancer”at startedachapter grader there, Meadowbrook School’sgraduation. Meadowbrook highly covetedFacultyAward at ’08 ’08 Noble and Greenough’s Noble andGreenough’s Temi ’08 Ashorobi Shawnna Thomas’05 ’07 Kalonji Williams ’05 Haymon ’05 Academy’s Careers colleges anduniversities.Health range ofchallengingfour-year candidates foradmissiontoa tobecomeviable they prepare their visionofwhat’spossibleas high schoolstudentstoexpand Academy, whichseekstoencourage University’s CrimsonSummer Academy completedHarvard and commitment to her community. and commitmenttohercommunity. bury forheroutstandingbehavior The BoysandGirlsClubinRox- School wontheChurch Award at experience. college University foraresidential to spendthesummeratBrown theworld around students from for talentedhighschool program a in Summer@Brown, enrolled of FineArtsinBoston. Teen ArtsCouncilattheMuseum and lastsummerparticipatedinthe At PhillipsAcademy, Crimson SummerAcademy. Middle Schooljazzband. She sang“Summertime”withthe eighth gradeStepUpCeremony. ’07 , alsoastudentattheO’Bryant, isamemberofAlianzaLatina wasalsoacceptedintothe atthe performer wasafeatured , alsoaneleventh ofBostonLatin received the received ofBostonLatin Joshua Frías’08 Kadeesha Collins Karen Morales Karen Jamelia Willock Jamelia Willock Miranda A va Brignol

Hall, a LeadershipAward. AlsoatDana ’05 ’04 Lau ’06 Henderson ’07 High School. Lafferty ’04 Lafferty Beaver CountryDaySchool; Community Scholarship. the SimonYouth Foundation Sandy Liang’05 ’07 Kevin Figueroa Keon Songui-Samuel’07 Danielle Bynoe’04 The Winsor School; Cole ’04 Thayer Academy sophomore Thayer Academysophomore ofherseniorclass. co-president class in math. Also from BCHigh, class inmath.Alsofrom award forbeingthetopofhis an College HighSchoolreceived and aLeadershipAward. Award, FitzieFoundationAward, Memorial M.Schirmer Dorothy Beaver CountryDaySchool’s a modelUnitedNationsmeeting. York Citywithherschooltoattend Boston LatinSchool; Council include: chosen tobeontheMayor’sYouth TheScholars oriented efforts. itsyouth- city candotoimprove listen tosuggestionsonwhatthe of existingopportunities,and them outtoteens,inform reach in thecity.Theyoungadvocates everyneighborhoodrepresent selectedto and seniorsare youth issues.Highschooljuniors inaddressing with anactiverole Boston’s youngpeople provides The Mayor’sYouth Council understanding andworldpeace. cultural topromote effort Switzerland, andFrance,inan Ambassador, visitingItaly, Austria, as aPeopletoStudent from ThayerAcademy, from essential fortheirsuccess.Also while developingleadershipskills interests academic andcareer their ages studentstoexplore thatencour a competitiveprogram inWashington,Conference D.C., in theNationalStudentLeadership Dana HallSchool’s , TheRoxburyLatinSchool; thefollowingawards: received Yesenia ’05 Herrera wasacceptedtoparticipate recently traveledtoNew recently was also the recipient of wasalsotherecipient , Xaverian Brothers , XaverianBrothers and spentthesummer wasawarded Merry Chin’05 Merry Randy Coplin’04 Tatianna Witter Nelson Tamayo ofBoston Jon Huang’03 waselected Abimbola Marianna John Olivia , , , - Photo byVeronique Mendelson. 617-423-6300, ext.238. Kate [email protected] or about theGala,pleasecontact information Mean toBe.Formore Weand authorofTheParents psychologist, Harvardprofessor, Richard Weissbourd, anotedchild of theScholars. cause forcelebrationisthesuccess over thepast20years,real Steppingstone’s accomplishments While itisexcitingtorecognize November 3,atTheCharlesHotel. event willbeheldonWednesday, at ourBirthdayGala!Thisyear’s celebrate 20yearsofSteppingstone Put onyourpartyhatsandcome Steppingstone! Happy Birthday, own educational journey sincehereceivedhisSteppingstonediplomaeightyearsago. own educationaljourney summer, reflectedonthevalueofperseveranceinstilledinhimbySteppingstoneandhis atTheSteppingstoneAcademythis Columbia University’12.Emeka,whowasanintern address givenbySteppingstoneAlumnusEmekakwelum’02,BelmontHillchool’08and of TheSteppingstoneAcademy. keynote Scholarsandguestsweretreatedtoaheartfelt On Saturday, August 14,131Scholarsgraduatedfromthe14-monthacademiccomponent Stepping Out This year’skeynotespeakeris ily Stone,andmanymore. Stomp theYard, TheGamePlan,Fam- their futures.White’s filmcreditsinclude essential toolsyoungpeopleneedtobuild development programthatillustratesthe Black Carpenter, youth amulti-platform to discussWhite’s mostrecentproject, Steppingstone FounderMichaelDanziger New EnglandPatriotBrianWhitemetwith In June,filmandtelevisionstarformer Photo (andbackcoverphoto)byJoshuaLavinePhotography. Christina Wing-O’Donnell John S.W John G.Simon Brent EdwardShay Dr. KarlW A. PeterMonaco,Jr. Dr. RichardI.Melvoin Isabelle Loring Allison Johnson William H.elman Professor AndrewHahn Richard L.Friedman Epker Bart Michael P. Danziger Brian J.Conway, Chairman Clagett Robert Chuck Brizius Amy SmithBerylson Board ofDirectrs Founda The Steppingston tion einberg . Reid 7 Fall 2010 News Founded in 1990, The NONPROFIT ORG ® Steppingstone Foundation US POSTAGE is a non-profit organization Inside: PAID that develops and implements BOSTON MA F programs which prepare urban Film Star Brian White Connects PERMIT 50495 schoolchildren for educational with Steppingstone 155 Federal Street opportunities that lead to college Suite 800 success. Based on the premise F Six Scholars selected to serve Boston, MA 02110 that, regardless of circumstance, on Mayor’s Youth Council RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED children can achieve at high levels academically if given the F Happy Birthday, Steppingstone! proper preparation and support, Steppingstone programs emphasize rigorous standards

and achieve meaningful results. Brian White with Steppingstone Alumna Natanaelle Orisma ‘00 Steppingstone programs include: The Steppingstone Academy Boston, Steppingstone Scholars, Inc. Philadelphia, The Steppingstone Academy Hartford, National Partnership for Educational Access

Fall 2010 Steppingstonenews