Summer with Urban Scholars Program

Published in ConnectED Newsletter - Volume 8 - Issue 1 - September 2024

Two decades into the 21st century, many young people are not adequately prepared to connect learning with real life and lack the necessary skills for post-secondary success. For many at-risk students, college is not on their trajectory. Funded by grants from the federal TRIO programs (Talent Search and Upward Bound grants) and the New York State Department of Education (Liberty Partnership Program), Urban Scholars works with over 880 students from neighboring schools to help them improve their academic skills and motivation and provide them with information about college choices, the application process, and financial aid, all of which is instrumental to their success in their post-secondary education.

This summer, Urban Scholars provided two programs to 66 high school students:

TRIO Upward Bound Summer Program

This summer, our City College of New York Upward Bound students set their sights on New England. Each year, a select group of students from Upward Bound partner schools are chosen to participate in a six-week summer intensive. The program aims to demystify the college experience by providing students with an immersive and rich on-campus college experience. Participants ranged from rising 9th graders to rising 12th graders from different East Harlem high schools.

Students took classes at City College for three weeks, participated in a residential program, and went on a seven-day college tour. It was a jam-packed, exciting, and learning-filled summer. In the words of one parent, “My child's mind was blown wide open! From the campus experiences to the different college choices. The guidance provided them with endless possibilities. I wish all kids can have this experience.” During the morning sessions, students participated in a small business entrepreneurship math class, an ELA class focusing on debate, and a Korean language class; in the afternoon, students chose between three different electives: Introduction to Podcasting, Introduction to Marketing, and Introduction to Game Design. All classes culminated in a day of group and individual final project presentations on the last day of our residential experience at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey.

And with that, participants were off on a seven-day college tour in New England. Over seven days, they visited Brandeis University, Tufts University, Framingham State University, Worcester State University, Northeastern University, Boston College, Wheaton College, and Suffolk University. A big thank you to those schools for hosting them! In addition to campus tours, they toured the city of Boston and had a teen night at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Arts.

Liberty Partnership Summer Program

The Liberty Partnership Program started with an orientation luncheon and swag giveaway. It served 40 students over a four-and-a-half-week period. Each week, participants explored a specific area of learning and development, including community building, social emotional learning, sports and wellness, and employability awareness. The team collaborated with two project partners to provide additional experiences for students. CDMath provided a week of free financial literacy on campus, while Inspiring Girls USA—in collaboration with Black Rock Investments—provided the opportunity for some of the girls to participate in a one-day financial literacy seminar that also included career exploration and a company tour. The program also provided cultural enrichment with visits to the American Museum of Natural History and the Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum. The program wrapped up with a student social, a family engagement dinner, and an awards ceremony at CCNY.