Happy Holidays from GapBuster!

2013 Holiday Edition

Season's Greetings from GapBuster, Inc.! We are pleased to bring you our holiday newsletter, which details the triumphs of our students and a look at the exciting things to come for our organization.

We wish the very best for you and your family as we set our sights on 2014!

In This Issue

GapBuster students win big at the NSBE Regional Conference

Youth HIV Peer Educator Program to Commence in January

21st Century Learning Center Opens its Doors

Thanksgiving Feed the Homeless a Success

Student Achievements

Academic Services

GAPBUSTER WINS AT NSBE CONFERENCE

NSBE Jr. student Chris Okorie with coach Malcolm Clyburn and Dr. Butler

In a feat of academic prowess, teamwork and leadership, GapBuster Leaders-In-Training students in NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) Jr. chapters emerged victorious in their trip to Charlotte, NC from November 8-10 for the Fall Regional Conference for Region II of the National Society of Black Engineers. The students, from high and middle schools in Montgomery and Prince George's County, worked in teams in math competitions, winning two contests. Sligo Middle School student Chris Okorie claimed first place in the overall competition with the highest math score. (Read all about it in the Gazette!)

In the TMAL (Try Math-A-Lon), which GapBuster's 9th and 10th graders participated in, the GapBuster team (dubbed "Hakuna Matata") obtained first place. The Sligo Middle School "All-Stars," consisting of students from that school's NSBE Jr. chapter, won Math Counts. Eighth-grader Chris Okorie was the overall winner of the competition, and took home two medal for his excellent performance. Considering that GapBuster established a NSBE Jr. chapter at Sligo Middle School a few short months ago, this has been a great achievement for our organization, the students, and the volunteers and parents at Sligo.

GapBuster's NSBE Jr. chapters will represent Region II for the math competitions at the National Convention in March, which will be held in Memphis, Tennessee. Additionally, GapBuster will be presenting three teams to participate in the NASCAR Ten80 competition (additional information below).

As part of GapBuster's NSBE Jr. program, we have three chapters, located in Wheaton High School, Sligo Middle School, and the Center for Educational Partnership in Riverdale, MD. Students from 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 12th grades from Sligo Middle School, Wheaton High School, Parkdale High School, Roosevelt High School and Montgomery Blair High School attended the Charlotte conference.

We thank the schools, parents, educators and volunteers that made our students' participation in this conference a success. We want to send a special thanks to Pat Price, parent volunteer, for her hard work and dedication in getting GapBuster's back into Sligo Middle School. We hope to see victory for GapBuster teens in the National Convention in March.

Special thanks to Delegate Jeffrey D. Walderstreicher for his recognition of our students' achievement. Thank you from everyone at GapBuster for your generosity!

Check out some photos from the competition on our Facebook page!

YOUTH HIV PEER EDUCATOR PROGRAM TO BEGIN IN JANUARY

The HIV Peer Educator program will enable teens to educate their communities.

The GapBuster, Inc. HIV Peer Educator program is one of our oldest and most successful programs. This HIV awareness and leadership program promotes healthy behaviors in young people by both educating them and providing them the tools they need to spread the message to their peers.

Starting on January 11th, the participants will grow a detailed yet diverse understanding of what HIV/AIDS is, how it affects our community, how it relates to pressing topics such as gender, sexuality and culture, methods of preventing HIV, and more. The training will be hosted every other Saturday, from January to March. Enrollment will last until the second day of training (Jan. 25). Late enrollment will not be accepted. If you would like to be enroll in the training, email program coordinator Malcolm Clyburn at [email protected].

21st Century Learning Center opens doors

As an approved 21st Century Community Learning Center grantee called "Building Scholars for the Future," GapBuster, Inc. will target and enroll 90 middle school students for FY13 to FY18. Activities the program offers include afterschool, weekend, and summer tutoring and leadership development workshops; a Junior chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers where students have an opportunity to compete regionally and nationally in various engineering and math competitions; college preparation to include SAT and ACT preparation, college tours, and financial aid workshops; other drop-out prevention programs to include character education; and wraparound services for families to include GED preparation, ESOL classes, Workforce Development programs, and Financial Literacy workshops.

Education is said to be the one true path out of poverty - the great equalizer that overcomes differences in background, culture and privilege and it is GapBuster's mission to cultivate the talents and leadership abilities of youths so they can effect change both within themselves and their communities.

Our middle school students are already having a great time mixing learning with physical activity and creative time; with more students and a diverse agenda, we are confident in the development of our scholars!

ENROLLMENT IS STILL OPEN FOR THE LEARNING CENTER. Call (301) 779-4252 for further information.

GapBuster students start their engines for the NASCAR Ten80 competitions

GapBuster Leaders-In-Training, NSBE, Jr. teams are working hard on their various projects. The students are not only taking the lead in the math competitions, but in the Ten80 Student Racing challenge as well. The middle school team took second place at a local competition hosted by the Metro Warriors last month and our high school team took second as well!

GapBuster will compete again locally on December 28. Information can be found here as to the location, times and details!

The Student Ten80 Racing Challenge is a project-based curriculum and league in which middle and high school students practice the art of being professionals. Young men and women collaborate, create and compete in ways that mirror business & marketing executives, engineers, technicians, green transportation designers and professional motorsports teams. The Ten80 Curriculum is Project Based Learning...that doesn't forget the Learning. It is fully aligned to new national education common core standards for STEM Education.

Thanksgiving Feed the Homeless

The day before Thanksgiving, GapBuster students and volunteers gathered before Pyramid Atlantic in downtown Silver Spring to brave the elements and serve a home-style Thanksgiving meal. We will be serving meals on the 23rd and New Year's Eve as well. All are welcome to serve our community with us. Pictures from the event can be found on our Facebook page. We would like to thank our friends at Pyramid Atlantic for use of their space!

Students, Partners and Friends

GapBuster would like to congratulate student and friend De'Andre Lewis for successfully passing all of the tests required for obtaining a GED degree. We are proud to see his hard work pay off and we see a very bright future for a deserving young man.

GED classes begin January 6. Please call our office (301) 779-4252 for further details if interested.

We'd like to thank our community partners for the bike shop once again for their support. It has become a treasured past-time for our students after school. We are still accepting donations of bikes and materials to the Enlightenment Bike Shop. Feel free to call ahead or stop by 4-9pm, Monday-Thursday, for drop offs, or just to check us out!

GapBuster Academic Services

As part of our programs, GapBuster offers tutoring for several subjects from volunteer, professional-grade tutors. We enrich students in our NSBE Jr. and youth development programs with STEM subject support, but we serve students in several other areas as well. Contact us if interested in academic enrichment opportunities. Tutoring volunteers always encouraged to inquire.

Regardless of which holidays you may observe, GapBuster wishes you the very best. They say this time of year is for giving, so we hope you won't forget your community when you reunite with family and friends. We have some exciting things on the horizon for 2014, so please stay in touch!

Happy Holidays and Felices Fiestas,

Yvette Butler, MD and GapBuster staff

Compiled by Rebecca Seel, Americorps VISTA*, Marketing and Technology Specialist

GapBuster Infinity Logo concept by Yostin Huerta

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

Prince George's County NSBE Jr. students to be honored at School Board Meeting

Students who participated in the Region II NSBE conference will be recognized during the Prince George's School Board Meeting at Flowers High School on Tuesday, December 10.