Happy August - Thank you for reading!

Summer with MTB

Hello MTB Families,

We hope this message finds you well and that you are enjoying a fantastic summer! We are so proud of our students and can't wait to share some exciting updates with you. Thank you for being such an important part of our community and for your continuous encouragement and support because it truly makes all the difference in our students' journeys.

There's so much to celebrate so let's dive into some wonderful news!

New Fellow Kickoff

Reminder: We will kick off our new year with New Fellows at the Boathouse Cafe from 1:30-3 on Thursday, August 14. Students will be able to pick up their MTB planners and computers. Some will get to meet their new College Student Leaders (mentors).

Students who are unable to attend should contact Ashley (862-247-6609) or Manan (201-856-8264).

Backpacks for Fellows!

Thanks to Project Readiness, all MTB High School Fellows will be receiving backpacks full of school supplies. We will be distributing these after August 30. Students should reach out to Ashley (862-247-6609) or Manan (201-856-8264) to arrange for pickup.

Welcome to Our New College Student Leaders

We are happy to introduce our new group of College Student Leaders (all former High School Fellows!) who will be supporting your students this upcoming school year. Our Leaders will mentor their younger peers from the Passaic Public Schools. Together, they will explore college and financial aid options and choices; work to encourage open communication with families; and support each student's personal goals.

Check out our Instagram to learn more about our wonderful new Leaders!

Celebrating Our Grad Cap Contest Winners!

A huge congratulations to the winners of this year's decorated Graduation Cap Contest! We were so impressed with all of the participants' creativity, personal stories, and pride that shined through each unique design.

This year's winners are:

🥇1st place: Gabriela from Passaic Preparatory Academy.

🥈2nd place: Michael from Passaic Preparatory Academy.

🥉3rd place: Juliana from William Paterson University.

Thank you to all who participated! If you'd like to see all of the designs and read their stories, click here!

We are hard at work creating our annual MTB planner out of the winning designs. Every MTB student will receive one of these planners to help keep them organized and inspired for the year ahead.

MTB Alum Melissa Reyes Selected for Prestigious Internship Program

We are thrilled to share that Melissa Reyes, a recent graduate of Dartmouth College and former College Student Leader and Program Resource Fellow with More Than Bootstraps, has been selected for the Sonia and Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program! As part of this amazing opportunity, Melissa will spend the summer gaining hands-on experience at the U.S District Court for the Eastern District of New York while also participating in law school preparation, career development, and mentorship activities aimed at supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds in the legal field.

Melissa graduated from Passaic Preparatory Academy in 2021. She attended Dartmouth College, where she graduated as salutatorian this year. She majored in Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies and minored in geography. Melissa has always gone above and beyond to uplift those around her, and this commitment is reflected in every project and experience she's taken on. She will continue her mission after her internship through a public service project with Mi Casa es Puebla, where she will focus on legal education and community-building efforts with Mexican immigrant families. We are so proud of everything Melissa has accomplished and cannot wait to see what the future holds for her!

🌟 Program Resource Fellows Spotlight🌟

Ashley Delgado - William Paterson University, 2026

Ashley joined MTB in 2020 as part of our first-ever cohort of High School Fellows. Now, five years later, she's continued to lead and give back to our community as one of our Program Resource Fellows. Her dedication and efforts are essential to the continued success of all the students in MTB.

Manan Raval - New Jersey Institute of Technology, 2026

Manan joined MTB in 2023 as a College Student Leader. In the fall, together with Ashley, he will be leading all our students as Program Resource Fellow. We are lucky to have him!

We are so grateful for their leadership and all the energy they bring to MTB!

College Prep in Progress

This summer, our rising seniors are building essential skills as they prepare for college. They have been reading Make Your Home Among Strangers by Jennine Capó Crucet, a book that explores identity, family, and the challenges of being the first in the family to go to college. So far, students have been engaging in meaningful conversations where they get to share their thoughts and build connections among them.

In addition to the reading, students have been working on their essays for college applications. With support of their mentors, they are learning how to tell their story in a way that feels true to who they are. We're inspired by their commitment and can't wait to see how their journey unfolds!

Ask a Question

There's no such thing as a stupid question. Ask anything and everything by going to this form. Don't be shy! Ask a question »

Question: How does MTB select students for the program?

MTB selects students for MTB based on three basic criteria. All students must be prospective first-generation college students. That means that neither parent completed a 4-year degree at a higher educational institution in the U.S.

Students must be eligible for free or reduced lunch.

And students must show an interest in learning more about higher education.

Some of our students are already doing well academically, while others are still working towards that success.

Our goal is to help every student find the right path to succeed in college and create a better future for themselves and their family.

Thank you for being here!

Thank you so much for being part of the MTB community. We are looking forward to all the amazing things that our mentors and mentees will be doing in September!🍂

-The MTB Team

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