'TIS THE SEASON FOR LOOKING AHEAD | | |
|
|
"As we look ahead, leaders will be those who empower others."
~ Bill Gates, Microsoft Co-founder and Philanthropist
| |
|
MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO
Greetings, YMWIC Supporters:
This is one of my favorite times of the year. It warmed my heart to be among Scholars from all of our Chapters at our Holiday Giving Event celebrating and having fun together. One of the highlights was when I joined Scholars on the dance floor. I didn't mind providing a few laughs for the occasion.
This time of year allows me to slow down a little, reflect on where we are now, and look ahead. We have already accomplished good things this year, such as the successful launch of our Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Scholars are well on their way in the process of completing their Science Projects and preparing for our 14th Annual Science Expo in February. We also have an important milestone approaching, the YMWIC 15th Anniversary of our Annual Scholarship & Awards Banquet!
Our success is measured by the ways we help our Scholars to excel and enhance their academic skills in elementary, middle, high school, and post-secondary education. Successful outcomes for each Scholar are of paramount importance. The testimonies our alumni share about the transformative changes and impact on their education, their development, and how their lives were touched and improved because they were YMWIC Scholars is a testament to our success. As we look and move ahead, we invite you to join us as a YMWIC Partner, Supporter, Donor, or Volunteer. We encourage you to select one of these links: information link, volunteer link, or contact me directly to let us know how you would like to be involved.
We wish each of you a happy and healthy holiday and a prosperous New Year. We are truly grateful and thankful for you!
Richard Roberts, III
(610) 340-2844
rrobertsiii@ymwicfoundation.org
| |
|
YMWIC MISSION:
To empower and prepare economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented youth to excel and become leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers through a structured and rigorous curriculum, academic tutoring, mentoring and financial assistance programs, accomplished by leveraging alliances with K-12 school districts, universities, corporations, and our committed partners.
YMWIC CORE VALUES:
We Believe we can significantly impact the future of our youth through education and extraordinary leadership.
We Value Commitment, Honor and Accountability and through these principles we are dedicated to the tradition of excellence in serving our youth, our partners and our community.
We Promote Engagement and Collaboration by treating all people with respect and sincerity to create an environment of openness where shared success can be achieved.
We Demonstrate Quality by working efficiently and effectively to continuously improve our programs for the benefit of our Scholars.
|
| |
|
|
The Philadelphia Foundation, through its newly-launched Philly Gives fund, has awarded YMWIC with a generous grant and multiple opportunities to spread the word about our Foundation. We are honored to be selected in their inaugural year and are deeply thankful. | | |
| |
YMWIC thanks the Chester County Art Association for your generous grant enabling our Scholars to attend weekend art workshops at your West Chester, PA studio. | |
YMWIC Receives a Grant from Philly Gives | |
|
Through deep relationships in the community and intimate knowledge of local nonprofits, the Philadelphia Foundation collaborates with individuals, families and businesses to magnify charitable and philanthropic impact. They recently launched Philly Gives, a community-driven fund that aims to uplift and support essential nonprofits serving Greater Philadelphia and have awarded YMWIC with a generous donation.
In partnership with Philadelphia's 6abc News and The Philadelphia Inquirer media companies, they hosted an amazing reception and awards ceremony at the 6abc Action News station. 6abc will highlight YMWIC and our mission via broadcast and print media. In addition, the Philadelphia Tribune, Impacto, New Mainstream Press and WURD Radio will offer promotional and editorial opportunities through which YMWIC can increase awareness about the Foundation. Read more.
| |
YMWIC Scholars Share a Day of Holiday Joy | | |
|
|
What a joyous day! On Saturday, December 8th, YMWIC Scholars and their families from all Chapters gathered together for one of our most anticipated events of the Program Year, our Annual Holiday Giving Event. The event was held at Fugett Middle School in West Chester, PA, in celebration of the holidays.
We recognize and honor the diversity within our organization and want all of our Scholars to be able to come together and celebrate in an all-inclusive environment. In addition, each year we choose a family that could use a little extra help during the holiday season from the community of each Chapter and invite them to attend. Whether they attended or not, each of these families was presented with thoughtful and beautifully-wrapped gifts for the children and their parents or guardians. The gifts or donations were made by member families in each Chapter. Read more.
| |
|
YMWIC congratulates our Scholars who have worked hard and excelled for achieving Distinguished Honor Roll and Honor Roll status for the first marking period:
Chester Upland Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Dior Livingston, Zhiyonna Sutton, Alonzo Taylor; Honors: Joreliz Colon, Joseph Davis III, Amya Emerson, Mya Ferguson
Coatesville Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Oluwasemilore Aladesanmi, Drake Alston, Brandon Bolano-Milan, Aryan Kumar, Bayleigh McIanahan, Adrian P. Naranjo, Heidi Potts, Aras Reid, Charles Robertson, III, Deloin Scotton Jr., Jasmyne Thomas; Honors: Moyinoluwa Aladesanmi, Oluwasemilogo Aladesanmi, Ayden Bolden-Scott, Cristian Calle, Jose Sebastian Calle, Jesus Castillo, Dianely Castro Santos, Kevin Cleveland Jr., Milina Dixon, Mohamed Elkhouly, Etalyia Janduro, Keith Kerns, Ryan Kinyanjui, Tyler Kinyanjui, Andres Malo, Micah Miles, Melanie Segura Colin, Jonathan Thomas
Furness High School Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Michelline Kho, Piyush Vats, Kiara Young; Honors: Angel Aguilar Fernandez, Sophie Manderos
Martin Luther King High School Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Kereice Kelly, Shanica Louis, Maritza Salomon, Jared Ware; Honors: Gabrielle Godbolt, Anyah Hinton, Shania Louis, Askia Manley, Layla Manley, Jonathan Mccoy, Giselle Peters
Norristown Blockson Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Ava Gordon, Ernestina Ortiz; Honors: Christiana Gordon, Arianna Kelsey, Christopher Ortiz, Makayla Weathersbee, Zachary Williams
Norristown Eisenhower Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Peyton Edwards; Honors: Daniel Craig, Alvena Edwards, Peyton Jackson, Azeem Melonson, Dayanis Morales, Osvaldo Ramirez, Valentina Ramirez, Kimora White, Noah Whittington
Phoenixville Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Emily Krueger; Honors: Anthony Abell, Darien Sampson
Upper Darby Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Logan Acree-Bryant, Fatima Afrani, Tayvion Avery, K'vinnah Brown, Charlieze Ganges, Maxam Ganges, Romuald Jean-Baptiste, Jr., Anayjah Johnson, Massa Kengo, Gianna Kurian, Nurah Muhammad, Hudah M. Sango, Salimata Sore, Ahlaysha Sullivan, Faith Taylor, Taylor Williams, Tyler Williams, Eva Zhao, Vien Zhao, William Zhao; Honors: Nathan Fritz, Mohammed Kamara, Christina Kumi, Shabira Shuchi, Aliyou Sirleaf, Vafunsia Sirleaf
West Chester Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Symone Howard, Ethan Kwok, Maria Jose Leon Daza, Neida Ordonez-Gomez, Victoria Rodriguez, Paloma Rodriguez, Elijah Ryans, Maximilian Schmied, Alzahraa Sheta, Zoey Stanton; Honors: Tisya Dinesh, Savannah Freeman, Kelly Guartan Duran, Lesly Guartan Duran, Justin Mathews, Lizbet Ordonez-Gomez, Payton Palmer, Spencer Palmer
William Penn Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Bryce Burwell, Ibrahim Kamara, Journey Leonard; Honors: Gianni Ashley, Jada Hitchcock, Abdul Kamara
| |
|
Chester Upland Chapter: Alonzo Taylor is enjoying his second Program Year as a YMWIC Scholar. Alonzo is an 11th grade student at STEM Academy at Showalter where he is proud to have been an Honor Roll student. Two of the main reasons he joined the Foundation is to gain exposure to a variety of colleges and increase his chances of getting accepted into the one of his choice. He is working hard at fulfilling his obligations as a YMWIC Scholar and earning a college scholarship. Read more.
| |
|
Coatesville Chapter: Charles Robertson is serious about his education and his future. He is currently in the 9th grade at Coatesville Area Intermediate High School. He has earned National Junior Honor Society honors, been on the Distinguished Honor Roll, and attended the Junior National Young Leaders Conference. A very involved student, outside of his studies he plays lacrosse, runs track, plays the saxophone, performs drama, is on the Student Council, and sings in the Gospel Choir. Read more.
| |
|
Furness High School Chapter: We welcome Ashley Pulido of Furness High School where she is in the 12th grade. This is her first year with YMWIC. She enjoys spending time with other Scholars, especially the exciting experiments she takes part in during workshops and for her Science Expo Project. Ashley says that being a member of the Foundation has motivated her to go out and learn new things. She would tell others who are considering YMWIC, “Join; it’s fun!” Read more.
| |
|
Martin Luther King Chapter: Shamier Burke-Felder is a senior at West Philadelphia High School and is new to YMWIC this year. So far, he has most enjoyed the College Tour, which has given him exposure to schools he may not have had the opportunity to visit. His advice to younger or new YMWIC Scholars is short and to the point, “Get your work done, and that’s it!” He tells his peers that the Foundation is a great place to be if they want to go far in life. Read more.
| |
|
Norristown Blockson Chapter: Ava Gordon is an 8th grade student at Blockson Middle School where she has earned Honor Roll status. A very talented and involved student, she plays the harp, piano, and flute, and also plays soccer and is involved in the school play this year.
This is Ava's first year with YMWIC and says, "It's a fun Program that teaches you so much while also making it fun." She most enjoys the interactive assignments she takes part in with other Scholars and says that being a member has taught her to never take time for granted. Read more.
| |
|
Norristown Eisenhower Chapter: Alice Alvarez attends Marshall Street Elementary School where she is in the 4th grade. She has received multiple awards in school: Student of the Month, Golden Jaguar, Awesome Artist, and Rockstar (in music class).
Alice joined YMWIC this year; she is enjoying meeting other Scholars and participating in Foundation events, especially the Community Service Events and working on her Science Project with her peers, teachers, and parents. Read more.
| |
|
Phoenixville Chapter: We welcome Emily Krueger to YMWIC this Program Year. She is an 1th grade student at Renaissance Academy Charter School. Emily
is proud of earning Distinguished Honor Roll status and having the highest school GPA in her previous high school years. At Renaissance Academy, she plays the trumpet (having played since she was in the 4th grade), and is a member of the Environmental, Reading Olympics, and Academic Decathlon Clubs. Read more.
| |
|
Upper Darby Chapter: We are excited to highlight Tyler Williams, an 11th grade student at Upper Darby High School, as part of our Scholar Spotlight. Tyler joined YMWIC in the 9th grade and has been an active participant ever since, finding great value in the Foundation’s offerings. One of the aspects he enjoys most are the SIGs (Special Interest Groups), which he says provide a strong sense of community and allows him to connect with others who share similar passions. Read more.
| |
|
West Chester Chapter: This month we feature Victoria Rodriguez for our West Chester Chapter. Victoria is a 3rd grade student at Glen Acres Elementary School where she has earned Student of the Month and Perfect Attendance honors. Her favorite subjects are gym, art, and social studies. A very active and involved student at school, she participates in gymnastics and swimming. At YMWIC, she is an active participant in the Jazz Ensemble and Choir, Robotics, and MathCounts SIG (Special Interest Group). Read more.
| |
|
William Penn Chapter: Brielle Henderson, an 8th grade student at Penn Wood Middle School, is in her second Program Year with YMWIC. Brielle enjoys meeting and mingling with Scholars in other Chapters at events such as the Annual Science Expo. She also enjoys opportunities to participate in activities with other Scholars in her William Penn Chapter, especially the Community Service Events and visiting Saint Vincent College. Her advice to other YMWIC Scholars is to show up and participate in workshops and events; they are fun and enriching activities. Read more.
| |
Correction: In our November issue, we apologize for inadvertently reversing the first and last names of our William Penn Chapter Featured Scholar, Daviin Jeremiah. | |
|
Workshop 6
As the 6th Workshops took place across our Chapters in November, Scholars enjoyed exciting visits and amazing hands-on learning activities from YMWIC STEM Partners at The DaVinci Science Center. During their first visit for Workshop 5, DaVinci staff led Scholars in a programming activity using Hummingbird Kits that allowed them to work with simplified programming software. From there, Scholars used wires to attach a light board to a small device and programmed it to light up in different shapes and letters, and create blinking patterns. Thinking critically and using problem-solving skills, some of the more advanced Scholars engineered a strategy to make the device play pre-recorded sounds or spin levers. We were quite impressed with their ability to collaborate while devising solutions.
For their follow-up visit to Workshop 6, Da Vinci staff showed the Scholars how to create Kinetic Motion Sculptures: art that depends on motion for its effects. Read more.
| |
|
As a way to demonstrate the importance of giving back to the community and having compassion for those in need, YMWIC offers opportunities for our Scholars to participate in Community Service Events. Our chapters have participated in the following events:
Chester Upland Chapter
Scholars gathered in the parking lot of the Phoenixville YMCA and donned their florescent safety vests to help collect coats, jackets, sweaters, and other winter weather garments for Orion Communities' annual Coat Drive. Each year, Orion Communities holds an event called the Warmth Boutique, where anyone from the Phoenixville community is welcome to come and take whatever winter apparel they need for the season. Read more.
| |
|
This month, we recognize and give a special thank you to Rockeisha Kelsey, parent of Scholar Ariana Kelsey in our Norristown Eisenhower Chapter. The family is new to YMWIC this year. Rockeisha was introduced to YMWIC at the 5th grade Open House at Ariana's school and was immediately impressed saying, "I love what this organization represents and the opportunities it provides for its Scholars and parents to participate." She adds, "The most impactful part of the Program for me is all the dedication and commitment that has been put into the Scholars and the desire for everyone to succeed." Read more.
| |
|
The YMWIC 14th Annual Science Expo and Scholar Presentations will take place on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at the West Chester University of Pennsylvania. The Expo will be held at the Rec Center MAC Court; The Scholar winners' presentations will take place in Asplundh Concert Hall, West Chester, PA 19382. Our Scholars have been hard at work identifying, carrying out, and documenting their Science Projects.
At this highly-anticipated event, our Scholars will present and defend the Science Projects they have worked so hard on in front of judges, their families and community members. Each Science Project and presentation will be judged, and the winners will be honored at our Scholarship and Awards Banquet in May 2025. You are cordially invited, at no cost, to view all of the Projects on display at the Expo and meet and speak with the Scholars about their Projects. Please click this link to register to attend.
| |
|
YMWIC 2024-2025 Program Year Key Dates & Volunteer Opportunities -- Mark your Calendar!
- September, 2024 – May, 2025: Workshops at partnering school districts and tutoring*
- February 15, 2025: 14th Annual Science Expo and Scholar Presentations*
- March 5 – 9, 2025: NSBE 51st National Conference in Chicago, Illinois
- April 14 – 18, 2025: College Tour to Ohio State University, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania State University, Saint Vincent College, and Robert Morris University
- April – May, 2025: Job Shadowing Period*
- April, 2025: Robotics Team Competition in Washington, DC*
- May 22, 2025: 15th Annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet*
- June 16 – July 24, 2025: Summer Programs (K–12)*
- June 1 – August 5, 2025: Summer Jobs & Internships for 12th grade Scholars and Alumni*
- September 8, 2025: 12th Annual Scholarship and STEM Golf Classic*
*These are volunteer opportunities for Partner Employee Involvement.
| |
YMWIC is Looking for Volunteers | |
|
YMWIC is looking for tutors to support our local chapters for elementary and secondary education in math, ELA and Science.
YMWIC is also looking for volunteers to support our Science Projects during the September – February timeframe and Saturday SIGs at Headquarters. Additional volunteer opportunities include: Event committee participation with the Golf Classic, Scholarship and Awards Banquet, and Science Expo.
If you are interested in applying for a volunteer opportunity, please select this link; and we will contact you immediately. All volunteers must have the required clearances: Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Clearance, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Criminal History Clearance which is required for all employees and some volunteers.
| |
Stay Connected with our YMWIC Family | |
|
Want to keep up with our amazing YMWIC Scholars? We’ve got you covered! Follow us on Instagram and Meta (formerly Facebook) to stay in the loop on all the fun, learning, and exciting updates happening in our programs.
It’s super easy to join in! Just open your Instagram or Meta (Facebook) app, search for YMWICScholars, and hit that Follow button when you see our logo. Don’t be shy—drop a comment and say hi! 👋
We can’t wait to see you join our social media family and experience all the awesome things happening at YMWIC. Let’s have some fun together!
📲 Click HERE to follow us on Meta (Facebook)! 📸 Click HERE to catch us on Instagram!
| |
Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC): YMWIC Foundation, Inc., is eligible to receive funds from the EITC Program which is administered by Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development. We thank those businesses that donate their EITC funding to YMWIC Foundation and encourage others to consider directing funding to our impactful community nonprofit that provides college and career preparation for K-16 students; empowers their families; counseling, financial support and internships for YMWIC college alumni; and enriches our communities through Community Service activities, increasing the number of college graduates, and developing a talented and skilled workforce. Please contact Rick Roberts at (610) 340-2844 if you would like to consider our YMWIC Foundation, Inc., as the recipient of your company's EITC funds. | |
Thank You for your Generous Support | | | | |
