YMWIC April 2025 Newsletter

YMWIC Provides our Scholars with Tools for Self-Improvement

“I don't compete with other people, I compete with what I am capable of.”

~ Michael Jordan

Fallon Warnick

YMWIC Class of 2021, North Carolina A&T Class of 2025

"Time truly flies. It feels like just yesterday I was graduating high school, and now I’m preparing to graduate Summa Cum Laude from North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science. The past four years have been a journey—exciting, complex, and full of continuous learning. Through every challenge I’ve persevered, thanks to the unwavering support of my family and the incredible friends I’ve met along the way."

"I’m especially grateful to my YMWIC family for helping shape me into a professional in both school and the workplace. Most importantly, it means the world to make my angel, my dad, proud. On to next endeavors!"

After five months, our pilot Pre-Apprenticeship Program is progressing well. We are off to a great start thanks to relationships we have forged with our Partners. We thank these volunteers for their dedication to the Program and the success of the participants. The inaugural participants have had exposure to and training in IT Cybersecurity, Manufacturing, and the Engineering and Technical fields. On the Professional Development side, they have participated in workshops about Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurship, and more. Read more.

On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, eight talented and excited YMWIC Scholar Mathletes traveled to the NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) Conference in Chicago, Illinois. To add to the excitement, NSBE was celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. We entered two teams into the competition, our High School Tri-Math-A-Lon (TMAL) Team and our Middle School MATHCOUNTS Team.

The MATHCOUNTS SIG (Special Interest Group) has been meeting and enjoying math challenges all school year. Both the high school and middle school Mathletes have been working hard and having fun preparing for the Tri-Math-A-Lon (TMAL) and MATHCOUNTS competitions at the 2025 NSBE Conference. Read more.

Our Scholars are excited about the SIGs available to them on Saturdays. Updates about several of our SIGs follow.

CHESS CLUB: Scholars enjoy meeting their peers from other Chapters for open chess play. They challenge each other in chess games while learning how to improve their skills. We are building teams in this pilot year of the Chess Club, and our goal is to enter the Teams into Chess Tournaments in the upcoming Program Year.

CHOIR: The YMWIC Choir has expanded. Scholars from all Chapters enthusiastically look forward to coming together and participating each week. They also go into their communities to provide cheer to others. Read more.

Congratulations to these YMWIC Scholars whose hard work has paid off and earned them Honor Roll status for the second marking period or trimester:

Chester Upland Chapter -- Distinguished Honor Roll: Talaya Stanley, Zhiyonna Sutton; Honor Roll: Mya Ferguson, Anthony Stokes

Coatesville Chapter -- Distinguished Honor Roll: Moyinoluwa Aladesanmi, Oluwasemilogo Aladesanmi, Oluwasemilore Aladesanmi, Ryan Kinyanjui, Aryan Kumar, Riya Kumar, Heidi Potts, Charles Robertson, III, Jonathan Thomas; Honor Roll: Drake Alston, Brandon Yandel Bolanos-Millan, Ayden Bolden-Scott, Jose Sebastian Calle, Adaima Campos-Rodriguez, Jesus C. Castillo, Dianely Castro Santos, Milina Dixon, Marely Estrada Juarez, Keith A. Kerns, Andres Malo, Xavier McClanahan, Adrian P. Naranjo, Aras Reid, Melanie Segura Colin, Jasmyne Thomas

Norristown Blockson Chapter -- Distinguished Honor Roll: Ernestina Ortiz; Honor Roll: Ariel Camack, Arely Sanchez Navarro, Zachary Williams

Norristown ESTLA Chapter -- Distinguished Honor Roll: Rayannah Abdullah, Peyton Edwards, Dayanis Morales; Honor Roll: Daniel Craig, Alvena Edwards, Peyton Jackson, Noah Whittington

Phoenixville Chapter -- Honor Roll: Jack Borragine, August Kollar, Darien Sampson

Upper Darby Chapter -- Distinguished Honor Roll: Fatima Afrani, K'vinnah Brown, Annie Forestal, Nathan Fritz, Charlieze Ganges, Clarisa Garcia, Hermela Gebrekidan, Romuald Jean-Baptiste, Jr., Kadiatou Kone, Christina Kumi, Gianna Kurian, Nurah Muhammad, Hudah M. Sango, Vafunsia Sirleaf, Salimata Sore, Faith Taylor, Taylor Williams, Eva Zhao, Vien Zhao, William Zhao; Honor Roll: Zoe-Allie Abraham, Logan Acree-Bryant, Layla Bente, Abigaelle Bien-Aime, Timothy Biju, Paula Bropleh, Etta Cooper, A. Naomi Donkpoie, Maxam Ganges, Mohammed Kamara, Sunni Lee, Na'Siyah Lewis-Hawkins, Murad Morris, Ma'dei Newton-Famous, Josiah Palmer, Amadou Sirleaf, Tyler Williams

West Chester Chapter -- Distinguished Honor Roll: Savannah Freeman, Lesly Guartan-Duran, Maria Daza, Payton Palmer, Camila Reyes Vargas, Victoria Rodriguez, Elijah Ryans; Honor Roll: Kevin Ayllon, Tisya Dinesh, Keyly Guartan-Duran, Symone Howard, Ethan Kwok, Justin Mathews, Lizbet Ordonez Gomez, Armand Phillips, Paloma Rodriguez, Max Schmied, Alzahraa Sheta, Zoey Stanton 

William Penn Chapter -- Distinguished Honor Roll: Ibrahim Kamara, Journey Leonard; Honor Roll: Bryce Burwell, Jada Hitchcock, Kai Lewis-Burgess, Mikel Sigler, Santigie Thollie, Aaliyah Williams

Chester Upland Chapter: Zhiyonna Sutton is a Chester STEM Academy 9th grade student who joined the Program earlier this year. As a Distinguished Honor Roll student, she has really enjoyed her time at YMWIC and all the cool things she’s learned. 

Although she has a few years left before graduation, Zhiyonna has her career sights set on attending one of the colleges associated with Penn Medicine and becoming a pediatrician. Read more.

Coatesville Chapter: Adaima Campos-Rodriguez is an inspiring and dedicated Scholar in our Coatesville Chapter. Currently in the 8th grade at Coatesville Area Intermediate High School, she joined YMWIC this year and has already made a significant impact through her commitment to her education and personal growth. Known for her soft-spoken demeanor, Adaima may initially come across as shy; but those who take the time to know her quickly discover a quiet confidence and a clever curiosity that shines through in all she does. Read more.

Furness Chapter: Scholar Ricardo Chama-Jeronimo is a 12th-grade student at Furness High School and a member of the YMWIC Foundation since his junior year. Ricardo is known for his drive, kindness, and strong sense of purpose - traits that shine through both in and out of the classroom.

When asked what he enjoys most about YMWIC, Ricardo shared, “They try their best to help everyone with assignments and help everyone feel part of the group.” For him, the Foundation’s biggest impact has been helping him become more independent, teaching him to meet deadlines and manage his time wisely. Read more. 

Martin Luther King Chapter: Romario Ivey is an 11th-grade student at Martin Luther King High School and a proud YMWIC Foundation Scholar since the 10th grade. Romario stands out not only for his commitment to academic and personal growth but also for his dedication to leadership and service.

Romario shares that the sense of community and support he has found in YMWIC has had a profound impact on his life. "Being part of this Foundation has provided me with opportunities for personal and professional growth," he says. Read more.

Norristown Blockson Chapter: Julian Hernandez is in the 8th grade at East Norriton Middle School. His accolades include receiving a PECO Certificate, making the Honor Roll, and being named Student of the Month. He joined YMWIC when he was in the 6th grade and credits the Foundation for helping him to conquer his fears. “I used to be shy and scared to talk in big crowds.” Julian says that he now talks more in general and even enjoys talking to crowds! In addition, he loves meeting new Scholars and creating friendships. His helpful advice to other YMWIC Scholars is, “Meet your YMWIC Science Project milestones; because they impact your scores at the Science Expo.” Read more.

Norristown Eisenhower Chapter: Braheem Douglas is a 7th grade student at Eisenhower Science and Technology Leadership Academy and is new to YMWIC this Program Year. He has enjoyed his first year, because it has helped him to learn much more about science. He was very excited about creating his Science Project and participating in the YMWIC Science Expo, especially learning how to give a formal presentation, a skill he will surely use in the future. His advice to his fellow YMWIC Scholars, "Just keep working hard and good things are going to come to you." He adds, "YMWIC is a great Program because it's a good learning experience that can help you both now and in the future." Read more.

Upper Darby Chapter: Taylor Williams, an 11th grade student at Upper Darby High School, joined YMWIC the summer before her 10th grade year and has been thriving ever since! Her favorite aspects of the Program are the Community Service opportunities and the incredible people she has met through the Foundation. Taylor is grateful for the values she has gained from the YMWIC Credo, which has prepared her for the college application and selection process.

Taylor dreams of opening her own bakery and is currently considering top-tier schools such as Cornell University, The University of Michigan, and New York University to further her education. Read more.

West Chester Chapter: Paloma Rodriguez is an enthusiastic 3rd grade student at Glen Acres Elementary School; her favorite subject is writing. This is her first Program Year as a YMWIC Scholar; she is enjoying it very much and acquiring new skills. She is excited about taking part in all the Foundation offers to her, especially learning the Credo and participating in art, math (multiplication is her favorite), and reading activities. 

Looking to her future, Paloma envisions being a restaurant owner/chef, and has her sights set on attending West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Read more.

William Penn Chapter: Bryce Burwell is a very intelligent and enthusiastic Scholar. A straight "A" student, Bryce has great leadership skills and represents the William Penn Chapter with pride and confidence. Bryce is in the 7th grade at Penn Wood Middle School where, he is proud to say, he has consistently been a Distinguished Honors student each quarter of this school year.

Bryce became a member of YMWIC Foundation in the 5th grade and has been an active Scholar since joining the Program. He is proud of his many accolades and accomplishments which include winning 1st Place in the 2023-2024 Program Year YMWIC Science Expo for his grade cohort. Read more.

Workshop 13

The focus of Workshop 13 was to review the scores Scholars received from the judges at the Science Expo. Scholars were handed the rubric used by the judges to score their presentation and had the opportunity to review their scores in each category. Each of the categories was scored out of 10 using half-point measures, and the Scholars had the opportunity to read the judges’ comments. Scholars discussed how they could use this feedback to improve their presentations for next year’s Science Expo and score even higher! There was also time for Scholars and families to provide feedback on the Science Expo as a whole and for Project Coordinators to review best practices for milestone submissions.

Workshop 14

For Workshop 14, the Phoenixville, Coatesville, and West Chester Chapters traveled to the West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCU) campus where they met up with other Chapters in the region for a joint Workshop. 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:

Norristown Chapter

Our final Community Service Event took place at Expressive Path in Norristown. They provide a safe space for children to visit and express their creative sides by offering art services and music workshops for teens aged 12-19.

To assist Expressive Path participants who had signed up as Block Captains, Scholars were tasked with assisting in neighborhood cleanup by picking up and discarding trash in the park and on the streets. We also helped to build a shelf for their latest projects back at the studio. Finally, we were asked to help paint rocks for a project they were working on, which will be on display near local streams. Read more.

DO SCHOOLS DO ENOUGH TO HELP STUDENTS IN THE REAL WORLD?

By Gabrielle Godbolt

Martin Luther King High School Philadelphia Chapter

Ever think about how schools might not be doing enough to help you or your children in the real world? Well good, because so do I. Many students graduate feeling unprepared for adulthood, on academics, they often overlook real-world knowledge that young adults need.

In addition to the academic curriculum, I believe five major areas listed below should also be included.

Financial Skills

Most high school curricula offer math, English, and science; but what about credit scores, taxes, or even how to manage debt? Many young adults enter the world without understanding how to budget, invest, or any other financial responsibilities. These skills are crucial for a young adult. Read more.

Quintin Tolbert is the father of Scholar Jayden Tolbert, a junior at North Penn High School. The Tolbert family joined the YMWIC Norristown Chapter in 2020 and has been very involved within the Chapter, volunteering to assist at many Foundation Events and Community Service Projects including: cleaning up the park in Norristown annually, a Sock Drive, volunteering at the Food Pantry, gathering clothes for donations, and adopting a family for the YMWIC Annual Holiday Giving event.

When asked why they decided to join, he responded, “We joined YMWIC to provide Jayden additional avenues for overall growth, STEM education, community engagement, and college preparation.” Read more.

YMWIC Scholarship & Awards Banquet 15th Anniversary

This year, YMWIC will host our 15th Annual Scholarship & Awards Banquet! This exciting event will be held at the Sheraton Valley Forge Hotel in King of Prussia, PA, on Thursday, May 22, 2025. During the Banquet, we showcase our Scholars for their achievements and reward our graduating senior Scholars with the college scholarships they have earned to attend the college of their choice. There will be a delicious dinner and an inspiring message from a dynamic Keynote Speaker, Pamela R. McCauley, Ph.D., CPE -- Dean and Professor, School of Engineering, Widener University.

We will also honor industry executives who are champions in supporting YMWIC and our communities with the following awards:

• West Impact Award: Ansys Government Initiatives (AGI); Award accepted by Shashank Narayan -- Chief Technology Officer of AGI
• Educational Leadership Award for Secondary Education: Mrs. Keisha Q. Wilkins -- Martin Luther King High School Principal and Dr. Stacey Mitchell-Precia -- Martin Luther King High School Assistant Principal
• Educational Leadership Award for Post-Secondary Education: Dr. Brian M. Forster -- Saint Joseph's University, GEP Science Lab Coordinator (College of Arts & Sciences), Chemical Hygiene Officer (Environmental Health & Radiation Safety (Hawk Hill Campus)
• Community Leadership Award: Marie Hegarty -- Project Management Institute, Delaware Valley Chapter (PMI-DVC), Chapter Board member, VP, Membership & Volunteers

Join us as we recognize our Scholars and Community Champions and 15 incredible years of hosting this evening of celebration and fellowship! To register to attend this amazing event or to make a donation, use this link.

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If you would like to sponsor this popular event, make a donation, or purchase an ad in our Souvenir Program Booklet, please click here.

YMWIC STEAM & Language Arts Programs

The YMWIC STEAM & Language Arts Summer Programs are exciting, educational, and fun six-week experiences for rising 1st - 8th grade Scholars. Programs are in the Coatesville, Upper Darby, and West Chester School Districts, scheduled Mondays - Thursdays from June 16 - July 24, 2025.

If you would like to register your child(ren) to attend one of this summer's YMWIC Enrichment Programs, click here and fill out an application for your School District location.

YMWIC 2024-2025 Program Year Key Dates & Volunteer Opportunities -- Mark your Calendar!

April – May, 2025: Job Shadowing Period*

April 26, 2025: Robotics Team Botball Tournament Competition at Great Mills, Maryland

May 22, 2025: 15th Annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet*

June 16 – July 24, 2025: Summer Enrichment Programs (K–12)*

June 1 – August 5, 2025: Summer Jobs & Internships for 12th-grade Scholars and Alumni*

*These are volunteer opportunities for Partner Employee Involvement.

Robin Brown has been a fixture at YMWIC since 2019, working mostly behind the scenes. She has brought many skills and talents to the Foundation in her position as Communications Associate, assisting with processing Scholar Applications and Personal Statement Forms, overseeing production of the monthly Newsletter, researching, testing and helping to implement software and systems, designing flyers, taking photographs and reporting for the Newsletter at events, and more.

When asked why she enjoys working with YMWIC, Robin's response was, “I get a sense of pride when I witness the Scholars excel and succeed.” Read more.

YMWIC is seeking contributions for Programming taking place in the next few months for some of our SIGs (Special Interest Groups), our Summer Enrichment Programs, and the Botball Tournament Regional Competition taking place in Great Mills, MD. Our specific needs are:

• Chess boards and playing pieces for our Chess SIG
• Chess Coach to teach Scholars chess strategies and provide guidance when accompanying them in Chess Tournaments
• Science Kits and materials for elementary and middle school students in our Summer Programs
• Donations toward transportation, hotel accommodations and meals for our Robotics Team Scholars travelling to the Botball Tournament

We will greatly appreciate any contributions or donations you can provide. Please contact Richard Roberts, III, at grants@ymwicfoundation.org or make a donation using this link.

YMWIC is looking for Tutors to support our local chapters for elementary and secondary education in math, ELA (English Language Arts) and Science. 

YMWIC is also looking for Volunteers to support our Science Projects during the September – February time frame.

Additional volunteer opportunities include:

Event committee participation with the Golf Classic, Scholarship Banquet, Science Expo and College 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.

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-12 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 a recipient of your company's EITC funds.