REACH Prep Fall Newsletter | |
Please enjoy this collection of highlights from each of our programmatic areas from the summer and fall, as well as updates on our Board of Directors and Associate Board. | |
Prep Academy Announcements | |
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Welcome to Cohort 30:
Scholars from Cohort 30 began their journey with REACH Prep this summer at Prep Academy. Our newest Cohort has 22 Scholars, representing 11 countries, and collectively, they speak five languages!
Each Scholar has already had over 300 hours of instruction in humanities, math, Latin, technology, typing, and test prep as they prepare for independent school admissions. Cohort 30 is currently interviewing at prospective independent schools and will sit for their first ISEE test this month.
Cohort 29 Graduates:
Commencement for Cohort 29 was a celebratory occasion for our Scholars, their families, and the REACH Prep staff. Our Scholars worked hard throughout our rigorous 15-month program and are currently thriving in their independent school placements.
Click here to view the Commencement Photo Album.
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Thank you to Greenwich Country Day School for hosting Prep Academy for the last 10 years!
We are so grateful to GCDS for supporting our summer and Saturday program, workshops, board meetings, and more.
As Prep Academy continues in its tradition to rotate programming among our generous partner school hosts, we said farewell at the end of summer 2023.
Thank you!
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Prep Academy has found a new home at Sacred Heart Greenwich.
Sacred Heart was one of REACH Prep's founding schools, and we are grateful for their partnership and generosity in hosting Prep Academy this fall.
We look forward to working with Sacred Heart Greenwich as we head into our 30th anniversary and for many years to come.
Thank you!
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To ensure our Scholars are equipped with the tools needed to be successful in middle school, we hosted several workshops for grades 5-8 throughout the fall. Our focus for beginning of the school year is forming good habits and study skills.
We recently held two Executive Functioning and Study Skills workshops led by an independent school learning specialist. Topics included test-taking strategies, planning and prioritizing, effective study methods, organization, and time management.
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REACH Prep believes in the importance of meaningful summer experiences and know that these academic, leadership, and outdoor adventure programs help our Scholars cultivate relationships, expand their perspectives, and better engage with the world around them so they can be future leaders.
This year, we were able to support 83 Scholars with a summer opportunity! We also added ten new partner organizations, bringing our total to 26 summer partners.
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Over the past two months, we hosted 19 college information sessions led by admissions representatives from the schools listed above. Each workshop was hosted in person at the REACH Prep office and was open to our high school Scholars and their parents.
Representatives presented on a variety of topics, such as how to assess whether a school is the right fit, how to ace the college interviews, supplemental essay questions, demonstrating interest, and the application review process.
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The Impact of an Internship | |
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Over the summer, 23 college-aged Scholars completed internships across a variety of industries. Anthony D. from Cohort 19, Diane G. from Cohort 21, and Anthony C. from Cohort 22 participated in a six-week internship program during which they spent four weeks at Union Capital and two weeks at Finn Dixon & Herling.
Diane shared with us about her internship experience, how it helped her realize her professional aspirations, and the impact of REACH Prep support throughout.
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"REACH Prep Program Directors helped me prepare for my interviews and edit my resume so I could earn a spot in the internship program. Once accepted, they provided guidance on how to make the most of my internship and invited me to participate in a workshop that included shopping for a professional wardrobe that I relied on throughout the summer.
At both firms, I had the invaluable experience of forming connections with team members, shadowing, and getting career advice from associates and attorneys.
At Union Capital, I worked on projects that included utilizing CapIQ to research financial transactions of comparable companies within the same sector as those that Union intended to sell. At Finn, Dixon, & Herling, I worked on research projects, including one for a potential client.
This impactful summer internship helped me realize that I want to pursue a career in finance!
I am now focused on finding more internships in finance, with the help of my mentor at Union Capital and the team at REACH Prep. There are not enough words to express my appreciation for REACH Prep's support!"
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Welcoming Our Newest Board Members! | |
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We are thrilled to introduce four new members on our Board of Directors, including an alumna from Cohort 1!
Click here to view the full list of Directors.
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Susan Lehman Carmichael
“I am honored to serve on the Board of REACH Prep, an organization whose vision resonates with my deep-seated conviction that education is the pivotal force for equity and empowerment.
I look forward to helping build bridges to a future where every student has the opportunity reach their fullest potential.”
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Margo Cole
"I am honored to join REACH Prep’s Board to support the organization's important work in educational access for our next generation of leaders.
Having been deeply involved with REACH Prep for the past five years, I have had a front-row seat in viewing its mission at work and am continually blown away by the impressive results. It is REACH Prep Scholars who remind me that our future is bright and that education is the ultimate unlock!"
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Cynthia Lauture
REACH Prep Alumna, Cohort 1
“I am excited for the opportunity to be on the Board of Directors, and the ability to interface with everyone that has made REACH Prep what it is today. I am hoping that I can work with REACH Prep staff to continue to build alumni participation and expand the REACH Prep network."
Keep scrolling for a Q+A with Cynthia...
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Nicole Mitchell
“As a strong advocate for education and helping our youth reach their fullest potential, I am honored to be joining the REACH Prep Board of Directors.
As a former faculty member at GCDS, I have a deep understanding of the value and life-changing power of education. Providing talented youth from all walks of life access to the best education possible is a mission I feel very passionate about, and REACH Prep is a perfect partnership for my philanthropic work.”
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Q+A with Cynthia Lauture, REACH Prep Alumna & New Board Member | |
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Cynthia Lauture was a member of REACH Prep's very first Cohort and returned to us this year as our first alum to hold a Board seat. Cynthia is eager to make an impact on a mission that changed the trajectory of her life.
Get to know more about Cynthia below.
Cynthia is pictured here at Prep Academy Commencement in 1996 with Founders Nancy Hoffman and Patsy Howard.
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Q: What excites you about being the first Alum to join the Board of Directors?
A: Getting reacquainted with REACH Prep as an adult, and being a part of the process and discussion that furthers its continued success.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish during your tenure on the Board?
A: I am excited about the opportunity to be on the Board and to interface with everyone that has made REACH Prep what it is today. I am hoping that I can work with REACH Prep staff to continue to build alumni participation and expand the REACH Prep network.
Q: What is your favorite memory about your time as a REACH Prep Scholar?
A: The camaraderie between the Scholars. While the additional school work was not always fun, there was a camaraderie of a shared experience between the Scholars that always made REACH Prep feel like a welcoming environment and made my time memorable.
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Q: How has REACH Prep changed since your time as a Scholar?
A: REACH Prep has changed profoundly since I was a Scholar. The first cohort consisted of six girls meeting every Saturday in a school library with one faculty member and has expanded into a large network with a dedicated staff providing so much more opportunity and access to its Scholars.
Q: What do you wish more people knew about REACH Prep?
A: REACH Prep opens many doors for its Scholars, and those doors stay open long after a Scholar has graduated from the program.
Q: What might someone be surprised to know about you?
A: I love traveling the world and trying new experiences such as riding a hot air balloon over the Teotihuacan pyramids, riding camels in Morocco, sea trekking in the Caribbean and hiking one of the largest mountains in northern Africa.
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Associate Board Conducts Mock Interviews | |
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Our Associate Board is thriving! We currently have 56 members who are each supporting our programs and events in unique and meaningful ways.
In October, 18 Associate Board members volunteered for Prep Academy Mock Interviews in which each interviewed two Scholars and provided feedback to our staff. This annual workshop is a key step in preparing our fifth grade Scholars for their independent school application process.
Afterwards, a parent shared that her son was so inspired following the mock interviews and said, "Mom, nobody aside from my loved ones ever made me feel so confident and happy about my future! My interviewers were so nice and said they believe that I will do great things!"
Thank you to the Associate Board for their time and dedication!
Click here to view full list of Associate Board Members.
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Admissions Season is Open! | |
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Our admissions season is open and we are actively searching for students to join Cohort 31.
If you know a talented Black or Latinx fourth grade student from Fairfield County, Westchester County, or the Bronx, please forward them our eligibility form.
Questions?
Reach out to Director of Admissions, Marc Saracino at msaracino@reachprep.org
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We are grateful to our volunteers and partners who make an impact on our programs every day!
To learn more about how you or your company can get involved with REACH Prep, contact Director of Development, Jill Tucker at jtucker@reachprep.org.
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Follow us on Social Media! | | |
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Address: 1 Dock Street, Suite 100
Stamford, CT 06902
Phone: (203) 487-0750
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