YMWIC Scholars Are Making Progress
One Grade at a Time
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Quote of the Month
"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
-- Benjamin Franklin
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Greetings, YMWIC Supporters:
As each of us commits to our New Year’s resolutions, I extend an invitation for you to include our nonprofit on your list of resolutions to join the YMWIC family as a valued volunteer, donor, and/or partner and support our mission and programming by making a lasting impact transforming the lives of our Scholars, their families, and our communities.
As we settle into our new headquarters in the Harris Turner Annex on the campus of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, YMWIC thanks the leadership of Cheyney President Aaron Walton.
I always say, "The proof is in the numbers." In our case, the numbers are Scholars' grades. This is yet another layer of support added enabling us to track our Scholars’ academic progress to determine how well they are adhering to their personal commitment to improve their grades each marking period.
As our Scholars continue to navigate these uncertain and challenging times at school, at home and even at YMWIC, we remain flexible in providing the support they need to excel in their academics and take advantage of the many resources and opportunities YMWIC offers.
In our quest to continue improving our high-quality programs and inspire confidence in our Scholars to secure their future, will you join us to support our mission and help build our communities and workforce one Scholar at a time? If so, we would love to have you join us as a valued volunteer, partner, and/or donor.
With gratitude,
Richard Roberts, III
(610) 340-2844
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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 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.
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Thank You for your Continued Support |
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YMWIC thanks Lockheed-Martin employee group Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Advancement (HOLA) for your generous STEM related gifts to every Scholar.
We would like to thank our new donor ELAP Services for their donation in support of our Pre-College and Summer Programs.
YMWIC is thankful for the continued generosity and support of Bentley Systems and their commitment to helping create future generations of STEM professionals.
New YMWIC partner and donor, LexisNexis, has made a generous contribution toward the YMWIC pre-college program. We thank them for their generosity.
YMWIC thanks, partner and donor, Exelon, for their Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) donation towards our education programming.
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Introducing Our New Headquarters and Transportation |
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The move into our new headquarters, located on the campus of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, was an exciting and smooth transition. This new venue gives Scholars the opportunity to imagine themselves as students on a college campus, take advantage of university resources, interact with college students and professors, and participate in YMWIC activities in a larger facility.
Our new headquarters will provide ample space for Robotics, Staff Offices, Labs, areas for the YMWIC Jazz Ensemble and Choir, Science Kit Assembly, SAT Prep Courses (for our high school juniors and seniors), Workshops, Science Project Development, Conferences, etc.
Thanks to the generous donation by the Justamere Foundation, YMWIC has purchased our first 15-passenger van! This van will enable us to service the needs of our Scholars who need transportation service to our headquarters and for various Foundation events throughout the program year.
We give a special thank you to Cheyney University of Pennsylvania and the Justamere Foundation for their support in our growth!
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Dr. Alan D. Fegley -- Phoenixville Area School District Superintendent |
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Dr. Alan D. Fegley has been Superintendent of the Phoenixville Area School District for the past 12 years. His educational career journey to his current position began as a pre-school handicapped teacher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. His next move took him to the Gloucester City Public Schools in New Jersey where he started as a special education teacher for K-3 students and later became an assistant principal of Mary Ethel Costello Elementary School. Following his passion and advancing in his career led him to the Christina School District in Delaware to be the principal of the Pulaski Intermediate School.
From there, Dr. Fegley moved to New Jersey’s Haddonfield Public School District where he stayed for 20 years serving as elementary principal, then middle school principal, then assistant superintendent and finally superintendent of schools. For the past 12 years, Dr. Fegley has proudly served as superintendent of the Phoenixville Area School District. Read more.
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Holiday Event of Fun and Giving |
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The YMWIC Annual Holiday and Giving Event took place on Saturday, December 11, 2021. An exciting and celebratory time was had by everyone, as all seven YMWIC chapters met at Peirce Middle School in West Chester for fellowship, food, and fun. This is one of the few opportunities at which Scholars and their families are able to mingle and meet Scholars from other chapters. They played games, listened to music played by DJ Yes Sir who is a YMWIC family volunteer, and enjoyed a delicious catered meal.
We are extremely happy to report that our chapter families donated $1,740 to help under-resourced families in their own communities who are in need this holiday season. In addition to providing an opportunity for our Scholars and families to meet and mingle with others, it is important for us to instill in our Scholars the importance of Social Responsibility, what it means to serve, giving back to their communities, and assisting those who are less fortunate.
Our Scholars were impressive in their formal uniforms reciting the YMWIC Credo! YMWIC would like to thank the event sponsor, Lockheed Martin HOLA and Representative Joseph Javier, who handed out a STEM-related gift to each Scholar who attended.
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YMWIC expects and celebrates academic excellence. We congratulate our Scholars who earned Honor Roll status for the first marking period.
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Chester Upland Chapter: Honors: Mia Cannon, Zion Lawrence
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Coatesville Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Andrea Lewis; Honors: Aras Reid (inducted into the Junior National Honor Society), Kahnor Stubbs, Khristian Powell-Christian
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Norristown Chapter: Distinguished Honors: Dayanis Morales-Salgado, Jayden Tolbert
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Phoenixville Chapter: Honors: Cameron English
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Upper Darby Chapter: Honors: Gideon Dayo, Olaoluwayemi Dayo, Bolu McKenna, Anjali Robinson-Leary, Josiah Robinson-Leary, Davion Skeete
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West Chester Chapter: Honors: Daniel Adeyemi (inducted into the Junior National Honor Society), Delight Adeyemi, Janis A. Bady
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Chester Upland Chapter: Maximus Ignatius Jones attends Showalter STEM Academy where he is in the 9th grade. He joined YMWIC this year and most enjoys socializing with other Scholars, families, and the workshops. He can already see that joining YMWIC has helped him gain new life experiences.
The careers Maximus would like to pursue are Game Development and Plumbing. He does not have any colleges in mind yet. He advises younger and/or other new Scholars of the importance of beginning school assignments and projects immediately. “Don’t procrastinate.”
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Coatesville Chapter: Milina Dixon is a 5th grade Scholar at Beaver Creek Elementary School. She was introduced to YMWIC by her great aunt, Tanya Baxter, who is also a YMWIC volunteer. Milina began attending the YMWIC Summer Camp Program when she was in the 1st Grade and was finally able to become a participating member of our Pre-College After-School Program last year.
Milina has fun completing the Science Projects at YMWIC and would like to get more experience in Robotics to help in her future studies and career. Read more.
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Norristown Chapter: Journey Hayward joins her brother Jarrett in the Norristown Chapter this year. She attends Knapp Elementary School where she is in the 5th Grade. Since joining YMWIC, Journey says that she has grown as a learner and sees herself as a Scholar. She enjoys the activities, Science Projects, and the people she meets.
When she graduates from college, Journey would like to become an entrepreneur and possibly work with chemicals. She can envision herself inventing new vitamins to help people stay healthy. Read more.
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Phoenixville Chapter: Dylan Nichol Berry is a 4th grade Scholar at Manavon Elementary School. She joined YMWIC this year and has most enjoyed learning about new science topics and making new friends. Becoming a member of YMWIC has exposed Dylan to cool new activities, such as exciting science experiments, and shown her that there are so many things she can do! She especially liked learning about rockets during a recent hands-on workshop. Read more.
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Upper Darby Chapter: Maxam Ganges, Grade 5, attends Walter M. Senkow Elementary School in the Upper Darby School District. He has won countless academic awards and is a student in the district’s Gifted Program. He plays the string bass and trumpet in his school’s Orchestra and Band Program.
Maxam was voted President of the Student Council by his peers at school and would like to start new clubs such as a card club, chess club, and coding club; he would also like to extend recess for the students. Read more.
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West Chester Chapter: Karen Aguilar joined YMWIC when she was in the 8th grade. She is now a senior at Henderson High School where she is a member of the National Honors Society. She appreciates how YMWIC exposes Scholars to many learning activities at an early age, which helps them to decide what they want to do in the future. Since joining YMWIC, Karen has seen her confidence increase significantly. She currently works as an intern at YMWIC. Her advice to younger Scholars, “No matter what happens, YMWIC will not let you fail!” Read more.
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William Penn Chapter: Melanie Browne is new to the William Penn Chapter this program year. She is a 6th Grade Scholar at Aldan Elementary School. So far, Melanie enjoys YMWIC very much; she enjoys participating in the workshops, appreciates the weekly one-on-one support she receives during tutoring with her math homework, and values the helpful staff and tutors.
Melanie would tell her friends who are considering YMWIC, “This Program helps you understand more than you think you can; and it’s really helpful and improves your grades.” She enjoys dance and playing video games and would like to become a Dancer in the future.
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Bonus Workshops
Scholars were treated to two Bonus Zoom Workshops. During the first workshop on November 8th, Professor Brandon Mitchell introduced them to a unique opportunity available to them after graduating high school. The West Chester University of Pennsylvania Nanoscience for Health and Technology S-STEM Scholarship Program, which supports the retention and graduation of high-achieving students who are interested in the applications of Nanoscience for the advancement of society.
The second Bonus workshop on December 6th was titled "Courageous Conversations on Race" moderated by Mr. Jimmy White and Mr. Timothy Nelson. This workshop covered the important but sometimes uncomfortable topics of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity. Scholars were able to share their experiences in a safe space and get tips on how to embrace their unique qualities, respect others’ differences, and treat everyone fairly.
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Workshops #6
In their 6th Workshop, our STEM Educators assisted all Scholars with their Science Projects. They either helped new Scholars select projects or helped veteran Scholars with their experiments. DaVinci Science volunteers worked with Scholars from the Chester and Phoenixville Chapters on Extracting DNA from Strawberries. Younger Scholars at the Phoenixville Chapter Created Paper Robots. Parents reviewed and signed up for volunteer opportunities at the College & Career Expo which took place on November 13, 2021.
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Workshops #7
For Workshop 7, STEM Educators Dr. Naomi Hamson and Wanda Allaire led Scholars in an experiment Creating Oobleck, which is a non-Newtonian solid made of corn starch and water. When a force acts on it slowly, such as slowly stirring or pouring it, it is a liquid; but when a force acts on it quickly, such as tapping or rolling it into a ball, it is a solid. They experimented by bouncing a ball out of it and spinning a top on it.
Pluto Scholars worked with YMWIC College and Career Advisor, Angela Smith, to build Vision Boards. They were asked to imagine life either in high school or at age 27 and created collages reflecting what they hope their lives will look like. The purpose, the Scholars learned, is that if we can articulate and share what we want our future to look like, rather than leaving it intangible and obscure, there is a stronger likelihood that we will plan, prepare, and realize it.
Parents received College Prep Education and discussed upcoming events.
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Workshops #8
For Workshop 8, younger Scholars learned about Chemical vs. Physical Changes and Created Slime using glue, baking soda, and contact solution. DaVinci Science staff worked with Scholars at William Penn making marble roller coasters. Jupiter and Saturn Scholars participated in College Prep activities.
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Parent volunteers in each YMWIC Chapter organize four Community Service Events focused on Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement each program year. Scholars must participate in at least two. They experience, first-hand, the sense of fulfillment gained by doing activities that improve their communities or helping others in need. Read below to see what our Scholars did for their first Community Service Events:
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Coatesville: Scholars attended Sunday Service at Coatesville Tabernacle Baptist Church. They introduced themselves to the congregation and made a donation to the church.
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Norristown: Norristown Scholars visited the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial at Simmons Park with bags and gloves in hand, where they picked up trash to make the park a more pleasant venue to visit.
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Phoenixville: Scholars visited the Women's Resource Center in Phoenixville where they helped to clean and beautify the yard (photo top right).
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Upper Darby: The Upper Darby Chapter Scholars met at Naylors Run Park for an afternoon of cleanup and beautification.
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West Chester: Scholars in the West Chester Chapter worked in conjunction with Friends of Everhart Park for a fall cleanup, raking leaves and picking up trash (photo middle right).
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William Penn: William Penn Scholars worked with Scouting for Food, in partnership with the Boy Scouts, by packaging food for those in need (photo bottom right).
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YMWIC Alumnus Travels to Italy |
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Jaremy Bady is a West Chester Chapter Alumnus and third-year Electrical Engineering major at Temple University. During the 2021 fall semester, he had the opportunity to study abroad at Temple's Rome campus. He studied Italian and Roman History; immersed himself in Italian food, culture and architecture; and expanded his travel to Florence and Milan. Jaremy stated, "This trip was an eye-opening experience that broadened my understanding of other cultures; and no matter where we are from, people all want the same things in life--love, security and prosperity."
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College Corner - Scholars Preparing for Their Futures |
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For many high school seniors, December and January are a time of waiting. At YMWIC, we encourage our seniors to have their FAFSA applications submitted by the end of October and their college applications in before Thanksgiving.
So now, we sit and wait. Many of our Scholars have received acceptances and some are still waiting. In the New Year, all Scholars, not only seniors, will embark on the scholarship hunt.
At YMWIC, we curate a list of scholarships for our Scholars, focusing on those we believe our Scholars are most likely to obtain. Our Scholars know that scholarships are competitive; thus, they are difficult to get. That is why we have them begin applying while still in middle school.
Did you know that there are scholarships available to youth of all ages? It is a helpful tidbit. Scholars are encouraged to apply to a few each year starting in the 7th grade to lessen the burden during their senior year.
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YMWIC 11th Annual Science Expo
On March 5, 2022, YMWIC will host our Annual Science Expo. Beginning in September of 2021, YMWIC Scholars selected a Science Project and used the scientific method to execute their projects. They are required to meet specific deadlines for their Project Research Plan, Lab Report, Project Board, and PowerPoint Presentation. The culmination of their project is the presentation and defending of their project at the Expo.
Volunteers from many YMWIC partner corporations and universities serve as mentors to the Scholars throughout the project process and also as judges for the Scholars’ presentation boards and oral presentations. During the afternoon session, you can view all of the science project exhibits. After the exhibits, our dynamic keynote speaker will deliver an inspiring science-related message. Scholars, parents and guests can register here.
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12th Annual Scholarship Awards Gala
YMWIC will host our 12th Annual Scholarship and Awards Gala. We are excited that this year we can return to having a live event, which will be held at the Valley Forge Sheraton Hotel in King of Prussia, PA! During the Gala, we showcase our Scholars for their achievements and reward our senior Scholars with the college scholarships they earned to attend the colleges of their choice. In addition, there will be a Silent Auction, Dinner, and a Caribbean Trip-for-Two opportunity.
We will also honor industry executives who are champions in supporting YMWIC and our communities with the West Impact Award presented to Exelon Corporation, the nation’s leading competitive energy provider; the Educational Leadership Award for Secondary Education granted to Dr. Eric J. Becoats, Superintendent of William Penn School District; the Educational Leadership Award for Post-Secondary Education presented to Stephen M. Jodis, Ph.D., Dean of Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computing at Saint Vincent College, in Latrobe, PA; and the Community Leadership Award granted to Dr. Korey Bell, Community Leader and Henderson High School Counselor. Join us as we celebrate our Scholars and community leaders as you enjoy an evening of fellowship and fun! We are now donations to participate or be a part of this amazing event. To register, use this link.
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YMWIC 9th Annual Scholarship and Golf Classic
Join us on Monday, August 29, 2022, at the fabulous Penn Oaks Golf Club in a Scramble Golf Tournament and Fundraiser to support our Scholarship Program for the Young Men and Women In Charge (YMWIC) Foundation, Inc. You will meet our Scholars, network, and have fun as you help us raise scholarship funds.
Golfers will receive gifts, an open buffet lunch, and an open buffet dinner. There will be a Silent Auction and prizes for our guests and winners. For non-golfers, please join us for the evening banquet and networking dinner event, which will include a buffet dinner, live jazz, and much more. You can click on this link to register.
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Coatesville Area School District residents: Woodlyn Pharmacy, in partnership with Coatesville Area School District, will hold a COVID-19 Vaccination & PCR Testing Clinic on Monday, January 31, 2022, from 4:00PM to 7:30PM, in the Coatesville Area Senior High School Auditorium Lobby.
Residents aged 5 or older can receive a Booster or Primary series Vaccine at the Clinic. To view the Clinic flyer for more information and to schedule an appointment, click this link.
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Education 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 by 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.
Amazon Smile and YMWIC: Using Amazon Smile costs you nothing but can make a world of difference to our Scholars and the resources we provide. When you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. When making online purchases from Amazon, simply search for YMWIC Foundation or YMIC Foundation. Your product cost will not increase when donating to YMWIC.
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Thanks for your Generous Support |
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