May 6, 2020

Dear KIPP Baltimore supporters,

We are incredibly thankful to have you as friends during these challenging times. Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting our first e-gathering, which featured  real-time updates on our response to the COVID-19 crisis, as well as reflections from our KIPP Through College Team and members of the Pride of 2020, Chyna Bowie and Keon Rosado. If you missed our e-gathering, please follow this link to view the presentation and listen to the recording. Thank you to those who were able to join us!

In addition, we are proud to announce KIPP Baltimore's Pride of 2020 scholarship recipients for the Amplify Scholarship and the Dave Goldberg Scholarship, Rayelle Cato, Raekwon Williams, and Isaiah Griffith! This year, the KIPP Foundation received over 400 applications from incredible KIPP high school seniors across the country- all with above a 3.0 GPA who have shown remarkable leadership and achievement. Click here to learn more about our two Goldberg Scholars and here to learn more about our Amplify Scholar. Also, check out our "KIPP Through College Celebrations" update below!

The spirit of our Team and Family is stronger than ever! Your ongoing commitment plays an important role in the lives of our 2,600 students in kindergarten through college and careers.  Thank you for continuing to support our community during this difficult time and being a part of our vibrant family. 

In partnership,
 
Marsha Reeves
Executive Director
KIPP Baltimore


Our Ongoing COVID-19 Response 

  • As an entire staff, we will be participating in the OPEN National Field Day event on Friday, May 8th. It is a significant day for our students and our staff. In these incredibly challenging times, this national event is a unique way to stay connected as a community and support one another in a fun and meaningful way.
  • One of our annual events impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic is our signature College & Career Week, which was on March 23-March 27th. Although the in-person event was cancelled, we have decided to take it virtual! Seven guest presenters participated in this virtual initiative by recording personalized videos. Presenters shared their college & career trajectories with our KIPPsters and school community. We are so grateful to continue to enhance the learning of our KIPPsters during this time. 
  • In addition to our virtual College & Career Week, we are excited to celebrate our third week of virtual learning with a Team and Family spirit week! Below, check out some fun photos of our students in their best Moody Monday and Superhero Tuesday gear!
  • At KIPP, our number one goal is making sure our families are supported. Whether that means jumping on the phone to offer math help, sending messages of encouragement to students, or sharing health and safety tips, we're right here with you. In that spirit, in partnership and led by the KIPP Foundation, we offered financial planning support to our families. A financial planning expert delivered a virtual workshop series focused on navigating financial decision-making and wage-loss during COVID-19. Ashley Copeland, CEO of Stacks and the City and KIPP alum, hosted the series. 



KIPP Through College Pride of 2020 Celebrations

Rayelle Cato (Goldberg Scholar)

Rayelle is a KIPP Baltimore alum and Bard High School Early College student. She is passionate about writing and film and she hopes to one day make films about the underappreciated. She was published in Ibelong magazine twice and co-founded a Drama club at her school. She plans to attend Bard College in the fall to major in Film/Psychology. 
Raekwon Williams (Goldberg Scholar) 

Raekwon is a KIPP Baltimore alum and a student in the Ingenuity Project at the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. He is passionate about research in medicine and health, specifically working on prostate cancer research. He plans to attend UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall to major in Engineering. 
Isaiah Griffith (Amplify Scholar)
Isaiah is a KIPP Baltimore alum and Mount St. Joseph High School student. While in high school, he was the Co-founder and President of the Black Awareness Club and was a member of the National Honors Society and student council. He plans to attend University of Maryland College Park in the fall to major in Medicine.

 



How you can help

If you haven't yet supported KIPP Baltimore this fiscal year, please consider making your gift now.  You can make a gift online here , or send a gift to our offices at 2000 Edgewood Street, Baltimore MD, 21216. If you have already supported KIPP this year, thank you.  We are deeply grateful for your generosity.  We also ask that you please consider making an additional gift before the end of our fiscal year on June 30, 2020 to help us better support our KIPPsters as we weather this storm together.
Additionally, if you know of any resources or community supports that you believe would benefit the broader KIPP Team & Family, please share them directly with me. 

Moments of Joy

To continue building community, members of our Team and Family participated in the #NoRushChallenge. I've attached a link to the video below. Enjoy!  

Kipp Dont Rush Challenge_V2