YMWIC Gives Thanks and Appreciation

"Don't give up! Don't ever give up!" ~ Jimmy Valvano

We are Grateful for your Generous Support

YMWIC would like to thank the McLean Contributionship for their generous grant which allowed YMWIC to purchase a brand new 15 passenger van. The van will be used to support the Pre-College programs, weekend Special Interest Groups, and our Pre-Apprenticeship programs. On behalf of the young men and women we serve, we sincerely thank you and the board of the McLean Contributionship.

YMWIC Hosts a Phenomenal College & Career Expo

The YMWIC 20th Annual College & Career Expo took place on Saturday, November 8, at Henderson High School in West Chester, PA. The event, focusing on our Scholars, was a huge success! The morning workshops provided a wealth of information on a range of topics including: Managing Your Money, presented by Terri Moran from Bank of America; Your Four-Year College Readiness Plan and Your Elevator Pitch, presented by James White; Advocacy for Your Child, presented by Dr. Jason Hamer; and the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Application Process, presented by Sonya Mann-McFarlane from PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency).

Our partnering colleges, universities, and companies sent representatives to our Expo to meet and greet our Scholars and their families, members of our Partnering School Districts, and members from our surrounding communities. 

YMWIC Workshops

During the Program Year, Scholars receive after-school or out-of-school program activities in STEM, Academic Readiness, Career Readiness or Essential Skills. For example, during Workshop #3, our Scholars put the scientific method into action by conducting a controlled experiment that tested the strength and structural integrity of paper towels. They examined how different levels of water exposure impacted durability and then measured performance by incrementally loading pennies onto each sample. Working collaboratively in teams, the Scholars recorded observations, collected quantitative data, and compared results to determine whether their initial hypotheses were supported or not supported. Through this process, they learned how systematic testing, data analysis, and repeatable trials help scientists and engineers make evidence-based conclusions. This hands-on investigation gave Scholars real insight into why engineers rigorously test their products, ensuring that design claims and advertisements are supported by reliable results. They left with a deeper understanding of how STEM principles drive innovation, accuracy, and problem-solving in the real world.

YMWIC Special interest Groups (SIGs)

The 2025-2026 Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Program launched in October and runs through June on Saturdays. The special areas of interest include Chess, Art, Robotics Competition Preparation, MathCounts Competition Preparation, the YMWIC Choir, the YMWIC Jazz Ensemble, Civics and Debate, and our PECO Grow Program.

The YMWIC MathCount team, administered by Coaches Wanda Allaire and Jean Caputo is for middle school Scholars interested in competing in mathematics. These Scholars learn math concepts and teamwork. Coach Wanda Allaire is preparing these Scholars for the NSBE Competition planned for March in Baltimore, Maryland. Coach Jean Caputo works with the high school team. They are also planning to participate in the NSBE Competition in Baltimore. 

The YMWIC Civics and Debate Club provides education on the basics of formal debate and civics. Scholars are learning the fundamentals of the three branches of government and understanding the fundamental rights. Read more.

Summer Internships

The LaFrance Corporation Summer Internship Program created for Post High School graduates pursuing a field in STEM. LaFrance Corporation has been a YMWIC Sponsor and partner for 14 years. Aside from being an annual financial supporter, the LaFrance Corporation leadership team and employees provide countless hours of mentoring to our leadership as well as our Scholars.

This summer our 2025 graduate, Xavier McClanahan, participated in an eight-week summer internship with LaFrance. Xavier is an Engineering student at the University of Delaware. Select this link to read about Xavier's testimony regarding his experience with The LaFrance Corporation.

The High School PECO Paid Summer Internship Program launched in 2025, gave three YMWIC high school scholars hands- on experiences within the work setting. The Scholars were able to shadow PECO professionals out in the field and within the office setting. Scholars learned about the business side of an energy and utilities corporation by observing professionals and carrying out tasks to support fellow colleagues. The Program was designed to give Chester County Scholars an opportunity to learn about PECO and the Energy and Utilities industry. YMWIC's Scholars were able to participate in this eye-opening revelatory program. Congratulations to Scholars, Adrian Naranjo, Micah Miles and Bakari Phelps.

Thank you to the many PECO staff members who made this project successful. Special thanks to Ian Mark, Courtney Allen, and their leadership team.

Community Services

Upper Darby Upward Bound celebrates their first Community Service Workshop for female Scholars in Grades 4-12 at Naylor's Run Park in Upper Darby, PA, on Saturday, September 27th. Scholars helped spruce up the park and engage with community members.

Our Norristown, Blockson, and Eisenhower Scholars spent Thursday, October 2nd, serving at Martha's Choice Marketplace in Norristown, PA. Scholars worked diligently on the Sorting, Assembly, Creative, and Distribution Teams, helping provide produce and groceries to local families in need. We're proud of our Scholars for giving back and continuing YMWIC's mission of leadership, service, and community impact!

Featured Scholars

Norristown Eisenhower Chapter: Noah Whittington is a 6th grade student at Hope Partnership for Education in Philadelphia, PA. He first joined YMWIC when he was in 3rd grade. According to Noah, “This has been and is a really fun program that has helped me become more social.” Noah most enjoys completing projects with the YMWIC Foundation. Outside of his academics, Noah enjoys playing soccer and piano. He hopes to be a gaming engineer someday. Noah, continue working diligently and staying focused on your education through college, and you will achieve your objectives. We’re proud to count you as a YMWIC Scholar!

Norristown Blockson Chapter: Khairi Julien is a dedicated 7th grade student at Upper Merion Middle School who joined the YMWIC Foundation this year. Khairi has earned honor roll every year since he was in first grade. He enjoys playing soccer, coding, and riding his bike with his friends. So far, Khairi feels that YMWIC is a good program for people who are serious about their education; and he enjoys the wide variety of activities he has been able to participate in. When he grows up, Khairi is thinking about being an entrepreneur or a software engineer. Because of your work ethic and commitment to academic excellence, we have no doubt of your success!

Upper Darby Chapter: This month, we are excited to highlight Tayvion Avery, Tayvion joined YMWIC in 11th grade and is now a senior. Tayvion attends Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergrast Catholic High School.



What Tayvion enjoys most about YMWIC is the abundant opportunities of participating and engaging with others who are like-minded and also interested in striving for excellence. Tayvion has made the Honor Roll since Middle School.

Tayvion is exploring Widener University, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Penn State-Brandywine Campus and Delaware County Community College to begin his studies in Computer Engineering. Tayvion enjoys researching what's new in technology to prepare for his college major in his free time. Tayvion, we wish you the best; and congratulations on all your achievements!

Furness High School Chapter: William Dejesus Sandoval is a 10th-grade student at Furness High School and a proud member of the YMWIC Foundation. Now in his second year with the Program, William continues to take full advantage of the workshops, events, and chapter meetings offered through YMWIC. He values the opportunity to build friendships, explore new environments, and challenge himself to grow both academically and personally.

Through YMWIC, William has strengthened key skills such as time management, organization, and communication--qualities that have helped him stay on top of his responsibilities and prepare for upcoming opportunities. His commitment to learning is evident; he consistently earns A’s and B’s and is currently enrolled in English Honors, continuing to build a strong foundation for his future.

William plans to pursue a career in engineering and is already developing the focus and discipline needed to reach that goal. His thoughtful approach to learning and willingness to take initiative demonstrate the confidence of a young leader in progress.

Outside of academics, William enjoys playing electric guitar, going to the gym, and unwinding with video games. His advice to younger or new Scholars is simple but impactful, “Don't be shy to speak up or ask for help." He encourages others to join YMWIC if they're looking for something purposeful and fun to do after school: "The events are fun, and you'll learn so much."

William's enthusiasm, curiosity, and steady growth make him a standout example of the promise and potential YMWIC helps Scholars bring to life. 

Martin Luther King High School Chapter: Zakiyah Coleman This month, we are proud to highlight Zakiyah Coleman, an 11th grade Scholar at Martin Luther King High School who has been an active and dedicated member of the YMWIC Foundation since 9th grade. Over the past three years, Zakiyah has earned Honor Roll recognition, showing her strong work ethic and focus in the classroom. She also has her sights set on the future. Zakiyah plans to pursue a career as a real estate agent or realtor, and she is already thinking ahead about college. While she hasn't chosen a specific school yet, she knows she wants to attend an HBCU, where she can continue to grow academically and personally in a community that inspires her.

Outside of the Foundation, Zakiyah enjoys taking time to relax and unwind during her free moments. Although she doesn't currently participate in sports or performing arts, she continues to explore her interests and stay open to new experiences.

Zakiyah's journey reflects resilience, curiosity, and a willingness to step outside her comfort zone--qualities that make her a standout YMWIC Scholar. We look forward to seeing all that she accomplishes this year and beyond.

William Penn Chapter: Ibrahim Dean Kamara is a 11th grade student at Penn Wood High School. He enjoys playing soccer and tennis, and has been on the distinguished honor roll list since the seventh grade. Ibrahim enjoys riding his bike, playing games, and watching TV in his down time. According to Nyree, the program will prepare you for College and can expose you to things you might be interested in that you otherwise wouldn't have even thought about trying. He most enjoys being exposed to different activities through the Foundation, and appreciates the unlimited resources the program provides.

Ibrahim is hoping to attend Temple University, and would like to study to be a Pharmacist (and continue being a tennis player, like his favorite - Roger Federer). So far, the biggest impact Nyree feels the Foundation has had on him was the Annual College Tour.

YMWIC Summer Programs Provide Learning, Enrichment, and Fun!

STEAM & Language Arts Programs

The YMWIC Summer Programs, including our STEAM & Language Arts Program for 1st through 8th grade students, kicked off on June 16, 2025.We enjoyed watching their young expressions of discovery and amazement when fully grasping concepts and the results of their experiments.

Campers began their fantastic summer full of fun learning and adventures. The young scientists locked in the projects they would be working on for the next five weeks. They dove into the exciting world of background research, uncovering the secrets of the Scientific Method. From there, they started to craft clever hypotheses, run experiments and draw meaningful conclusions. The grand finale was the Scholars showcasing their discoveries through presentations during the closing week!

Scholars also began to learn and understand the YMWIC Scholar Credo, with the goal of mastering and embodying it by the end of the Summer Enrichment Program. 

Martin Luther King High School Summer Enrichment Program

This summer, Scholars in the MLK Chapter of the YMWIC Foundation were busy building critical life skills, exploring their futures, and strengthening their leadership potential through a dynamic and enriching Summer Program.

Throughout July, Scholars participated in a wide variety of activities designed to prepare them for college, careers, and community impact. Highlights included college tours to Drexel University, Delaware County Community College, Ursinus College, and Immaculata University, where Scholars had the opportunity to explore campus life, learn about admissions, and envision themselves pursuing higher education.

Coatesville and Upper Darby Upward Bound Summer Program

This Summer's Upward Bound Program for Coatesville and Upper Darby high s chool Scholars took place on the campus of West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCU). YMWIC and WCU provided a robust curriculum for our scholars full of STEM learning, life skills, college prep, and college tours. Each week, the Scholars of our High School Summer Program attended a tour at a different College or University. During the first half of the Summer Program, Scholars toured Drexel University, Widener University, and the WCU campus. Before each college visit, the Scholars prepared for their upcoming tour by researching the University they would be seeing and developing questions to ask.

Saint Vincent

Since 2013, Saint Vincent College has continued collaborating with YMWIC by hosting another exciting, interactive, immersive Summer STEM Camp for YMWIC middle school Scholars, During the summer, the College and its Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computing welcomed a select group of YMWIC middle school Scholars for a 5-day In-Residence Experience on the Saint Vincent campus in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. These specially-selected Scholars enjoyed an actual campus experience, professor-led workshops, campus tours, and special presentations led by college staff and students.

Upcoming Events

GivingTuesday, on December 2, 2025, is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. GivingTuesday emphasizes opportunities to give back to communities and causes in ways that allow for social connection and kindness.

Our mission at YMWIC is to Inspire the Next Generation of STEM Leaders. We invite you to make a difference by helping us meet or exceed our goal of $20,000 to be distributed among the following programs:

• Pre-College After & Out-of-School Time Program for Grades 3 - 12 in STEM Programming
• Summer Programs for Grades K - 8 STEAM Camp
• Summer Overnight Science Retreat for Grades 7 - 12
• Summer Coatesville and Upper Darby School Districts Upward Bound Programs for Grades 9 - 12
• Post-Secondary Education and Undergraduate Scholarship Program 
• Pre-Apprenticeship Program for 18 - 25 year old high school graduates or GED Equivalent
• Administration and Transportation needs

We are excited that you have decided to participate in GivingTuesday on December 2, 2025. We ask you to be generous in your giving and support YMWIC in achieving our mission by making a donation to support our mission and programming on GivingTuesday by selecting this link. Thank you.

The YMWIC 15th Annual Science Expo and Scholar Presentations will take place on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Beginning in September, YMWIC Scholars selected a challenging grade-appropriate Science Project and will utilize 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 Scholars' hard work will be the Presentation and defending of their Projects to the YMWIC Annual Science Expo to a room full of YMWIC Partner judges and an audience of their peers, family, and community members. We invite each of you to attend and support our Scholars, who are our next generation of STEM Leaders.

YMWIC 2025-2026 Program Year Key Dates & Volunteer Opportunities -- Mark your Calendar!

• September, 2025 – May, 2026: Workshops at partnering school districts and tutoring*
• December 2, 2025 -- GivingTuesday
• December 13, 2025: Holiday Giving Event*
• February 21, 2026: 15th Annual Science Expo and Scholar Presentations*
• March 18 – 22, 2026: NSBE 52nd National Conference in Chicago, Illinois
• March 29 – April 3, 2026: Annual College Tours
• April – May, 2026: Job Shadowing Period*
• April 2026: Botball Robotics Team Competition in Washington, DC*
• May 21, 2026: 16th Annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet*
• June 15 – July 23, 2026: Summer Programs (K–12)*
• June – August 2026: Summer Jobs & Internships for 12th grade Scholars and Alumni*
• August 2026 - 2nd Annual Chef and Wine Gala
• September 2026: 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.

Additional volunteer opportunities include:

Event committee participation with the Golf Classic, Scholarship 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 up 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!

Donating to YMWIC

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 the recipient of your company's EITC funds.

Thank You for Your Generous Support