YMWIC Celebrates the Tried-and-True and the New

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

~ Benjamin Franklin

YMWIC Hosts a Phenomenal College & Career Expo

The YMWIC 19th Annual College & Career Expo took place on Saturday, November 9, at Henderson High School in West Chester, PA. The Event was a huge success with Scholars and visitors arriving by busloads. The morning workshops provided a wealth of information on a range of topics including: Financial Literacy presented by Stacey Gamble from PNC Bank, Advocating for Your Child presented by Dr. Korey Bell, Advocacy for the Latinx Community presented by Sandra Bradley, the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Application Process presented by Sonya Mann-McFarlane from PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency).

This year, over 30 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 our surrounding communities. Read more.

The YMWIC PRE-Apprenticeship Program is Off to a Great Start

The 2024-2025 Pre-Apprenticeship Program is up and running with 15 participants. The Pre-Apprenticeship Program is developed for high school graduates, or with GED equivalence, who are 18 to 25 years of age as of November 1, 2024. 

The Program was initiated with our November 11th Orientation Session for participants and their parents. Courtney Allen, YMWIC Board Member and Manager at PECO, was in attendance to share valuable information about the PECO Helper Program and the many other opportunities they have to offer. 

The participants received the program schedule, which includes workshops, trips and internships during our inaugural Program Year. We are excited to offer this invaluable experience and opportunity and look forward to a great Program Year. If you have an interest in joining this program, fill out an application by selecting this link.

YMWIC Scholars Spend the Day "GETT"ing Immersed in STEM

A group of YMWIC Scholars had a blast at the GETT (Girls Exploring Tomorrow's Technology) Annual Expo which took place on October 26, 2024, at the Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks. This eagerly-anticipated event offers girls in Grades 4 through 10 hands-on interactive experiences in STEM.



Our Scholars participated in a variety of fun and informative opportunities including getting lessons on and practicing CPR, trying out police gear and climbing aboard a helicopter, and performing science experiments. They visited among 125 tables set up with STEM activities and met a diverse group of women from 63 companies who led them through experiments and demonstrations and shared their own experiences in STEM fields. Read more.

Featured Scholars

Chester Upland Chapter: This month, we’re excited to feature Anthony Stokes, a 10th-grade Scholar at Chester STEM Academy. Anthony joined YMWIC this year and has already embraced the opportunities and experiences the Foundation offers.

Anthony enjoys the variety of activities he participates in at YMWIC, from engaging projects to meeting new people and receiving academic support. He credits YMWIC with motivating him to study more and inspiring his newfound goal of attending college. Read more.

Coatesville Chapter: Meet Heidi Potts, one of YMWIC's standout Scholars! This fall, Heidi will be a 10th grade student at Collegium High School, where she is already gearing up for an exciting year filled with new academic and extracurricular experiences. Among her favorite subjects is Pre-Calculus, a challenging course that complements her interest in STEM fields.

Heidi is not only focused on academics but is also active in extracurriculars. She plans to play lacrosse for Collegium and is eager to join various clubs which include the Robotics Club, Aerospace Club, UNICEF, Chemical Club, and Art Club. Read more.

Furness High School Chapter: Keith Gray-Mickens is in the 10th grade at Furness High, and this is his second program year as a YMWIC Scholar. Keith earned Honor Roll status in the 9th grade at Furness and stretches himself academically; he is currently taking Honors History. His favorite subjects are math and science.

A dedicated and hard-working student, Keith is committing himself as a YMWIC Scholar by getting more involved in Foundation activities this program year. He finds that being a member has helped him to be more confident in groups; as a participant, he most enjoys the exposure to exciting hands-on engineering activities. Read more.

Martin Luther King High School Chapter: Layla Manley is an 8th grade Scholar at St. Raymond of Penafort School where she has been an Honor Roll student. This is her second program year at YMWIC. When we asked Layla what the biggest impact is that the Foundation has had on her, she proudly states that it has helped to improve her study habits and improved her math grades. She most enjoys the projects she takes part in during the workshops. She has renewed her dedication to studying hard, attending as many workshops as she can, and volunteering. Read more.

Norristown Blockson Chapter: Alvena Edwards is a dedicated 9th grade student at Norristown High School who has been part of the YMWIC Foundation since the 8th grade. Her journey with the Foundation has been marked by the invaluable support she’s received, especially during times when she faced academic challenges. This support has not only helped her overcome obstacles but also taught her how to effectively communicate with others, a skill that has made a significant impact on her personal growth.

Alvena’s aspirations for the future are clear; she dreams of becoming a Traveling Registered Nurse after graduating from high school. Read more.

Norristown Eisenhower Chapter: My name is Tamia Alexandria Robinson, and I am a 5th grade student at Blockson Middle School in Norristown, PA. I first joined the YMWIC Program when I was in 4th grade, and it has been an incredible experience that has shaped my confidence and future goals.



One of my favorite memories with YMWIC was participating in the Science Expo at West Chester University. It was amazing to see the creative experiments that students from across Pennsylvania presented. Read more.

Phoenixville Chapter: Vanessa Martinez is new to YMWIC this Program Year. She is in the 9th grade at Phoenixville Area Middle School. A hard-working and dedicated student, Vanessa is committed to her education and preparing for college. That is one of the reasons she joined YMWIC. She enjoys the warmth she has experienced at workshops and events and appreciates that she gets time to focus on her work during Project Support.



Vanessa says that YMWIC is a friendly Program and beneficial to Scholars by providing help with schoolwork and college scholarships. Read more.

Upper Darby Chapter: This month, we are excited to highlight Tyler Williams, an 11th-grade student at Upper Darby High School. Tyler joined YMWIC in the 9th grade and has been an active participant ever since, finding great value in the Foundation’s offerings. One aspect he enjoys most are the SIGs (Special Interest Groups) which he believes provide a strong sense of community and allows him to connect with others who share similar passions.



Over the years, YMWIC has had a significant impact on Tyler’s personal development, particularly in helping him step out of his comfort zone during presentations. Read more.

West Chester Chapter: We are excited to feature Savannah Freeman for the West Chester Chapter this month. Savannah is a dedicated fifth-grade Scholar attending Sarah Starkweather Elementary School. She joined YMWIC when she was in third grade and has become an active participant in the Foundation's community-focused programs.



When asked what she enjoys most about YMWIC, Savannah shared that it’s the sense of community that has had the greatest impact on her. She feels that her experience with the Foundation has helped her develop stronger public speaking skills, an essential part of her growth. Read more.

William Penn Chapter: Jeremiah Daviin is a 8th grade student at Penn Wood High School. He is proud that when he was in middle school, he earned awards for perfect attendance and being the kindest student. He has noticed significant personal growth since joining YMWIC when he was in the 7th grade saying, “I have overcome how nervous I was in groups of people.” He has committed to showing up and participating at Foundation workshops and events.



Jeremiah’s favorite subjects are science, coding and learning how computers work, and enjoys the computer and coding activities he takes part in at YMWIC. Read more.

Workshops

Workshops 4: All About SIGs

Workshop 4 was a Joint Workshop which allowed Scholars from multiple chapters to come together in one location and interact with each other. Phoenixville Chapter shared their Workshop 4 with the Coatesville Chapter; the Chester Upland Chapter shared theirs with the Martin Luther King High School Chapter from Philadelphia and the Norristown Chapter. During the Joint Workshop 4, Scholars learned about the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) YWMIC offers on Saturdays throughout the academic year. Our SIGs provide enriching experiences that foster both personal and academic growth.

YMWIC STEM Educator, Mrs. Wanda Allaire, taught the Scholars about our Math Counts Team and how some of them travel to the National NSBE MathCounts Competition each year. She completed two math puzzles with the Scholars and explained that MathCounts SIG is a club in which Scholars participate in math related puzzles and games. Read more.

Upcoming Events

GivingTuesday, on December 3, 2024, 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 graduate or GED Equivalent
• Administration and Transportation needs

We are excited that you have decided to participate in GivingTuesday on December 3, 2024. 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 14th Annual Science Expo and Scholar Presentations will take place on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at the West Chester University of Pennsylvania in Sykes Hall. Our Scholars have been hard at work identifying, carrying out, and documenting their Science Projects. 

At this highly-anticipated event, our Scholars will present and defend the Science Projects they have worked so hard on in front of judges, their families and community members. Each Science Project and presentation will be judged, and the winners will be honored at our end-of-Program Year Scholarship Banquet. You are cordially invited to view all of the Projects on display at the afternoon Expo and meet and speak with the Scholars about their Projects. Please click this link to register to attend.

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

• September, 2024 – May, 2025: Workshops at partnering school districts and tutoring*
• December 3, 2024 -- GivingTuesday
• December 14, 2024: Holiday Giving Event*
• February 15, 2025: 14th Annual Science Expo and Scholar Presentations*
• March 5 – 9, 2025: NSBE 51st National Conference in Chicago, Illinois
• April 14 – 18, 2025: College Tour to Ohio State University, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania State University, Saint Vincent College, and Robert Morris University
• April – May, 2025: Job Shadowing Period*
• April, 2025: Robotics Team Competition in Washington, DC*
• May 22, 2025: 15th Annual Scholarship and Awards Banquet*
• June 16 – July 24, 2025: Summer Programs (K–12)*
• June 1 – August 5, 2025: Summer Jobs & Internships for 12th grade Scholars and Alumni*
• September 8, 2025: 12th Annual Scholarship and STEM Golf Classic* 

*These are volunteer opportunities for Partner Employee Involvement.

You Can Still Register for the YMWIC 2024-2025 Pre-College Program



If you have a student who is a rising 3rd - 11th grade student in the Chester Upland, Coatesville, Kennett Consolidated, Norristown, Phoenixville, Upper Darby, West Chester, William Penn School Districts, Horace Furness High School or Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia; and you are interested in having them become a part of a dynamic and rewarding Program, register them for the YMWIC Pre-College Program, an After-School and Out-of-School Time Program. Our Program provides immersive and hands-on on-site opportunities for experiencing STEAM, business, and the Arts. We offer workshops, Community Service events, a Science Expo, Academic Tutoring, Workplace Readiness, SAT Prep Workshops, College Tours, assistance with the college Financial Aid and Application Process, and an opportunity to earn College Scholarships!

Select these links for the Online Scholar Application and the Scholar Personal Statement. We look forward to welcoming all new and returning Scholars to another exciting Program Year!

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