YMWIC July 2025 Newsletter

YMWIC Summers Provide Enrichment, Enjoyment and Employment

“School's out but learning's not.” ~ Author unknown

YMWIC would like to thank the Chester County Community Foundation for their generous grant via the Patricia B. Dixon Scholarship Fund grant award. We appreciate their recognition and continued support. The funds will be used to support YMWIC Programs.

My name is Jaime Puente Cantillo and I graduated from YMWIC in 2020, which was the time that I entered college. For me, one of the greatest gifts YMWIC gave that I take with me everywhere is curiosity and a feeling of belonging in a field that often does not want you there. Before joining the organization, I was a quiet and fairly shy kid. Being a minority in STEM is not easy, as you often are the only one in the room. The silence that forms in the room when you walk in for the first time is palpable, and the glares, stares, and whispers that soon follow all come together to create an unwelcoming and quietly hostile environment. Because of this, I often stifled my own curiosity for the sciences as I felt that others would not accept me; it was not my place to take up space. When YMIC, now YMWIC, came around to my school at Saint Katherine Drexel in sixth grade, the poster caught my eye. Read more.

My name is Raisa Sabiha. I graduated from Chestnut Hill College with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and am currently in the process of applying to medical school, which I hope to start next year. In the meantime, I am gaining valuable clinical experience to deepen my understanding of patient care. 

My passion for science and service has driven me to pursue a career in medicine, where I hope to make a meaningful impact in underserved communities.



I am a proud Alumna of the YMWIC Foundation, whose guidance, mentorship, and support have been instrumental throughout my academic and personal growth. The Foundation’s values continue to inspire me as I work toward becoming a compassionate and capable physician.

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.

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 will be when Scholars showcase their discoveries through presentations during the closing week!

Scholars also began to learn and understand the YMWIC Scholar Credo to master and embody it by the end of the Summer Program. Read more.

Martin Luther King High School Summer Enrichment Program

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



Throughout July, Scholars have participated in a wide variety of activities designed to prepare them for college, careers, and community impact. Highlights include 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. Read more.

Saint Vincent Middle School Retreat

Since 2013, Saint Vincent College continues collaborating with YMWIC by hosting another exciting, interactive, immersive Summer STEM Camp for YMWIC middle school Scholars. This month, 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. Read more.

Coatesville and Upper Darby Upward Bound Summer Program

This summer’s Upward Bound Program for Coatesville and Upper Darby High School Scholars took place on the campus of the 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 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. Read more.

Each year, YMWIC invites current Scholars and Alumni to apply for the paid leadership opportunity of being a Junior Counselor at our Elementary STEAM Summer Programs. This summer, we are delighted to have Anailah Lamb-Towels, a Coatesville Chapter alum from the class of 2024, and Sydney Holland, a West Chester Chapter alum, also from the class of 2024, assisting our STEAM Camps. These graduates and YMWIC alum are gaining valuable leadership experience and necessary job skills, such as people management and punctuality. The experience with the STEAM Camps will be a fantastic resume builder for these former Scholars as they continue their education, career, and beyond.

We are accepting applications for the YMWIC 2025-2026 Program Year. If your child is a rising 3rd - 11th grade student in one of the Pennsylvania Counties, in the Chester Upland, Coatesville Area, Norristown Area, Phoenixville, Upper Darby, West Chester Area, or William Penn School Districts, or attends Edmonds Elementary School, Horace Furness High School, or Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia and you are interested in having them become a part of the dynamic and rewarding YMWIC Pre-College After-School Program, visit our website at ymwicfoundation.org for more information. Complete the Student Information Form by selecting this link and a member of our staff will contact you.

All returning Scholars can click these links to complete 2025-2026 Program Year forms:

Pennsylvania Counties Scholar Application

Philadelphia School District Application and the

Scholar Personal Statement

We look forward to welcoming all new and returning Scholars to another exciting year!

Coatesville STEAM & Language Arts Summer Program: Everyly Griffith is a rising 4th grader who has been making the most of her time at YMWIC’s Coatesville STEAM Camp! She’s especially enjoying playing outside, learning about engineering, and working on her own science project, as well as observing what her fellow Scholars are creating. In the photo, Everyly (on right) and fellow camper, Sienna (picture left), successfully completing an Engineering Design activity to Build a house using only 6 index card, a pencil, scissors and creative minds!

Everyly is a talented artist and swimmer, and she spends her free time doing what she loves most: swimming, dancing, and being outdoors. Looking ahead to the new school year at Collegium Charter School, Everyly is excited to reconnect with her friends and meet her new teachers. With her enthusiasm, curiosity and excitement for learning, she brings great energy to camp each day!

West Chester STEAM & Language Arts Summer Program: Braylnn Johnson is gearing up to start 6th grade at Fugett Middle School this fall! At YMWIC’s West Chester STEAM Camp, she’s been enjoying the opportunity to meet new friends and participate in hands-on projects like making slime, science experiments and creating soloistic suns. In the photo at left, Braylnn is working on creating an Earthquake Resistance Building, of one of our EIE (Engineering is Everything) STEAM activities.

Outside of camp, Braylnn stays active and creative with a full schedule that includes gymnastics, dance, chorus, and playing the violin. Her favorite hobbies include playing kickball and basketball, as well as cheerleading. When thinking about the upcoming school year, Braylnn is most excited to meet new classmates from other schools and get to know her new teachers.

Martin Luther King High School Summer Enrichment Program: Rajay Barrett (pictured top left) is a rising 11th grader at MLK High School and a proud participant in the YMWIC Summer Program. This summer, Rajay is enjoying the full experience—especially the college campus tours, team-building activities, and Monday trips to Golf Zone, which give Scholars the chance to bond and grow outside the classroom. He brings strong problem-solving skills and a deep understanding of others, making him a thoughtful team member and a compassionate leader. Outside of the Program, he spends time cleaning up trash in his neighborhood, demonstrating his commitment to community care and responsibility.



In his free time, Rajay enjoys riding his bike, playing video games, and having family board game nights. Looking ahead to the school year, he’s excited about being, “Even closer to some of my goals in life.”

After graduating from MLK, Rajay hopes to study psychology to further understand the human mind and help others through meaningful insight and care.

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

September 12, 2025: YMWIC 1st Annual Chef & Winery Gala -- Join us (adults only) at the Desmond Hotel Malvern for an elegant and memorable evening of exquisite cuisine, delightful pairings of carefully selected wines, and the joy of fine dining. The evening will feature a four-course dining experience with each course prepared by a distinguished Chef and paired with a selected fine wine.

To purchase a dinner reservation, be a valued Sponsor or Donor for the event, purchase advertising for your organization in our Souvenir Program Booklet, or participate in our Silent Auction, use this link.

September, 2025 – May, 2026: Workshops at partnering school districts and tutoring*

November 8, 2025: 20th Annual College & Career Expo*

December 13, 2025: Holiday Giving Event*

February 21, 2026: 15th Annual Science Expo and Scholar Presentations*

March 18 – 22, 2026: National Society of Black Engineers 52nd National Conference in Baltimore, Maryland

March 29 – April 3, 2026: Annual College Tour

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: YMWIC Summer Programs (K–12)*

June – August, 2026: Summer Jobs & Internships for 12th grade Scholars and Alumni*

August, 2026: 2nd Annual Chef & Winery Gala

September, 2026: 12th Annual Scholarship and STEM Golf Classic*

*These are volunteer opportunities for Partner Employee Involvement.

YMWIC is seeking contributions for Programming taking place in the next few months for some of our SIGs (Special Interest Groups), our Summer Enrichment Programs, and the Botball Tournament Regional Competition taking place in Great Mills, MD. Our specific needs are:

• Chess boards and playing pieces for our Chess SIG
• Chess Coach to teach Scholars chess strategies and provide guidance when accompanying them in Chess Tournaments
• Science Kits and materials for elementary and middle school students in our Summer Programs
• Donations toward transportation, hotel accommodations and meals for our Robotics Team Scholars traveling to the Botball Tournament

We will greatly appreciate any contributions or donations you can provide. Please contact Richard Roberts, III, at grants@ymwicfoundation.org or make a donation using this link.

YMWIC is looking for Tutors to support our local chapters for elementary and secondary education in math, ELA (English Language Arts) and Science. 

YMWIC is also looking for Volunteers to support our Science Projects during the September – February time frame.

Additional volunteer opportunities include:

Event committee participation with the Scholarship Banquet, Science Expo, College Expo, and Golf Classic.

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.

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 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!

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 partners who 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 or Tanya Baxter at (610) 462-4565 if you would like to consider our YMWIC Foundation, Inc., as a recipient of your company's EITC funds. We thank those valued partners who currently donate EITC funds to our Foundation. Just a reminder to submit business applications online the date they are due.