Kingston, Ellenville students look to bright futures
KINGSTON, N.Y. » Three members of the inaugural class of the Brighter Futures Initiative celebrated their approaching graduation Thursday during a ceremony at the Ulster County Restorative Justice and Community Empowerment Center.
Jaden Smith and Phillip Marshall are graduating from Kingston High School, and Tanzimul Islam is graduating from Ellenville High School
It is an accomplishment that may have seemed less than certain a year ago, but as a result of their tenacity and the assistance of the county’s Brighter Futures Initiative, the three have not only completed their high school careers but are making plans for the future.
The initiative was launched in 2019 by thenCounty Executive Michael Hein as a way to help break the cycle of generational poverty through community-based programs aimed at at-risk youths between 16 and 20 years old.
The program was launched in January, when the first group of 20 youths from Kingston and Ellenville were enrolled in the program, said County Executive Pat Ryan. The youths were referred by their school districts and community leaders, he said.
According to the county’s website, the goal is to “deliver targeted interventions to adolescents, their parents/caregivers and members of their family to help break the cycle of generational poverty.”
“Breaking this cycle will require a different kind of approach — one that in
volves partnerships between government, nonprofits, businesses, philanthropy and local citizens,” the website states.
“Really, the idea is each of these young people gets very personalized, one-onone care and support to help them not just complete high school or their equivalency, but a whole bunch of wrap-around services to put them on a path for success,” Ryan said.
In an essay, Smith wrote that she was “almost positive” she wouldn’t have graduated with her class if not for the program.
“I was stuck in an alternative school, and there wasn’t enough time in a day to complete the courses I needed complete before the end of this year,” she said.
But with the help of the Brighter Futures staff,
Smith said, she not only is graduating but is planning to go to SUNY Ulster in the fall.
Beyond the educational
assistance, she said, the staff helped her in other ways, including providing her with a gift card so she could buy groceries.
“It wasn’t about the money or the food at that point,” Smith said. “I just knew I wasn’t alone anymore.”
Islam and Marshall told similar stories about how they received not just academic support, but help in life through the program.
“I can communicate with family and friends more,” Islam wrote, adding that he hopes to get his commercial driver’s license and become a school counselor.
Marshall said the Brighter Futures staff helped him navigate school during the coronavirus pandemic and helped him get a job and gather necessary
personal documents.
“With the help I get from Brighter Futures, I will be able to get my license and I’m on my way to SUNY New Paltz for music education,” he said, adding
that he hopes to join the Marines and someday become a high school music teacher.
Ryan said a new class of 20 will enter the program in the fall.