YOUTH ON THE GO
Since 2014, Kingston High School has been committed to closing opportunity gaps for students who are young men of color.
Through a partnership with the Brothers@ organization and Bard College, the Brothers at Bard program at Kingston High has helped empower young men of color to take charge of their educations and their futures.
Angela Armstrong, Kingstson’s director of recruitment, retention, and equity who serves as staff liaison to the Brothers at Bard program, the results at the school have been remarkable. Since the first graduating class in 2015, Brothers at Bard has achieved an overall graduation rate of over 90% among students who were fully engaged in the program.
Brothers at Bard was launched in the spring of 2014 by two young men of color, Bard students Dariel Vasquez and Harry Johnson. After struggling to find their places at a predominantly white institution, they created a support group for students like themselves. It was so successful that after one semester, they reached out to the Boys Club and to Kingston High for assistance in expanding their initiative.
Starting with once-aweek afterschool mentoring and youth-development sessions, Brothers at Bard expanded its offerings at Kingston High to provide weekly support throughout the school day and afterschool programming two to three times a week. The Bard student-mentors, who receive extensive training, work with their mentees to foster academic persistence as well as positive identity and character development. Each year, 35 to 50 Kingston students in Grades 9 through 12 are served by Brothers at Bard.
“We are so proud of the program,” Armstrong said in a press release. “These students are having experiences they would not normally have, and are creating bonds and connections to each other that last a lifetime.”
Brothers at Bard’s ninth-period programming at the school includes “grindtime” (academic support sessions) and “brotherhood circles” (where discussion-based workshops and group “check-ins” focus on social-emotional learning and healing). Every Thursday, students reflect on the challenges they have experienced, strategizing solutions and setting goals.
“Having these open and honest discussions validates the students’ experiences and ignites their potential,” Gerineldo “G” Solano Rojas, Brothers@ program manager for high dchool Initiatives, who mentors students at Kingston High twice a week. “Creating a safe space for students to open up and engage in critical discussions about their lived experiences is the heart of the program.”
Discussion topics include race, class, conflict resolution, positive/healthy masculinity, and how to navigate different social settings. In addition, mentees participate in off-campus outings. As part of their summer academy, they have taken trips to Washington, D.C., where they visited colleges and museums and engaged with successful men of color in different career fields. They have also participated in weekend bonding retreats.
The program also offers workforce development opportunities through Brothers@’s partnership with Ramapo for Children, an organization that operates a camp that serves children who face learning difficulties and often have special needs. Brothers at Bard coordinates paid internships and transportation for mentees to work at Ramapo and offers the chance to earn college credits through on-site development courses.
“We want to give students as many options as possible,” Solano Rojas said. “We teach them skills to prepare for life, which means to always have a plan, and always have a backup plan.”
Kingston High senior Damien Figueroa, who has been participating in Brothers at Bard since his freshman year, especially enjoys the brotherhood circles. “It’s a relaxed atmosphere where we can openly talk about our problems, but also joke around and have fun,” he said in the release.
The Brothers at Bard program has helped Figueroa with both career and college preparation. It was under the group’s guidance that Figueroa secured his first job as a counselor in training at Ramapo for Children, where he also earned college credits.
As an advisor to Brothers@ and its co-founders, Armstrong continues to guide and support their work in Kingston. Her vision for the near future is that — with the right resources and funding — the organization will be able to reach more students and to create employment pathways for its Kingston alumni. Ultimately, she hopes, the program will develop a “brotherhood-bridge-program” for young men of color in middle school, which would allow seventh- and eighth-grade students to receive support, mentoring and guidance before they enter high school.
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Saugerties Elementary School students have been busy making sure local senior citizens living alone or away from their significant others aren’t feeling blue on Valentine’s Day.
Over the last few weeks, the students have been busy making Valentine’s Day cards for local senior citizens. They created more than 1,000 cards —each one unique, filled with love and heartfelt messages.
The cards were collected and will be handed out to senior citizens residing at nursing homes, adult social daycare facilities, and senior centers throughout the region. The project was part of an initiative by state Sen. Michelle Hinchey, DSaugerties.
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Catskill High School students Lily Gallagher, Mia Gottesman, Molly Osswald, and Madison Mudge were selected for the 2023 High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Gallagher, Osswald and Mudge performed with the Treble Choir and Gottesman performed with the Mixed Choir on Feb. 4. Participation in these Honors Ensembles is reserved for the highest-rated young performers worldwide
The four auditioned for the Honors Performance Series and were recently accepted as finalists after a review by the Honors Selection Board. Acceptance into this group is a direct result of the talent, dedication, and achievements they demonstrated in their applications and audition recordings.
Gallagher, Osswald, Gottesman, and Mudge are members of the Catskill High School Concert Chorus and the Catskill High School Treblaires. Additionally, they are seasoned actresses in the school’s Drama Club.
The finalists came together for five days in New York City, where they had the opportunity to learn from world-renowned conductors, work with other performers, and get a taste of the Big Apple.
“Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each Finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing,” Marion Gomez, music director for the Honors Performance Series, said in a press release. “We processed nearly 10,000 nominations this year and have selected the most talented student performers from around the world. Working with these conductors and performing at these renowned music halls is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these musicians will never forget.”
The Honors Performance Series was created to showcase accomplished individual student performers on
an international level by allowing them to study under master conductors and perform in world-renowned venues. •••
Students at Grant D. Morse Elementary School in Saugerties will be collecting aluminum can tabs for the rest of the school year to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region provides housing within the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center — free of charge — for families of critically ill children, so families can be close to their children without worrying about hotel costs.
Grant D. Morse thirdgrader Zarko Pipitone started collecting the can tabs when someone he knew needed Ronald McDonald House Charities’ services because their child was ill. Pipitone thought other students might want to help and asked Principal Kristina Giangreco if he could start taking donations from the entire school community. The response was overwhelming.
Ronald McDonald House Charities takes the aluminum can tabs to their commercial recycling partner, who weighs the tabs and
cuts them a check for the amount. It takes approximately 1,280 can tabs to make up one pound, and each pound sells for about 40 to 50 cents, according to the charity’s website.
For those interested in helping, saving can tabs is easy. Simply remove the tabs off the cans, save them in a disposable container, and when there is a large amount, drop them off at school.
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For years, the Rondout Valley Central School District has participated in the Wingman Program, a youth-led social and emotional experience for children.
The program is rooted in leveraging the power of peer-to-peer learning. Earlier this school year, all sixth-graders at Rondout Valley Intermediate School participated in a “One-Day Experience” of Wingman activities. The day allowed the students to learn how to embody the qualities of a true “Wingman,” which include inclusiveness, communication, problem-solving, kindness, and respect. After that experience, 21 students committed to continuing with the program, and to meeting weekly as part of an after-school club.
On Feb. 1, the Wingmen traveled to both Kerhonkson and Marbletown elementary schools to put their training to work. This yearly outing allows the older students time to mentor younger ones.
Using effective communication techniques and strong leadership skills, the Wingman participants led second- and third-grade classes in various problem-solving games and activities. The day’s events ranged from name-memorization exercises to non-verbal communication activities to bonding games such as a fun version of “rock paper scissors.” After each game, the Wingman leaders would spearhead a reflection discussion, asking the younger students what they could have done differently or what they would do again when engaging in such activities.
Rondout Valley Intermediate School Principal Lee Cutler said in a press release he sees tremendous value in the Wingman Program, and it is important to him that it continues each year. “Among many things, the program inspires our students to go above and beyond for others, and instills in them the leadership skills they can use to create a strong and inclusive community here at Rondout Valley,” he said. “It’s a true pleasure seeing our students interact and connect with each other, as well as with the younger students, each year.”
The Wingman program is sponsored by the nonprofit foundation Dylan’s Wings of Change. It is dedicated to the memory of Dylan Hockley, one of the victims of the mass shooting that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.
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New Paltz High School recently hosted its inaugural Elective Fair for students in Grades 8 through 11 so that they may become more aware of the array of classes and programs offered to them during their high school years.
“Students collaborated with teachers to create posters, presentations and promote the various elective courses at the High School,” Assistant Principal Kathleen Schneck-Suma said in a press release. “Student volunteers presented the options for the upcoming school year. Student visitors were free to explore the options and had opportunities to find out more from their peers.”
The cafeteria was filled with tables stacked with classroom projects, course descriptions, and other educational materials. The diverse menu of electives included Spanish 3 through 6, interior design, civil engineering, childhood development, journalism I and II, personal finance, STEAM manufacturing, robotics, and more. The electives run for either a quarter, full semester, or full year. Some courses, such as accounting or entrepreneurship, even offer transferable college credits.
Ninth-grader Quinlin King expressed interest in learning more about food preparation, while his classmate, Matthew Figueroa, said the Forensic Science class appealed to him. Tenth-grader student Alasdair Young said he was looking at Black History and Women’s History classes. “I want to continue studying the topics that I have been studying,” he said, adding he may possibly continue those studies in college.
The table with the most buzz was media arts sequence, which included courses such as video editing, film production, digital design, and computer graphics. Twelfth-graders Daniel Cullen, Joshua Laudati, and Ella Constable, who represented these classes, were eager to speak to their younger cohorts about what to expect. “I enjoy the program’s group work, the projects, and especially the classroom environment,” Laudati said in the release.
Many students swooned over the sophisticated technology and equipment. “We are so lucky to have these programs at our fingertips,” Constable said. “A lot of people don’t have access to this. And it’s a lot of fun. We have a great time making videos.”