(This is a guest post by Luke Skurman, CEO of Niche. Luke holds bachelors and masters degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and is a member of its Board of Trustees, where he is the Vice Chairman of the Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship committee, and a member of both the Education Affairs and the Property &… Continue reading College for All: Levelling the Playing Field for Low-income Applicants
I met Xavier at the EDXEDNYC conference on my birthday last year. As the shirt he’s wearing in his photo illustrates, he was a student volunteer and his true spirit of service shone bright. He helped me set up for my conference, showed me where lunch was being held, and answered all of my questions.… Continue reading I’m Afraid I Will Have To Abandon My Educational Journey: A Student Speaks.
This is a guest post by Carina Cruz, a proud alum and now employee of Breakthrough New York. Born and raised in New York City, she went on to attend incredible institutions like Little Red Elisabeth Irwin High School and Brown University with the foundation and support that BTNY provided. Carina currently works with BTNY’s… Continue reading Pre-College Programs Help Students Succeed—If They Can Afford Them: A Non-Profit Offers Help With The “Graduation Gap.”
This is a guest post by Dwayne Dinkins, a senior at Uncommon Collegiate Charter High School. He will graduate next month having taken 7 AP exams. When I first came to high school four years ago, I wasn’t confident in my potential success because of a number of really difficult circumstances at home. But yesterday… Continue reading Dwayne Dinkins’ Story of Struggle and Perseverance As, Against All Odds, He Makes It To College.
About a year ago, I asked: Is an ‘Unenriched’ Spring Break Worth Living? I confessed that, despite offers flooding my inbox to sign my kids up for coding camp or a writing workshop or test prep, I was tired. So, over Spring Break, we did… nothing. In New York City, admitting you let a child… Continue reading The Privilege (and Cost) Of Being “Well-Rounded.”
This is a guest post by Zachary Wright, a national finalist for the United States Department of Education’s School Ambassador Fellowship and 2013 Philadelphia Teacher of the Year. Now he is an assistant professor of practice at Relay Graduate School of Education serving Philadelphia and Camden. Prior to that, he was the 12th-grade world literature and… Continue reading Regarding the College Admissions Scandals, This Teacher Feels Sorry For The Horrid Lessons These Children Were Taught By Their Parents
As an educator, I never truly know the impact that I will have on my students. I just do my best; that’s my standard. I am concerned, however, and for good reason, that all educators are not doing their best. Consider Christopher Lawrence, who grew up in South Jamaica, is currently a senior at Forest… Continue reading When NOT Listening To Your Teacher Is The Right Thing To Do: The Christopher Lawrence Story
When she was in elementary school at PS 16 in Williamsburg, Jeanette Garzon Terreros started showing up late for school and missing homework assignments. As a way to set her straight, Gazon Terreros said her mom decided to enroll her in Uncommon Schools Williamsburg Collegiate, the charter school located in the same building, one floor… Continue reading Entire Graduating Class at Uncommon Charter High School in Bed-Stuy Is Heading Off to College!
Taylor Cook is a college counselor in Rochester, New York. She grew up in Rochester, New York, until the age of 8 before moving to Fairport—a suburb a few miles east of the city. After graduating high school, Taylor enrolled and graduated from Nazareth College with degrees in Spanish and international studies. “I can’t believe… Continue reading Most of My Students Didn’t Know Any College Graduates But That’s Not Stopping Them From Going to College!
Last month I wrote about allowing my 14 year-old to make his own decision regarding where he’d go to high school. After letting it get down to the wire, he finally decided that he’ll be attending the same Specialized High School his older brother graduated from in 2017. But he isn’t particularly enthused about it.… Continue reading Why I Gave My Son Permission To Drop Out Of High School
