YPIE High School Scholars Head to College Helped by Bronxville Volunteers
May 7, 2014: It's customary for a college to send letters to accepted students, but it's not often when the college comes to the students to commemorate and celebrate this next significant step in their lives.
On April 29, for the first time, members of Southern Vermont College's administration visited the Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE) office to award four seniors from Gorton High School in Yonkers their certificates of acceptance to the college as Mountaineer Scholars and personally welcome them to their new community.
A volunteer selection committee, whose membership included Bronxville resident Judy Unis, reviewed applicants' academic records, test scores, and involvement in extracurricular activities, read application essays, and conducted a personal interview with each student.
In keeping with the goal of the Mountaineer Scholars Program to provide an affordable private college education to students whose families have modest resources, each of the four scholars will receive a scholarship package underwritten by YPIE, government and Southern Vermont College grants, work-study assignments, and a small government loan.
Marie Rama, YPIE director and former Bronxville resident, introduced Mountaineer Scholars Keila Hernandez, Cheyenne Darcy Amaya, Kemberly Vasquez, and Albert Asamoah to an enthusiastic gathering of family members, friends, teachers and administrators, and YPIE staff and volunteers.
In her freshman year, Keila Hernandez decided to assume responsibility for her family's household chores, cooking, cleaning, shopping, and helping her mother when her mother suffered serious health issues. Without adequate time for studying, Keila's grades declined, but when the family obtained help, Keila's grades improved. "As I matured and watched my mom face those difficulties," Keila wrote in her essay, "I decided to become a psychologist. I have a passion for caring for people."
Cheyenne Darcy Amaya also plans to become a clinical psychologist and wrote in her essay that she plans to earn her PhD. An honor roll student, Cheyenne has taken Advanced Placement English, Spanish, and psychology courses. Beyond academics, she is Gorton student government president, she serves as a College Center student mentor, and she works as a yearbook photographer. A teacher described Cheyenne as a "rare gem who shares her brilliance with her peers and our entire Gorton community every day."
When she had to assume family responsibilities at home after her mother had a serious accident, Kemberly Vasquez did not let the demands of cooking, cleaning, shopping, and caretaking keep her from excelling in her studies. She has taken Advanced Placement Spanish, as well as honors English and history, and has achieved a GPA in the 90s. Along with her studies, Kemberly plays soccer and basketball. She wrote in her essay, "The challenges made me more mature, stronger, braver. I realized I could take on any challenge." Kemberly will pursue her dream of becoming a neonatal nurse.
Albert Asamoah and his family came to the United States from their native Ghana in 2012. In his first year at Gorton, he challenged himself by taking honors English, chemistry, physics, and precalculus, along with Advanced Placement English and biology. He ended the school year with a 94 GPA. "We saw in Albert a mature worldly wisdom we don't see in other young men his age," Marie Rama noted in her introduction. "It instilled in us a desire to support him as much as we could." Albert plans to major in bioscience at Southern Vermont College and become a doctor.
Southern Vermont College president Karen Gross told the newest Mountaineer Scholars, "For us it isn't just coming to SVC, it's graduating from SVC. That is a very important part of who we are. We are with you not just at the beginning, but all the way through to graduation."
Ivan Figueroa, director of the Mountaineer Scholars Program, echoed Gross's remarks in saying, "We not only want you to succeed, we will help you every step of the way."
When the 2014-2015 academic year begins, the college will have 65 Mountaineer Scholars on campus. The Gorton High School cohort will be the third group from Yonkers to enroll in the program.
Launched in 2007, the privately funded, nonprofit Yonkers Partners in Education has a mission to increase the number of Yonkers Public School students who complete a post-secondary education that will prepare them for a successful career. YPIE has created a college culture in Yonkers schools that did not previously exist.
Bronxville residents David Westin and James J. Veneruso serve on YPIE's board of directors, Westin as chairman and Veneruso as secretary.
Pictured here (L to R): Board member Marie Rama, Mountaineer Scholar Kemberly Vasquez, Southern Vermont College president Karen Gross, Mountaineer Scholars Albert Asamoah, Keila Hernandez, and Cheyenne Darcy Amaya, and YPIE Gorton High School college and career center advisor Stephanie Russo.
Photo by Carol P. Bartold
Community Service Organizations Directory
Bronxville Beautification Council
Organized in 1982 and incorporated in 1993, the Bronxville Beautification Council (BBC) is a not for profit organization administered by a Board of Directors. Its mission is to enhance and maintain the natural and man-made beauty of Bronxville Village, with emphasis on the downtown business district of Bronxville. The BBC uses the dollars raised in its annual spring solicitation letter to residents to fund the mum, tulip and summer flower plantings downtown and at traffic intersections, as well as the summer hanging baskets. Every few years the group spearheads such major endeavors as the renovation of Leonard Morange Square on the west side of the railroad tracks and the beautification of the Lawrence Hospital traffic circle, which included the addition of plants and the building of the fountain that now makes a gracious western portal to our town. The BBC also works with other civic groups to monitor the aesthetics of retail signage, the consistency of sidewalk materials, and litter and graffiti. During Beautify Bronxville Week, the BBC sponsors a poetry reading and works with Scout groups on the annual village clean-up.
Bronxville Beautification Council
PO Box 127
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-779-6123
Bronxville Boy Scouts
The village of Bronxville has a long tradition of scouting. “The troops and packs of Bronxville have maintained the finest scouting organizations and have taught the boys of the Bronxville area to be leaders and outstanding members of the local, national and global communities.”
There are several Boy Scout Troops in Bronxville, including Troops 1, 2, 4, and 5.
Bronxvillle Girls Scouts
The Girls Scouts is “the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world.” In Girl Scouts, “girls discover the fun, friendship and power of girls together. Through the many enriching experiences provided by Girl Scouts, they can grow courageous and strong.”
Bronxville Historical Conservancy
The Bronxville Historical Conservancy was founded in 1998 to further the understanding and appreciation of the history and current life of the village. The Conservancy furthers its mission through the presentation of programs, publications, lectures and special events that foster an awareness of the village's architectural, artistic and cultural heritage, and lends its support for projects designed to strengthen and preserve those legacies. Anyone who is interested in the Bronxville and its history can become a member; varying levels of membership are available.
Bronxville Historical Conservancy
PO Box 989
Bronxville, New York 10708
http://bronxvillehistoricalconservancy.org/
Bronxville School Foundation
The Bronxville School Foundation, founded in 1991, is a non-profit organization independent from the school with the sole purpose of supporting the school. The Foundation raises money each year through donations from school families, community members, and alumni, among others.These contributions fund grants that provide cutting-edge technology, innovative programs and curriculum and other resources that are beyond the scope of public school funding.
177 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-395-0515
https://www.bronxvilleschoolfoundation.org/
Bronxville Women’s Club
The Bronxville Women’s Club offers lectures, exhibits and concerts. It also has a beautiful clubhouse which is available for rental for events.
135 Midland Avenue
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-3252
www.bronxvillewomensclub.org
Bronxville Youth Council
The Bronxville Youth Council provides volunteer and leadership opportunities for high school students in the village of Bronxville.
177 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-395-0500 ext 1789
Counseling Center
Founded in 1971, the mission of the Counseling Center “is to provide a wide range of psychotherapeutic and counseling services to individuals, couples and families by a staff of highly trained, experience and dedicated psychotherapists.
The Counseling Center
180 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-793-3388
www.counselingcenter.org
Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester & Tuckahoe
The mission of the Community Fund is “to support broad social services in Bronxville 10708, Eastchester and Tuckahoe through grants and technical support to local agencies and community projects. All money raised here in our community stays here in our community.”
15 Park Place
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-8808
www.thecommunityfund.org
Friends of the Bronxville Library
The Friends of the Bronxville Library is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to focus attention on the “Library’s services, facilities and needs” as well as sponsor projects and provide materials that are beyond the reach of the Library’s regular budget and perform other services.
Junior League of Bronxville
The Junior League of Bronxville is “an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.”
Rotary Club of Bronxville
The mission of the Rotary Club of Bronxville is to “encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and to encourage and foster (1) the development of friendships within the community as an opportunity for service, (2) high ethical standards in business and professions, (3) the application of the ideal of service of each member to his personal and business and community life and (4) the advancement of international understanding, good will and peace through a world fellowship.”
Senior Citizens of Bronxville
Senior Citizens of Bronxville is a not-for-profit organization that provides services and programs to seniors within the 10708 zip code area. “Programs cover a wide range of activities from educational seminars and cultural enrichment, to community services, bridge classes and exercise.”
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