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
HOME & GARDEN
Bronxville Beautification Council
Organized in 1982, the Bronxville Beautification Council (BBC) is a not-for-profit organization administered by a volunteer Board of Directors. The mission of the BBC is to enhance and maintain the natural and man-made beauty of the village of Bronxville, with an emphasis on the downtown business district.
Click here to learn more
Boulder Ledge Garden Club
Founded in 1966, the Boulder Ledge Garden Club is rooted in a mission to inspire a deeper appreciation and love for gardening and flower arranging. The club is dedicated to fostering and promoting interest and knowledge in gardening.
The Club maintains Bronxville’s Bicentennial Park and other civic gardens. In 2019–2020 the club raised $18,000 to replace trees in the village, reflecting its active role in community beautification. It also holds garden therapy projects and educational garden trips for members.
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Bronxville Giving Garden
The Bronxville Giving Garden is a community-centered garden that donates organic produce to Eastchester Community Action Partnership in Tuckahoe and Community Service Associates in Mount Vernon. The garden is also a gathering place where school children and volunteers can discover the joy of tending plants and growing food.
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Bronxville Green Committee
The Bronxville Green Committee is a volunteer organization that is part of the Village of Bronxville. It proposes and implements environmentally sustainable programs in our community.
You can contact them HERE.
SCOUTING
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.”
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information
Bronxville 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.”
Here is more information about girl scouts.
HISTORY
Bronxville Historical Conservancy
Inspired by the highly successful Bronxville Centennial Celebration in 1998, the Bronxville Historical Conservancy was founded to record and preserve Bronxville's history and life in the village today.
BRONXVILLE SCHOOL
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 mission of the Bronxville School Foundation is to enhance the quality of public education in our community by engaging the support and energies of educators, citizens, parents, students and alumni.
The Foundation awards grants for projects
CLICK HERE to learn more.
LECTURES, EXHIBITS, CONCERTS
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
Concordia Conservatory
Concordia Conservatory, a preeminent center for music education in Westchester and Fairfield Counties, is a welcoming community where children and adults find lifelong inspiration and joy through learning, performing, listening to, and participating with others in music.
The Conservatory’s mission is to inspire, instruct, and enrich lives through music offering excellence in education and performance.
CLICK HERE for more information.
COUNSELING
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
SERVICE & VOLUNTEERISM
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
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 Rotary Club of Bronxville is part of a national network of 1.25 million problem-solvers. They see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
READING & LEARNING
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.
SENIORS
Gramatan Village
Gramatan Village is a unique community model offering programs, services and social connections that help members continue to live independently in their homes as they age. In addition, GV offers one-on-one consultations and counseling with our experienced staff to guide members through life’s transitions.
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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