Buffalo Prep Annual Report 2020-2021

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Honoring the 58 senior scholars in Buffalo Prep’s Class of 2021.

Celebration Village May 15 | 2–5pm

Virtual Celebration May 15–20

Celebration Spotlight May 20 | 7:30pm Channel 7

It’s all It’s allininthe thePrep.

Prep.

Buffalo Prep was excited to welcome our College Prep scholars back in person in March 2021 and resumed in-person classes for High School Prep and Middle School Prep in July. The students were certainly happy to be back as well!

of Content e l b s Ta Mission and Vision 5

Buffalo Prep's Pedagogy 12

VIA Partnership 34

Message from Executive Director and Board President 6

Prep Scholars Academy 13

Financial Statement 36

Middle School Prep 15

Events 37

High School Prep 18

Supporters 40

College Prep 21

Staff 46

Alumni Prep 29

Board of Directors 50

High School Prep Commencement Speech 7 Pipeline of Programming 8 Allen Hall 10

READI 33

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Mission Our mission is to provide access and preparation for talented, underrepresented youth to achieve success in college preparatory high schools and higher education.

Vision We envision a future where all scholars have the opportunity to pursue excellence and success in a community that nurtures their individual talents, goals, and selves.

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Message from the Executive Director and Board President As Buffalo Prep’s executive director and first-ever alumnus to serve as board president (effective July 2021), we would like to take the opportunity to share our deep gratitude for your constant and critical support. Since its inception, Buffalo Prep has been fortunate to be surrounded by individuals who unite in our mission for the benefit of our scholars. Weathering the multiple pandemics that rocked our community over the last 18 months truly demonstrated the depth of devotion our scholars, families, faculty, staff, alumni, board, volunteers, and supporters have for our mission.

The Buffalo Prep staff and faculty remain committed more than ever to the academic and social-emotional well-being of our scholars through the COVID-19 pandemic, racial unrest, economic crisis, and political strife that continue to plague our nation. We are determined to be a safe harbor by working to address our scholars' needs as they strive to thrive academically and emotionally. It has been incredibly inspiring to bear witness to the hard work our team puts in day after day, continuously pivoting to ensure we are fulfilling this commitment. We are thankful for every individual that has supported our team through these many significant challenges, and we are excited to share the results of our efforts in this report.

As we continue to unpack this new world we all are navigating, we believe our foundation and organization are stronger than they have ever been. The pandemic has forced us to be reflective about the most important elements of our work, as well as how to leverage technology to increase our capacity and efficiency. We used the challenges we faced to elevate our mission, to innovate, and to grow. We expanded our reach and impact with the launch of the Prep Scholars Academy and Scholar Success programs. We are utilizing education as social justice through our READI and Youth Equity Academy programs designed to promote educational equity and racial justice throughout the region. We continue to empower our scholars to shine their lights, amplify their voices as democratic citizens, and unapologetically share their authentic selves with the world around them.

Every one of our scholars is a unique gift in our community as High School Prep graduate Madisen Wilson mentions in her adjacent letter. And while we are hopeful she or one of her classmates may one day be a future president of the United States of America, we continue to encourage our scholars to return to Western New York and be part of the change that is necessary to break down barriers in our community. We are proud that 92%* of our High School Prep scholars graduate from college, and we are enhancing our programming to build out career and professional development pathways to inspire our scholars to become leaders in our community and to continue to play a vital part in the future of Buffalo Prep.

Thank you for your important role in our collective work and for your unwavering commitment to our mission and scholars.

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Luis Rodriguez, Jr. '97 Board President

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Patti L. Stephen Robert G. Wilmers Endowed Executive Director

*94% of High School Prep graduates from the last eight years reporting

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The High School Prep Class of 2021 voted Madisen Wilson to be the student speaker at their graduation ceremony. Below is the speech that Madisen wrote.

Good evening everyone. It is an honor to be speaking here tonight in front of you all. Let me first start by thanking the teachers, TAs, and the staff here at Buffalo Prep for helping us make it this far. I would also like to thank my mom and all the other parents for supporting us through this program.

Preppies, we did it. We have graduated High School Prep and are now more prepared than ever for high school.

As we enter high school, we will meet new people, make new friends, and make new memories but we will never forget the people, the friends, and the memories we’ve made here at Buffalo Prep. This program has not only helped us get ready for high school, but has prepared us for our journey ahead. We are all young, educated scholars with the world in our hands and with this power, we can all do great things. We can make changes in our communities and make people see that we are more than just people of color. We are your future doctors, teachers, engineers, lawyers and especially your future presidents.

The possibilities are endless and our journey is just beginning.

As we start this new chapter in our lives, I would like everyone to remember to stay true to yourself and stay true to what you believe in. Each and every one of us has something unique about ourselves that we can use to impact the world we live in, in our own special way. Let us not forget in these coming years, that our stories do matter and have the potential to change the world.

We should continue to become leaders within our communities and stand up for what we know is right because no change will happen if we continue to stay silent. Buffalo Prep has helped us form our voices and let us know that our voices matter and our voices will be heard. These voices that we have formed will be used to break that silence and when that silence is broken, people will see that we are not the minority but the majority of people that will make a change. I would also like everyone to remember that we are living proof of Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream and that we will not be judged by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character.

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Grades 5 and 6

Grades 5 and 6

Grade 7

Buffalo Prep Prep Scholars Academy

Middle School Prep

A community- based summer enrichment program offered to students seeking to succeed in high school and pursue a college education.

An accelerated enrichment program offered the summers after 5th and 6th grades that prepare scholars for success in college preparatory high schools.

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Prep Bridge A program for eligible Prep Scholar Academy and Middle School Prep students who have completed post-6th grade summer programming and would like to continue in a challenging program throughout their 7th grade year.

Grade 8

Grades 9 - 12

Beyond Prep

Pipeline of Programs High School Prep

College Prep

Alumni Prep

A nationally recognized 14-month program that prepares students to enter college preparatory high schools.

Academic support, college advisement, enrichment opportunities, and socio-emotional counseling throughout high school.

Support, networking, and connection during post-secondary education and beyond.

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Allen Hall

To further their commitment to a long-term partnership, the University at Buffalo has made it possible for Buffalo Prep to relocate to Allen Hall on its South Campus. UB provided $2.8 million of the Allen Hall building repair and redesign costs for Prep and other University purposes. Buffalo Prep pledged to raise its portion of the agreement to partner with the University at Buffalo for this exciting and necessary opportunity. Buffalo Prep launched the Prep For Tomorrow capital campaign with co-chairs Jock and Betsy Mitchell, present and past board members, and campaign members from the community to raise funds needed to complete construction and to outfit and furnish the classrooms and offices. We have garnered $2.4 million in capital support, indicating our community’s endorsement of and dedication to our mission.

Allen Hall provides nearly 6,000 square feet of stateof-the-art classrooms, science and computer labs, staff offices, and much-needed storage space. An additional 5,000 square feet of shared space with UB provides access to a 150-seat auditorium, overflow classrooms, and a large conference room. The building was updated to meet current safety codes and ADA compliance, and the adjacent location to multiple NFTA routes provides easy access to public transportation.

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Buffalo Prep officially moved into its new home in December 2020, and students were welcomed to Allen Hall with the start of in-person College Prep tutorial in March 2021. Allen Hall is now fully operational year-round and is one of three sites that Prep manages throughout the city during our summer programming.

Capital Campaign Supporters $5,000 and above $200,000 and above Cullen Foundation M&T Bank Family of Gifts - It All Adds Up - Math Enrichment Center The John R. Oishei Foundation - Enrichment and Resource Center $100,000 - $199,999 Buffalo Prep 2016-2019 Board of Directors - Highway to Higher Education Hallway Bobbie Billings Neal - Building a Better Future Academic Suite James H. Cummings Foundation First Niagara Foundation in partnership with KeyBank Keller Technology Corporation - Way of the Future Technology Program Jock and Betsy Mitchell - Entranceway to Excellence MOOG, Inc. - To Infinity and Beyond - A Modern Science Program The Donald F. and Barbara L. Newman Foundation - The Newman Family College Bound Corridor $50,000 - $99,999 The D-B Trust Arthur Hayes Joy Family Foundation Marcia and Alphonso O’Neil-White - The O'Neil-White Educational Impact Corridor $25,000 - $49,999 The Benderson Family Education Collaborative of WNY Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Rich Products Peter C. Cornell Trust Vogt Family Foundation Delaware North $5,000 - $24,999 Gary and Willow Brost William and Anne Joyce Children’s Foundation of Erie County Sally Marks Anthony and Sarah Duddy Carol and Carl Montante Fund Josephine Goodyear Foundation Buford and Suzanne Sears The Habib Family Unifrax

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Buffalo Prep's Pedagogy Buffalo Prep’s culturally relevant-sustaining philosophy has three pillars at its core:

Academic Excellence

Cultural Competence

Critical Consciousness

Mediocrity is unacceptable.

Our scholars have superpowers.

We believe in the inherent excellence of all members of our community. It is our job to collectively challenge each other to always strive to be our best and most authentic selves.

We believe that our scholars have incredible resilience and resourcefulness.

They come to us with vast amounts of community cultural wealth, and given access, they have the power to do anything they put their minds to.

Our scholars can make a positive impact in our community and in our world.

We believe that each one of us has the capability to be a leader for positive growth and change in our community. As an organization, all of our members pride ourselves in sustainable civic action.

Buffalo Prep’s academic programming aligns with the organization’s strategic plan, utilizing research-based best practices that include a culturally relevant-sustaining teaching and learning model that celebrates every scholar’s inherent gifts and experiences. This model nurtures innovative teaching methods, motivating teachers to affirm scholars’ cultural, racial, and ethnic literacies, evaluating their own cultural positions and knowledge to determine how they can best impact student achievement. Culturally relevant and sustaining curricula seek to encourage and incorporate a breadth of heritages, languages, practices, and literacies in the classroom so that scholars see themselves in the material and are empowered.

Prep Scholars Academy students created this mural depicting their Hispanic and Latino heroes.

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Prep Scholars Academy

The pilot of Prep Scholars Academy (PSA) was launched at The Belle Center on July 6, 2021. Based on focus group research and the graduation rates in the Buffalo Public Schools system, PSA was intentionally designed to support the Hispanic/Latino community of Western New York. PSA will operate as a cohort model in which the same group of scholars is expected to attend for five weeks each summer after grades 5, 6, 7, and 8 with additional enrichment offered throughout the academic year. Upon entry into any local high school, PSA scholars will be supported by College Prep’s services.

The program launch was scheduled initially for the summer of 2020 but was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The inaugural class featured both rising 6th and 7th graders. Eleven scholars were accepted into PSA and completed the summer program. According to the survey administered by VIA Evaluation, all scholars would recommend Buffalo Prep to their peers. In addition, the most common parent/guardian feedback was that they wished the program day was extended, the summer program lasted for more than five weeks, and was offered year round.

The curriculum at PSA was designed specifically for the Western New York Hispanic/Latino community, offering bilingual instruction and employing the three pillars of our culturally relevant-sustaining pedagogy – academic excellence, cultural competence, and critical consciousness.

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Scholars studied mathematical functions found in every day life. Newspaper advertisements were used to study percentages and to calculate the effect that discounts and sales tax have on products that were popular to the rising 6th and 7th graders.

Scholars read The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, featuring vignettes reflecting common experiences and issues within the Hispanic-American community.

Students were able to reflect upon and discuss whether their experiences was PSA science was all similar to or different from those experiential, based on lab experiments and included in the book. model construction. Scholars studied micro-biology by examining the effects of mold on different pieces of bread that were exposed to various different surfaces. They constructed plant and animal cells using candy and used kits to build models of wind turbines and simple Buffalo, especially the geographic water pumps. area around The Belle Center, was used as lived curriculum while students learned mapping. They created detailed maps of their In addition to the four core own neighborhoods as well as the academic subjects, PSA students neighborhood around The Belle Center. experienced many opportunities for They walked through the neighborhood learning outside of the traditional and wrote newspaper-style articles classroom. They took field trips to the about the experience. In addition, Buffalo Museum of Science and to Canalside, each student became an “expert” including a Buffalo River History Tour. They in a specific country outside of the were also visited by the Buffalo Police United States and Department K-9 unit and the Buffalo Fire presented facts to their classmates.

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neighborhood clean-up and recycling.

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Middle School Prep Middle School Prep Year-Round Program September 2020 - June 2021 The Middle School Prep Year-Round program (MSP-YR) started on Saturday, September 26, 2020 and ran through Saturday, June 5, 2021 for a total of 29 class meetings. In addition to virtual learning on Saturdays, students had the option to meet with teachers for Prep Excel on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Prep Excel is designed to provide additional academic and social emotional support. Due to continued COVID-19 health and safety concerns, all programming ran virtually.

Each course was established with the culturally relevant philosophy/affirmations, Prep Core 4 Values as the foundation. All classes were conducted virtually via Zoom (40-minute live classes) and teachers and students used Google Classroom to share and complete assignments. The daily schedule started with a morning meeting followed by classes and then ended with an advisory session. Buffalo Prep provided laptops to students that needed devices.

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Students read and wrote about the 2020 election and studied the history of Hip Hop as a particular form of literary expression.

Math

Science

Students studied DNA, viruses, and vaccines-making connections to current events along the way.

Students questioned and practiced using equations to solve real-world problems.

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Students paid particular attention to the historical sources of division in United States history. Students read, researched, and compared social and economic issues that drove division, and considered the legacy and evolution of American sentiment and policy making.

Students received guidance and support to develop effective social-emotional skills necessary to flourish as successful young scholars. This included but was not limited to developing effective coping strategies, navigating predominantly white institutions, and self-advocacy.

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Middle School Prep Summer Program July 6 - August 6, 2021 The Middle School Prep summer program ran from Tuesday, July 6 through Friday, August 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Nichols Middle School. Although the program returned to in-person learning, COVID-19 concerns and precautions were still very much a reality. From class size, schedule, and field trips, the 2021 summer program was designed with health and safety as the top priority. With a great deal of creativity and flexibility, faculty and staff ran an adapted version of the standard MSP summer program.

A smaller Middle School Prep class of 88 scholars was accepted for the summer; five scholars declined the admission offer. Based on social Annu

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distancing guidelines, each classroom could accommodate 15 scholars. Seventy-nine scholars successfully completed the program.

Eight teacher assistants served as mentors to the scholars. Six teacher assistants were paired with a pod, and two provided administrative support. All teacher assistants had participated in the Buffalo Prep pipeline and were uniquely suited to help guide the scholars through the summer.

The summer culminated in a showcase of the scholar's work on August 6th and a celebratory brunch.

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Advisory and Circle Meeting - 8:30 a.m.

Every morning started with a Circle (a community building practice foundational to Restorative Practices). Faculty underwent training to understand and practice the elements of Circles. An advisory guide was thematically designed around the Core 4 values.

Breakfast - 9:00 a.m.

Buffalo Prep partnered with the BPS lunch program to provide free breakfast and lunch for all scholars.

Morning Meeting - 9:30 a.m.

The virtual morning meeting included pod highlights, updates, and featured weekly themes.

History - 9:45 a.m.

Scholars traced the connection between their personal identity and culture with the history of Buffalo.

Scholars analyzed primary and secondary sources, examined maps, and defined human migration and its categories.

English Language Arts - 10:40 a.m.

ELA looked at how musical artists, poets, and filmmakers use their voice to speak on social justice issues.

By analyzing lyrics, poetry, and documentaries, scholars learned how to use their voice to speak on social justice issues happening in their communities.

Lunch - 11:35 a.m.

Study Hall - 12:10 p.m.

Science - 12:45 p.m.

Science focused on combining the learning of biological concepts with an emphasis on relevant examples and applications. Topics included scientific methods and inquiry, genetic trait variation, inheritance, biodiversity, and evolution.

Math - 1:40 p.m.

Scholars used mathematics to investigate issues of inequity in our community, country, and the world.

Scholars investigated classism in the United States using percentages. They also focused on world wide inequities by using data on income disparities. The course culminated with scholars completing a budget simulation trying to make a living in their community given barriers to economic opportunity.

Research - 2:15 p.m.

Scholars shared stories they grew up with and then researched stories from other cultures in order to build connection and expand their capacity to understand cultures different from their own. The scholars concluded the summer by organizing their ideas, typing them up, and illustrating them.

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High School Prep High School Prep (HSP) is a 14-month, intensive program beginning the summer before eighth grade and concluding at the end of the summer after eighth grade. Classes include math, chemistry, biology, earth science, physics, history, and English Language Arts (ELA) with academic study skills integrated into classroom instruction. HSP utilizes culturally relevant -sustaining curricula and pedagogy that seeks to encourage democratic citizenry through honoring and acknowledging the identities and strengths of all scholars. Additionally, all classes are student-centered and feature problem/project-based learning.

During the summer of 2021, classes resumed in person at our new home in Allen Hall. Joining the Class of 2021 were 46 scholars who were newly admitted into the Class of 2022. Scholars attended classes from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Mondays - Fridays from July 6 until August 6. Based on CDC guidelines, a cohort model was utilized, in which scholars remained with the same group of classmates in a single room throughout the day with the exception of lunch and recreation periods which were held outside.

In addition to the core academic classes, scholars received basic coding instruction conducted by a volunteer team from M&T Bank, and also participated in Tea Time with Ms. T, a social-emotional support program conducted by Buffalo Prep alumna and HSP program manager Ta’Ria Wideman '08.

Fifty-one scholars were accepted into the Class of 2021. Of the 51 scholars who began the program on July of 2020, 35 graduated on August 10 of 2021.

The 69% retention rate is down slightly from previous years due to the withdrawal of several scholars as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The summer concluded with a Friday fun day for all scholars and was capped off with the graduation of the 2021 cohort.

During the school year, scholars attended classes virtually on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. In addition, many scholars also attended Prep Excel for extra support on Wednesdays from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

High School Prep Class of:

Summer 2020

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Academic Year 2020-2021

Summer 2021

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Scholars read several “classic” works that they are likely to experience in high school, such as The Odyssey and Romeo and Juliet. Each “classic” was explored through the lens of student experience and paired with Social Stu contemporary activities and literary works. di Scholars considered their own family Scholars studied the New personal journeys and looked at common York State Regents Global 1 and 2 issues facing teens of color through a history curriculum. Instead of simply study of several Math studying the basic historical information, present-day works. scholars were challenged to connect ancient Scholars history to their lived experience in Western completed algebra and New York. Scholars participated in gallery geometry based projects such walks and presented research. Scholars also as civic planning (the math examined contemporary issues and behind building and wrote letters to local and regional playground planning), politicians. examined the geometry of their own neighborhoods and homes, and discussed real-life applications of algebra.

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Scholars were exposed to concepts in biology, earth science, chemistry, and physics. In addition to New York State standards in each science, in biology scholars focused on mental health awareness; in earth science, scholars examined the effects of rocks and minerals on the development of Western New York; in chemistry, scholars researched the presence and effects of lead based paint in their own neighborhoods and homes; and in physics, scholars explored concepts relating to common activities in every day life.

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High School Prep - High School Selection

Each fall High School Prep staff turn their attention to the high school selection process for the HSP scholars. The goals of the high school selection process are twofold: to help scholars and families choose a broad range of high schools (public, charter, Catholic and independent) to visit and apply to, with the goal of ensuring that each student finds a school that is the right fit; and to closely monitor the application and financial aid process, providing support and guidance as needed.

The high school selection process begins with Buffalo Prep’s annual high school fair during which scholars and families have the opportunity to meet with representatives from our partner schools. In the fall of 2020, due to COVID-19, initial introductions to the partner schools were done virtually. The math and ELA curricula from September through November focus on preparation for the Catholic School Placement Test (CSPT). Additionally, staff help scholars prepare for the independent school exams. All scholars are required to take both the CSPT and the entrance exam for City Honors/Olmsted.

The High School Prep Class of 2021 are attending the following high schools • Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart • Buffalo Seminary • Canisius High School • Cardinal O’Hara High School • Charter School for Applied Technologies • Cleveland-Hill High School • Hutchinson Central Technical High School Annu

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• Middle Early College High School • Mount St. Mary Academy • Nardin Academy • Nichols School • The Park School of Buffalo • Research Laboratory High School • St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute

College Prep College Prep provides academic support, college advisement, enrichment opportunities, and socio-emotional counseling throughout high school and as scholars transition into higher education. In addition to nurturing academic success, college readiness, and career awareness, College Prep also encourages scholars and their families to think strategically about the college admissions process by helping scholars assess their skills and accomplishments and establish goals aligned with their college and career aspirations. The result is an individualized college admissions action plan that ends with college acceptances. In the 2020 - 2021 academic year, College Prep served 229 scholars.

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• Academic skills assessments •Academic coaching • SAT/ACT prep classes •Tutorial services

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• Career exploration and development • Circle Meetings (in-school Buffalo Prep community meetings) • Leadership development •Mentoring • Student designed social events

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• College fair and on-site college representative visits • College tours • College and scholarship essay writing workshops • Financial aid workshops and counseling • Mock college admissions interviews • Scholarship advisement

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College Prep - Program Offerings Below is an example of some of the programming that the College Prep team offered last year.

College Prep aims to meet the needs of the scholars, and offers programming based on their socio-emotional and academic needs.

Scholar Success Program The Scholar Success Program officially launched in November 2020 as a direct response to the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on our scholars. Traditionally, College Prep provides academic intervention after progress reports and report cards are received. With this new program, the College Prep team takes a proactive approach to intervene early and provide academic and social-emotional support at the onset of or prior to a challenge or barrier arising. Scholars are divided into cohorts of 15-20 scholars, and each cohort is assigned to an Academic Success Coach. Success Coaches worked with each scholar individually to develop academic success plans, set goals, and monitor progress (academically and socially).

During a typical meeting, the Academic Success Coach utilized a restorative approach to help scholars design a plan to improve their grades and discuss the resources available at Buffalo Prep and through our community partners. This method is tailored to each scholar and places a great deal of ownership and responsibility with the scholar.

Reading for Change - Social Justice Book Club Buffalo Prep's book club met weekly to engage in young adult literature focused on social justice issues.

• July - Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds • January - Dear Justyce, by Nic Stone *College Prep • August - The 57 Bus, by Daska Slater favorite!

• September/October - STAMPED: Racism, • February - The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo AntiRacism, and You, by Jason Reynolds and • April - Punching the Air, by Ibi Zoboi Ibram X. Kendi • May - Concrete Rose, by Angie Thomas • November - The Hate U Give + Movie Watch Party

Mentor Me Program The Buffalo Prep Mentor Me program matches high school juniors and seniors with working professionals to assist them in their transition from high school to post-secondary education while serving as a positive role model and helping scholars maximize their full educational and professional potential. In order to participate in the program mentors and mentees must complete an application, fill out a profile, and mentors must also pass a background check. Using all the information gathered through interactions, interviewing, and submitted profiles, the College Prep Director and Manager of College Prep Services discuss potential matches between mentors and mentees. All participants who agree to be matched in the program commit to being matched 1-on-1 for a minimum of 18-months.

Mentors and mentees agree to communicate on a monthly basis and to participate in activities a minimum of four times per year.

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College Prep - Program Offerings Senior Class Retreat The annual five-day senior class retreat introduces and supports scholars to the college search and application process, while also helping scholars identify goals and career interests to prepare for post-secondary success. The comprehensive program includes topics such as the Common Application, crafting an unforgettable college essay, FAFSA, financial literacy, Admissions 101, and career exploration. This year’s retreat was held at Canisius College from August 2 - August 6.

Youth Equity Academy - YEA! As a response to the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and ongoing racial unrest, the Director of College Prep Services launched the Youth Equity Academy (YEA!), welcoming scholars from Buffalo Prep's partner high schools. Buffalo Prep's YEA! is a civic engagement program for high school scholars who want to transcend racism and inequity. Participants engage in a year-long series of workshops to promote anti-racism and racial equity throughout our community.

In its inaugural year, YEA! piloted as a seven-month program with 42 participants. Topics included: • Diversity & Inclusion, Equity & Equality • Implicit Bias & Microaggressions • Segregation in Buffalo and Myths About Poverty • White Privilege • Systemic Racism • Allyship & How to Leverage Your Privilege • Contemporary Racism & How It Shows up Today (Incarcerations & Healthcare) The cohort was separated into self-selected groups to complete public awareness campaigns as capstone projects related to a social justice issue. Scholar-selected topics included: •Disparities in Healthcare •Artificial Intelligence •Public Transportation •Juvenile Justice •Environmental Racism

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College Prep - Scholar Spotlight When did you become a part of the Rising to Distinction program at Buffalo Prep?

During my freshman year, my best friend Elia told me to come to Prep after school. I was so scared because I had never been and I thought they would not accept me for some reason, but the complete opposite happened. As soon as we got there everyone welcomed me with open arms and I fit right in. It was like I had been there since day one. It felt like home.

What do you remember about the program? What material was particularly useful, and how was it useful in high school?

I remember making new friends at Prep and those friendships and connections will forever be in my heart. Attending the HBCU fair with Buffalo Prep is one of my favorite high school memories. I was able to educate myself more about the importance of HBCUs. The SAT program was the most useful to help me prepare for the SAT and devoting time to practice was so helpful and improved my score.

Deja

Class of 2021 How did you utilize Buffalo Prep’s services and opportunities throughout high school?

Whenever I had issues in math and English the tutors were very helpful. They took their time to break down a problem for me to understand, which allowed me to better retain the information. Being a Black student at a predominantly white institution was a challenge, but taking 45 minutes out of my day with other girls of color to talk about our issues and worries in a safe-space and judgment-free zone to vent was important to do.

How do you utilize Buffalo Prep’s services and opportunities?

I utilize Buffalo Prep’s services by attending College Prep when I feel I need assistance, and I have used Buffalo Prep’s events as opportunities to see my friends and to build connections.

How has Buffalo Prep helped you prepare for the college application process?

Buffalo Prep has made the college application process much easier to understand and less scary knowing that Prep is there to help me along the way.

Carlos Class of 2023

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What has been your greatest challenge in high school thus far, and how did you overcome it?

My greatest challenge in high school so far has been balancing my personal life with school life. I overcame this by using the time management skills Prep taught me and getting my work done quickly; therefore, I won’t have to worry about tirelessly working day in and day out.

College Prep - Student Voices Future poet laureate, Mirakle, Buffalo Prep Class of 2020 wrote a poem about Black Lives Matter in honor of Black History Month.

BLM BLM mean purity It means strength It means a Warrior Of another color Not another species Or another kind BLM Means A social movement for justice It means basic human rights It means An anthem A song And a fight for equality Not a hashtag or a slogan But a chance BLM means Liberty in the school system It means the heart of Breonna Taylor George Floyd Ahmaud Arbery, And every other It means Something bigger than 3 words

Not protest But power Our people are fighting for a change BLM means All lives can’t matter until we do BLM means Not another forceful death Not another slave Or another crying community BLM means Life Freedom And most of all equality BLM means No more biases It means hard work and sometimes It will be a challenge BLM means To walk outside Wit skittles and tea And not be looked at Like a criminal BLM means

A community of fighters Not fist fighters But real fighters A community that won’t stop BLM Means No more being scared And feeling Alone And feeling like the government is against you BLM means Freedom of speech Recognition for our power Recognition for our peace and most of all FOR OUR COLOR BLM means Love It means to better the wrong This isn’t a poem about what BLM means to me It’s a poem about what BLM should mean to everyone So BLM TO ME It means one day I will be free

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Congratulations to the Class of 2021!

Syed Shaheer

Summer

Romone

Cameron

Ryan

Tia

Steven

Elianna

Dorcas

Elia

Mia

Kiara

Anani

Gabriela

Brianna

Sijaona

Mekhi

Janae

Shania

Taylor

Ziaire

Romeo

Kasandra

Amman

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Mariah

Christina

Ange

Jeremiah

Congratulations to the Class of 2021!

Malacchi

Rickelle

Elizabeth

Maria

Elijah

Courtnae

Deja

Ja’Qwan

Janie

Ridwhan

Laquasha

Fabrice

SaRon

Freddie

Andrew

Twa

Karen

Blessed

Nia

Stephen

Jakari

Jaidyn

Emmanuel

The Class of 2021 attends: Alfred State College • Arizona State University • Boston University • Buffalo State College Canisius College • Clark Atlanta University • Colby College • Cornell University • Daemen College D’Youville College • Erie Community College • Harvard University • Howard University Medaille College • Mercyhurst University • Niagara County Community College • Niagara University Point Park University • Rochester Institute of Technology • St. John Fisher College St. Lawrence University • SUNY Fredonia • University at Buffalo *Students not pictured: Mahlonne, Torien, Tiani, Lakeba, Jalee, and Cameron

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Partner Schools

Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart Buffalo Seminary Canisius High School Cardinal O’Hara High School City Honors School Frederick Law Olmsted School The Gow School Hutchinson Central Technical High School Leonardo da Vinci High School Mount Mercy Academy Mount Saint Mary Academy Nardin Academy Nichols School The Park School of Buffalo St. Francis High School St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute St. Mary’s High School Tapestry Charter School

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS

BUFFALO PREP IS A Annu

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AFFILIATED PROGRAM

Alumni Prep Many of Buffalo Prep's scholars are first-generation college students; providing a bridge from high school to post-secondary education is crucial during this pivotal time in their lives. The Alumni Prep program supports Prep graduates through their journey after high school and post-secondary plans, providing career exploration and development, internship placement, leadership and enrichment workshops, scholarship assistance, social-emotional support, and mentoring. Prep continuously works to expand its corporate partnerships and leverage its resources to match alumni with employers and mentors in the community to help them reach their academic and career goals. These offerings are also extended to Prep parents and families to close the opportunity gap further and diversify the region's workforce.

Committee Members

Alumni volunteer with Buffalo Prep by serving on the Board of Directors and committees and acting as tutors, teaching assistants, and mentors. This benefits the scholars and retains the valuable relationship with older scholars. The recent addition of an Alumni Council, which includes representatives that span almost all of Prep's 32-year history, will strengthen the intergenerational relationships of Prep alumni even further. Buffalo Prep's goal is to develop an Alumni Engagement Program to strategically engage and leverage the hundreds of alumni who graduated from the program. From this work, Buffalo Prep aims to generate a tactical understanding of how to strengthen the connection between the alumni and local young professionals of color to Buffalo's business community in this current era of economic and social renaissance.

Alumni Council

Employees Board Members

Alumni Engagement Donors

Volunteers Mentors

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Alumni Council 1990

2001

Crystal Rodriguez Chief of Staff and Chief Diversity Officer Buffalo State College

Matthew Becton Sr. Manager of Learning & Development Verizon

1993 Alexander Wright President and Founder African Heritage Food Co-op

1994 Raziya Hill Founder and Executive Director Every Bottom Covered

Remy Bizimungu Emergency Medicine Specialist University of California San Francisco Medical Center

JaHarr Pridgen Buffalo City Court Judge Buffalo City Courts

Norvella Pendergrass Erie County District Attorney

1996 Eishawn Camp Vice President, Securities Services Risks & Controls Citi

1997 Luis Rodriguez, Jr. Chief Executive Officer Rodriguez Construction Group

1998 Rashida Dowell Program Manager, Business Banking M&T

1999 Deidre Batson-Griggs President Kiper Moving and Transportation LLC

2000 Heather Moore Roberson Director of Faculty Diversity & Inclusion, Associate Professor of Community & Justice Studies and Black Studies Allegheny College

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2003

2004 Elisa Peebles Freelance Strategy Director and Creative Consultant Sarah Washington Senior Attorney National Fuel Gas Distribution Company Monique Cooper Business Operations Project Manager SevenFifty

2006 Jean-Jaques Yves Sibomana Project Accountant Rodriguez Construction Group

2007 Maya Meredith Buffalo Prep Middle School Prep Assistant Leiah Renford BSN - D'Youville College '23 Patient Care Technician, Roswell Prep Chat Coordinator, Buffalo Prep

2008 Alexia Guzmán Project Administrator Rodriguez Construction Group Ta'Ria Wideman High School Prep Manager, Buffalo Prep Workforce Assistant, PUSH Buffalo

2010 Julia Paulk Lead Business Analyst SaaS Software, Utilant

2011 Francisco Guzmán II Data Analytics Specialist Merchants Insurance Group

2012 Kelechi Chillis-Ihenko Founder KCI Digital

2013 Myles Hervey Alumni Prep Relations Coordinator, Buffalo Prep MBA Student, Canisius College

2015 Keon Howard Junior, John Carrol University Marketing Mary Tess Wright Junior, Buffalo State Childhood education with a concentration in math

2017 Ridwhan Miah Freshman, Canisius College Integrated Marketing Communications

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2002 Jamila Lee Deputy Chief Clerk (Manager and Court Attorney) Erie County Surrogate’s Court

Ashley Wagstaff FRM Strategic Projects Associate Citi

Interested in joining the Alumni Council? Contact Patti Stephen for more information. pstephen@buffaloprep.org

Alumni Spotlight Matthew Becton, High School Prep Class of 2001 Matthew Becton began his journey with Buffalo Prep in the summer of 2000 when he started the High School Prep program. He attended St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in marketing from St. John Fisher College. Directly after college, Matthew began working for Verizon Wireless in retail store leadership. Through his experience in the Verizon Leadership Development program and due to his natural leadership skills and love for a new challenge, Matthew progressed through various roles and departments within the organization. Today, Matthew is the Senior Manager of Indirect Learning and Development; he leads a national team of trainers responsible for coaching external agent employees.

Matthew’s experience with Buffalo Prep opened his eyes to different paths and experiences, introducing him to new communities and groups of people.

Matthew shared that Prep helped shape his life by expanding his network, specifically to successful people of color, and showing him what was possible.

Matthew is an ideal role model for current Prep scholars. His leadership and dedication have earned

him several awards and accolades, including Buffalo Black Achievers 2019, Leadership Buffalo Graduate 2020, and Coin of Excellence recipient at Verizon. His advice to Preppies is “mediocrity is unacceptable” and “you’ll never regret hard work, but you’ll only regret not working hard enough.”

Though Matthew graduated from Prep twenty years ago, he is still very much involved with the organization today. Matthew is a mentor through the Mentor Me program, and he has a special relationship with his mentee – texting with each other nearly every day! Matthew is also a co-chair on the newly formed Alumni Council and was recently voted onto the board of directors. He notes that it is vital to invest time in the next generation and is looking forward to using his voice to help shape programming for the current Prep scholars.

Matthew believes that Buffalo Prep is a family environment, and for him it really is! He married fellow Preppie Asia, Class of 2003, and together they have two children, Matthew Jr. and Myla Reigh.

"Mr. Matthew has been a great role model to me and gives great advice ranging from financial perspectives to mindset and mentality. I keep in mind his work ethic and how admirable it is to not only be committed and proficient at his craft but to be open to growth from his peers and how he can use their opinions to improve himself when doing his job.

Mr. Matthew is not only a great leader but also a great mentor to me when helping me navigate the entrepreneur world and learning how to network within it.

I am grateful I was paired with him and am excited to keep learning from him."

-Dakari, Matthew's mentee

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Alumni Prep - Research Project Buffalo Prep continues to research effective alumni programs, gathering data and input from similar pipeline programs across the nation. Prep also continues to build its alumni database, compiling statistics from different cohorts of classes. Prep worked with Dr. Megan Holland, assistant professor in the Department of Education and Leadership Policy at University at Buffalo, on a research project that had the following objectives: (1) To understand the academic and social experiences of Buffalo Prep alumni who attend college at some point after they graduate high school, (2) To compare the college experiences of Buffalo Prep alumni who attend different types of postsecondary institutions (four-year vs. two-year, selective vs. less selective, etc.), and (3) To understand how Buffalo Prep alumni perceive the social supports they have in college and how they make use of those supports. Research from this project is helping to inform Alumni Prep's services and future programming.

92%

of Prep alumni have graduated with a bachelor’s degree, or they are currently enrolled to obtain one

Alumni Coordinator, Myles Hervey '13, has continued collecting data that spans over eight years of this in-depth study. Ninety-two percent of Prep alumni have graduated with a bachelor’s degree, or are currently enrolled to obtain one. An additional 2% of alumni are enrolled or are on track to receive their Certified Nurse Assistant license or Associate of Applied Science degree.

Comparatively, 60% of higher-income students graduate with a bachelor’s degree, whereas only about 16% of low-income college students graduate with a bachelor’s degree, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Data collection focused on graduates of Buffalo Prep’s High School Prep program, with 94% of alumni reporting.

60%

of higher income students with a bachelor's degree

16%

of low-income students with a bachelor's degree

Myles Hervey '13 is currently working at Buffalo Prep as the alumni relations coordinator. Hervey graduated from Canisius College in May with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is pursuing his master’s in business administration. He spent the summer interning at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Buffalo, and is interning now at Deloitte during the academic year, with the opportunity for a full-time job offer upon completion.

“Being a Prep alumnus, and part of a group of so many talented individuals, gives me a huge sense of pride. Getting a chance to not only represent Buffalo Annu Prep but the people who have gone through the program before and after me is a al huge honor."

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Myles Hervey '13 Canisius College 2021

Historical Aspects of Systemic Racism, Part 2: Segregation in WNY This module is a continuation of “Poverty Myths of WNY” but examines the intersectionality between race and poverty. It also examines historic and contemporary systemic factors that continue to contribute to segregation in Buffalo and its suburbs.

Buffalo Prep’s READI program (Realizing Equity, Access, Diversity, and Inclusion) is a series of workshops designed to promote educational and racial equity throughout our community. The program launched in January 2021 and was designed as Buffalo Prep’s contribution to raising awareness of issues of equity and inclusion in the corporate, private, and educational sectors, as well as in the overall Western New York community. Modules include: A,B,C’s of DEI This module discusses foundational concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion such as the difference between equity and equality and why we should strive for inclusion and not simply diversity. This module is useful for anyone who is just beginning their exploration of DEI issues.

Historical Aspects of Systemic Racism, Part 1: Poverty Myths of WNY This module explores many issues that contribute to poverty in the Buffalo-Niagara region as well as several real-life implications for people who live in poverty.

Recognizing and Addressing Microaggressions This module discusses the phenomena of microaggressions, often referred to as death by a thousand paper cuts. The session explores how microaggressions appear in everyday life and strategies to combat microaggressions.

Privilege and Power This module examines the current structures in our society that grant privilege and power to certain groups of people and marginalize others. The focus is on how to recognize these structures and how to begin encouraging a more equitable distribution of power in our spheres of influence.

Engaging in Active Antiracism This module features an in-depth discussion of many of the major concepts of Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be an Anti-Racist and how to use the concepts in our own personal anti-racist journeys.

Policy This module explores the definition of policy, discusses how to recognize inequitable policies in our workplace and community, and examines ways to shape policy in our everyday lives.

"After completing this series, I feel significantly more aware of the presence of racism in my daily life and armed with the right words and ways to confront it when I see it. The READI series is a well thought out journey of development and understanding on how racism impacts all of us."

- Jen Z If you are interested in attending a community READI, or would like to set up a session for your organization, please contact Ashley Coder at acoder@buffaloprep.org or visit buffaloprep.com/readi for more information.

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VIA Evaluation Via Evaluation (VIA) guided Buffalo Prep staff through developing the organization’s Theory of Change. This began by defining the ultimate vision for Buffalo Prep scholars, considering the characteristics we aim to develop and cultivate within our scholars through Buffalo Prep programming.

Goals were developed for scholars within each of the three pillars, specifying what Academic Excellence, Cultural Competency, and Critical Consciousness look like. The visualization below shows the primary goals for scholars within each construct. prepared by Via Evaluation • March 2021

Theory of Change

dreamers educated resilient determined

knowledgeable well-informed

insightful

confident

resourceful

leaders

courageous

connected

Cultural Competence

Academic Excellence

• define their own success and path

• recognize their own value

• take ownership of their learning

• contribute and value their voice

• identify their academic strengths & weakness

• recognize and address inequity • recognize assets in their own community

• adopt a growth mindset • anticipate & overcome challenges

• recognize assets in other communities

• pursue and find information they need to make decisions • prepare for what is next in their academic/ career journey

Prep Scholars Academy

• adapt to and thrive in different settings • navigate and respect perspectives of multiple cultures

Middle School Prep

To assess the extent that Buffalo Prep is achieving these goals, a multi-faceted evaluation strategy has been initiated which incorporates standard measures, such as grades and test performance, scholar voice and perceptions, and information gathered through surveys.

The process was initiated by developing scholar surveys for each program. These surveys contain a core set of questions that all scholars answer, regardless of program.

These items pertain to goals specified in the Theory of Change, assessing scholar perception and experience with the three constructs and their associated goals. In addition, surveys also ask program-specific questions

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authentic

High School Prep

motivated empowered self-advocate

hard-working democratic citizen

Critical Consciousness

• maintain awareness of what is going on in the world • look at the world with a critical eye • make independent decisions • see their own ability to create change • feel connected to multiple communities of which they are part • create positive change by challenging & changing systems

College Prep

Alumni Prep

related to key activities and outcomes that are relevant to the program’s curriculum and goals. The survey process began this summer, with some amazing results. Scholars provided a wealth of feedback that the Buffalo Prep staff analyzed and synthesized together during a data walk activity.

Buffalo Prep is continuing to work with VIA to develop a secondary survey that will assess the scholar's competencies in their subjects in order to give a more qualitative picture with the quantitative information.

VIA - Survey Results Below shows highlights from Summer 2021 survey:

My teachers at Buffalo Prep really care about me.

93%

100%

91%

Agree or Strongly Agree

Agree or Strongly Agree

Agree or Strongly Agree

Middle School Prep

Prep Scholars Academy

High School Prep

Since being at Buffalo Prep, I feel more comfortable being around people from different cultures or backgrounds.

85% Agree or Strongly Agree

90%

94%

Agree or Strongly Agree

Agree or Strongly Agree

Middle School Prep

Prep Scholars Academy

High School Prep

I would recommend Buffalo Prep to other students.

100%

Agree or Strongly Agree

Agree or Strongly Agree

87% Agree or Strongly Agree

Middle School Prep

Prep Scholars Academy

High School Prep

82%

The overall findings from the surveys were very positive, highlighted by the fact that the majority of scholars claim to be more comfortable being around people from different cultures or backgrounds as a result of their time at Buffalo Prep. In addition, many respondents said that Buffalo Prep has informed them about inequities and injustices in the community. These two items are a clear indication that the culturally relevant - sustaining pedagogy implementation is proving successful. The greatest concern resulting from the survey is that 55% of respondents said that they feel burned out or stressed by Buffalo Prep. Buffalo Prep staff are exploring additional supports to alleviate burn out for scholars.

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Financial Statement Buffalo Prep, Inc. Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets for the year ended June 30, 2020

Without Donor Restrictions

With Donor Restrictions

Total

Support and Revenue Contributions Capital Project Contributions Service Revenue Program fees Donated space Other income Total support and revenue other than investment income Interest and dividend income Net unrealized gain on beneficial interest in assets held by others Total support and revenue Net Assets Released from Restrictions Expenses Program services Supporting services Total expenses Increase (decrease) in net assets Net assets, beginning of year Net assets, end of year

INDEPENDENT AUDIT PERFORMED BY

SZYMKOWIAK & ASSOCIATES CPAs, PC

6325 MAIN STREET, SUITE 100 - WILLIAMSVILLE NEW YORK 14221

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$1,856,180 32,949 23,039

$235,000 256,411 -

$2,091,180 256,411 32,949 23,039

54,150 100

-

54,150 100

1,966,418

491,411

2,457,829

10,674

-

10,674

6,205 1,983,297 1,869,332

491,411 (1,869,332)

6,205 2,474,708 -

1,211,692 318,049 1,529,741 2,322,888

(1,377,921)

1,211,692 318,049 1,529,741 944,967

1,801,000 $4,123,888

1,948,917 $570,996

3,749,917 $4,694,884

Events

Trunk or Treat, October 2020 Buffalo Prep hosted the first-ever Trunk or Treat event outside of Acheson Annex. Volunteers dressed up in costume and decorated their cars while handing candy and treats out to Prep scholars and siblings. This family-friendly, socially-distanced event brought more than 100 trunk-or-treaters out for a fun evening!

Holiday Cheer, December 2020 The best way to spread holiday cheer is giving cookies for all to share! Rich Products Corporation generously donated holiday cookie platters that were distributed to Prep scholars, alumni, and families at this drive-through event. Prep staff passed out the holiday treats in front of Allen Hall, giving families a first glimpse at Buffalo Prep’s new home.

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Events Celebration of Achievement, May 2021 Each May Buffalo Prep hosts Celebration of Achievement, an evening dedicated to honoring its graduating senior class. Based on CDC guidelines, the event that typically attracts more than 500 attendees, became virtual. With postponed proms and undecided plans for graduation ceremonies, Buffalo Prep believed that a celebration of the scholars’ years of hard work and dedication was more essential than ever before.

From May 15th-May 20th, Buffalo Prep celebrated the Class of 2021. The virtual event used Facebook and Instagram to share scholar spotlights, a speech from this year’s scholar speaker, and well-wishes from Buffalo Prep donors and volunteers. Videos, photos, scholarship awards, college acceptances, and plans for the future continually were shared over the course of the virtual event, and Levi Wallace and Jerry Hughes of the Buffalo Bills presented a commencement speech.

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The event also featured two new components: Celebration Village and Celebration Spotlight. At Celebration Village on May 15, seniors received the VIP red carpet treatment with swag, gift cards, notes, and gifts as they visited booths hosted by sponsors, partner schools, and vendors. On May 20, Prep scholars were celebrated once again in a 30-minute Celebration Spotlight feature hosted by Ashley Rowe on WKBW-Channel 7.

The virtual Celebration of Achievement raised more than $200,000 from local corporations, foundations, individuals, and partner schools. Donations made during the festivities were generously matched by Unifrax LLC. Major sponsors included Presenting Sponsor M&T Bank, Match Sponsor Unifrax LLC, and Media Sponsor Delta Sonic. The event was chaired

by Luis ’97 and Jessica Rodriguez and Todd and Dina Benderson.

Events Cocktails on the Lawn, June 2021 To celebrate the completion of Allen Hall, Buffalo Prep invited board members, capital campaign donors, and volunteers to tour the building for the first time in June.

Former Buffalo Prep tutor, teacher, and guidance counselor David Kash was awarded the first ever David Kash Student Champion of the Year Award. The recognition, which honors Mr. Kash’s legacy at Buffalo Prep, will be awarded annually to a partner school teacher or faculty staff member who creates a safe space, is an advocate for diversity and inclusion, and encourages scholars to be their authentic selves.

Homecoming, July 2021 Buffalo Prep welcomed current students, alumni, and families to enjoy an afternoon of fun at Allen Hall.

This intergenerational event invited all to see Prep’s new home and created a day of community and fun for scholars within Prep’s programs. Children and adults alike participated in games of tug-of-war, tag, and double dutch! Music was provided by Buffalo Prep alumna DJ Brianna Harris ’08.

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Supporters Buffalo Prep is pleased to recognize financial contributions between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. On behalf of the students we serve, we thank you for your generosity and support. Gifts listed do not include all in-kind donations. We regret any errors or omissions.

Please call the Buffalo Prep office at 716.829.3605 with corrections.

Superhero ($100,000 or more) Cullen Foundation First Niagara Foundation M&T Bank Charitable Foundation The John R. Oishei Foundation

Champion ($50,000 -$99,999) The Seymour H. Knox Foundation, Inc. National Fuel Unifrax

Leader (25,000-$49,999) Paul and Else Blum Private Foundation Delta Sonic Car Wash

Systems, Inc. Moog, Inc. The O'Neil-White Family Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Rich Products Corporation

Changemaker ($10,000-$24,999) The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation Ms. Amy L. Clifton and Mr. Theodore B.K. Walsh Children's Foundation of Erie County James and Judith Collord Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Comis Foundation The D-B Trust

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Mr. and Mrs. John and

Hyun Dandolph Education Collaborative of WNY, Inc. Evans Bank Garman Family Foundation Hodgson Russ LLP Hoskins Foundation Ms. Kathie A. Keller Mr. Jeff Pappalardo Keller Technology Corporation KeyBank Foundation Lawley Mitchell Family Philanthropic Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo The Donald F. and Barbara L. Newman Family Foundation The Michael and Marcy Newman Fund Red Top Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Luis '97 and Jessica Rodriguez The Vogt Family Foundation at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Watson Billings Family

Foundation at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Mrs. Martha G. Welte

Advocate ($5,000-$9,999) Ametek Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Allan A. and Melissa Baumgart Mr. and Mrs. EJ and Karen Butler Mrs. Mary Ann Coulson and Mr. David Coulson Deloitte

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey T. and Jeanne Dorn Mr. Edwin M. Johnston Josephine Goodyear Foundation Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York The K Haus LLC Mr. Todd Levin and Ms. Karen Baker Mrs. Betsy Mitchell and Mr. Jock Mitchell Mr. and Mrs. Norman and Thuy Murray Mr. Peter Neal and Mrs. Bobbie Billings Neal Mr. and Mrs. Doug and Adryan Parks The Frank G. Raichle Foundation WNS North America, Inc.

Visionary ($2,500-$4,999) Arc Building Partners Baillie Lumber Co. Mr. Steve Bell and Ms. Liz Kahn Ernst & Young Globalquest Staffing Solutions, Inc. Independent Health Mr. and Mrs. Kevin and Kelly Kerl

Marjorie and John Buyers Foundation, Inc. Nixon Peabody LLP Northwest Charitable

Foundation, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Alphonso and Marcia O'Neil-White Pegula Sports and Entertainment, LLC

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Mr. Sam Russo SelectOne Search LLC Mr. Benjamin Walsh The Western New York Foundation

Ally ($1,000-$2,499) 26 Shirts American Advertising Federation Buffalo Anonymous Axis Capital Mr. and Mrs. John and

Julie Baldo Mr. and Mrs. Martin and Sarah Berardi Mr. and Mrs. Gary M. and Willow Brost Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart Buffalo Bills Buffalo Sabres Foundation Ms. Anna-Lesa Calvert Canisius College

Mr. Oliver Champion Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner Mr. Anthony Colucci III and Ms. Judy Dean Counsel Financial Crowley Webb Mr. and Mrs. Brian and Beth Daboll Mr. Donald Dudley and Ms. Janet Curie Families of FANA, WNY Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew and Joy Feldman Ms. Jodyann Galvin and Mr. Robert J. Lane, Jr. Joanne Champion Granger Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Mr. and Dr. Albert and

Muriel Howard Mr. Thomas Hunt and Ms. Laurie Dann Ingram Micro Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. and Jill Jacobs Mr. and Mrs. Dean and Ann Jewett Jones Doherty Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William L. and Anne Joyce Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. and Marilee Keller Dr. and Mr. Shelley and David Kimelberg Lake Shore Savings Bank The Patrick P. Lee Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William and Linda Maggio Mrs. Sally Marks Medaille College Dr. and Mrs. Herman S. and Patricia Mogavero

Nichols School Northwest Bank Mr. and Mrs. Brian J. and Candace O'Mara Hon. JaHarr Pridgen '94 and Rev. Craig Pridgen Mr. and Mrs. Steven and Susan Roney Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Antonella Ruth Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Sadler Mr. and Mrs. Buford and Suzanne Sears Ms. Jessica Silverstein Audrey and Lawrence Silverstein Foundation at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute Mr. and Mrs. Stephen and Nicole Swift Szymkowiak & Associates CPAs, PC Mr. and Mrs. Scott and JoAnn Weber Mrs. Tracy Woodrow and Mr. Thomas Woodrow

Mentor ($500-$999) Ms. Patricia Barrett Ms. Derelaine Benton-Smith Ms. Roseanne Berger Mr. Jay Billings Canisius High School Cardinal O'Hara High

School Mr. and Mrs. Christopher and Moira Ciechoski

Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Allison Clement Ms. Deborah R. Daniel Mrs. Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker and Mr. Adrian Dedecker III Mr. and Mrs. Andrew and Dawn Dorn Mr. and Mrs. Duwand and Rashida Dowell '98 Eaton Office Supply Goldman Sachs & Co.

Matching Gift Program Mr. Mark Graczyk Mr. and Mrs. Francisco and Elizabeth Guzmán Habib Family Charitable Fund Mr. and Mrs. Edward and Karen Healy Mr. Scott Horrigan Mr. and Mrs. Jeff and Katie Hu Hunt Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John J. and Maureen Hurley Ms. Gwen Baggs Ito Mr. Christopher Johnston Linda Angert Kahn & Kenneth R. Kahn (2020) at the Community

Foundation for Greater Buffalo Dr. Faruk Koreishi and Dr. Aziza Karimi Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Patricia Kuchera Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Andrea Kuettel Mr. and Mrs. Rocco and Paige Lamparelli Mr. Ryan Lema and Ms. Meghan Leydecker Mr. and Mrs. Patrick and Ashley Lewis Ms. Tessa Lewis Mr. and Mrs. Richard and Patricia Lipka The Marks Family Foundation Mr. Robert Miller and Ms. Brenda Weber-Miller Ms. Katherine Mohney Mount St. Mary Academy Mr. Edgar Muth NCAComp, Inc.

Mrs. Carol Newman Mr. and Mrs. Everett and Tarinee Pefley Mrs. Vivian Quinn Mr. and Mrs. W. Scott and Kristin Saperston Mr. Stuart Scheff and Ms. Lori Morreale Mrs. Dorothy Schoeneman Mr. and Mrs. Ken and Mary Schoetz St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Mr. Richard Star Dr. and Mrs. James and Patti Stephen Mr. and Mrs. David and Joan Strachan Mr. and Mrs. David W. and Anne Taylor University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education Dr. Lawrence Van Heusen and Mr. Robert A. Scharf Verizon Foundation Mr. Samuel Walsh

Friend (0-$499) Anonymous Mr. Robert J. Adams Mr. Tony Addison Mr. David Adkins Ms. Christina Aguglia Ms. Rosa Alavé Mr. Thomas R. Alcamo Ms. Munirah Ali Mr. Kevin Aman Mr. and Mrs. Wayne and Mary Bacon Ms. Deanna Baker Ms. Mariel Bard Mr. Scott Bartels Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Diane Beatty Mr. and Mrs. Matthew '01 and Asia Becton '03 Dr. and Mrs. Howard W. and Lana Benatovich Mr. and Mrs. George and Anne Bergantz Ms. Andrea Berki-Nnuji Ms. Christina Bleckinger

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Dr. and Mrs. Martin and Molly Boscarino Mr. and Mrs. Johnny and Demi Boyack Brady Corporation Mr. Robin Bronstein and Ms. Kristan Andersen Mr. Gregory L. Brown and Ms. Yvonne James-Brown Mr. Christopher Burke and Ms. Amy Rowland Ms. Misa Buscemi Mr. and Mrs. James and Dolores Byron Ms. Sandra Calandra Ms. Shannon Callahan Mr. and Mrs. Steven and Denise Calvaneso Ms. Katie Campos Mr. David Capretto and Ms. Stacey Spokane Ms. Rosalind Cardone Mr. Vincent Celestino and Ms. Sienie Kelly Philip & Joyce Celniker Family Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Mrs. Holly Cercone Mr. and Mrs. Louis and Marnie Cerrato Ms. Carol Chandler Ms. Emily Ciraolo Mr. and Mrs. James and Judith Coder Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Ashley Coder Ms. Ada Collado Ms. Shantelle Colston Ms. Betsy Constantine Ms. Peggy Cordero Ms. Sara Corona Ms. Grace Coulom Ms. Andalyn Courtney Mr. and Mrs. Joe and Chavuanne Cousins '99 Mrs. Patricia Crowley Ms. Elizabeth Danahy Mr. R. Scott DeLuca Ms. Caitlin Derose Mr. and Mrs. Marcus and Christina Deveso Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Dohn, Jr.

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Mr. Mark Dolloff Mr. and Mrs. Andrew and Teresa Dorn, Jr. Mrs. Shelley C. Drake Mr. and Mrs. Michael C. and Jillian Driscoll Ms. Maura Duggan Ms. Jessica Dukes Mr. and Mrs. Doug and Meredith Duquin Mr. Benjamin Dwyer and Dr. Tracey O'Connor Ms. Grace East Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Mary Eberl Mr. and Mrs. Jerry and Gail Ettaro Ms. Tiffany Fanning Mr. Ronald Faso Mr. and Mrs. Bruno and Barbara Federico Jr. Mr. Francis Felser and Mr. David Shaver Mr. Wendell Ferrell Mr. and Mrs. Steven and Lillian Finch Mrs. Stacy Fineberg Mr. and Mrs. Franklin H. Fitch Mr. and Mrs. John and Lisa Fletcher Ms. Kristen Flick Ms. Andrea Gallagher Mr. and Mrs. Rick and Elizabeth Ganci Ms. Mary Ganey Ms. Alaina Garvey Mr. and Mrs. Warren B. and Patricia Gelman Dr. Lisa Gelman-Koessler Mr. Jon Gerlach Mr. and Mrs. Terry and Jane Gilbride Mr. Sly Gittens Ms. Elaine Gliszczynski Mr. William Graebner and Ms. Dianne Bennett Dr. Ellen Grant Ms. Victoria Greco Mr. and Mrs. Richard and Susan Green Mr. and Mrs. Christopher and Cameron Greene Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Molly Greene Mr. and Mrs. Alex and

Jennifer Gress

Ms. Laura Groschadl and Mr. Richard Maltese Mr. and Mrs. Sam and

Elizabeth Gurney Hon. and Mrs. Craig D. Hannah Ms. Amy Harrington Ms. Margaret Harris Dr. and Mrs. Leon and

Cecelia Henderson Ms. Lauren Hennings Mr. Myles Hervey '13 Mr. and Mrs. Don and Lesli Herzog Mr. and Mrs. John L. and Jane Hettrick Ms. Laura Hettrick Mr. Timothy Hoover Mr. and Mrs. Doug and Kyle Hopkins Mr. Keon Howard '15 Ms. Valencia Howard Ms. Carolyn Hoyt Stevens Ms. Carolyn Human Ms. Courtney Hunter Ms. Colleen Hunter Ms. Stephanie Huston Mr. Christopher Jenkins Mr. William Jones Mr. Kenneth Joseph Drs. Richard and Barbara Jurasek Mr. and Mrs. Josh and

Stephanie Katzman Ms. Erin Kelly Ms. Judith Kerl Mr. Gabriel Khoon and Ms. Primrose Maw Ms. Jennifer Kiener Mrs. Randilyn Kimelberg Mr. Matthew Kochan Ms. Geraldine Kozlowski Mr. and Mrs. Jon and

Ellen Krzemien Mr. and Mrs. Daniel and Samantha Kuberka Mr. and Mrs. David and Anita Ladori Lamparelli Construction Co., Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Paul and

Martha Lamparelli Mr. and Mrs. DaRand and Natalia Land Mr. Jason Lang Mr. and Mrs. Timmothy and Karen Lash

Ms. Lisa LaTravato Ms. Lauren Lewis Mr. and Mrs. Gustavo and Raquel Lima Ms. Catherine Lincoln Ms. Carlisle Lipke Mr. and Mrs. Matt and Jen Low Ms. Ellen Lowrey Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Lowrey Ms. Madison Luber Dr. Keli Koran Luchey Mr. Ricky Luthra Mader Construction Company, Inc. Ms. Angela Mallare Mr. and Mrs. John and

Angela Marcolini Mrs. Pamela Marcucci Mr. and Mrs. Randy and Debby Margulis Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey and Mia Markello Ms. Kari Maslak Dr. and Mrs. Abraham and Brook Mathai Ms. Karen L. Mathews Mr. and Mrs. William E. and Jane Mathias Ms. Siobhan McDermott Ms. Aileen McNamara Ms. Christina Medico Mr. Alfred Miesemer Miller Gesko Wealth

Management Mr. John A. Mitchell Ms. Jane Mogavero Mr. Roger Montague

Mr. Michael J. Montesano Ms. Morgan Morris '13 Mount Mercy Academy Dr. Richard W. Munschauer Nardin Academy Mr. Christopher Nickson and Ms. Melissa Hancock Nickson Ms. Cara Noble Mr. Josh Nussbaumer Mr. and Mrs. Daniel and Anne O'Connor Ms. Grace O'Connor Mr. and Mrs. Randall and Rita Odza Dr. and Mrs. Patrick and Julie O'Neill Ms. Anne O'Neil-White Mr. Erkin Ozay Ms. Trusha Pandya Dr. Margaret Paroski Ms. Norvella Pendergrass '03 Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. and Karen E. Penfold Ms. Adina Pera and Mr. Ryan Delmar Ms. Kelly Peters Phillips Lytle LLP Ms. Grace Phillips Ms. Maddison Pisarski Mr. Steven Procknal Mr. and Mrs. Aidan and Jordan Pursel Mr. Lawrence Ramos

Miranda Mrs. Colleen Reedy The William and Barbara Regan Philanthropic Fund Mr. and Mrs. Eric and Cara Reich Ms. Kimberly Robinson

Mr. Marcene Robinson '05 Mr. and Mrs. Steven and Nancy Roder Ms. Crystal Rodriguez,

Esq. '90 and Hon. Phillip Dabney Jr. Ms. Rebecca Roll Mr. Paris Roselli and Ms. Lisa Murray-Roselli Dr. Suzanne Rosenblith and Ms. Kimberly Sholly Mr. and Mrs. Arthur A. and Audrey G. Russ Mr. Joe Russell Mrs. Eileen M. Ryan Mr. and Mrs. Alfonso C. and Nancy Saia Ms. Dena Salamone Ms. Tia Saunders Ms. Meg Scherer Ms. Sherry Schlenker Ms. Elizabeth Schneider Ms. Susan Schoellkopf Mr. Michael Schreck Mr. Joshua Schroeder Mr. and Mrs. Keith and Jennifer Schulefand Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. and Michele Scott Ms. Michelle Sebastian Mr. and Mrs. William G. and Helen Secen Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Sandra Sendor Ms. Jennifer Simkins Ms. Alivia Smeltzer-Darling Ms. Karla Smyton Mr. and Mrs. Bryan and Bari Spokane Mrs. Carol-Sue Stapleton Mrs. Patricia Stephen Mr. and Mrs. R. William and Nancy Stephens

Mr. James Sterman Sunshine Vegan Eats Mr. Paul Suozzi and Ms. Karen Spencer Sweat Society Mr. and Mrs. John and

Maureen Tomczak Mr. and Mrs. Paul and

Jennifer Vallis Ms. Lysette Vazquez '13 Ms. Betsy Vazquez-Aradio Ms. Kelly Verrall Mr. John Mineo and Ms. Vicki Feine Mr. Nils Vigeland and Ms. Madeline Burke-Vigeland Mr. and Mrs. Chris and Karen Vogelsang Mr. and Mrs. James M. Wadsworth Ms. Cassandra Walker-Whiteside Mr. and Mrs. Michael K. and Deborah Walsh Mr. Lucas Walsh and Ms. Kelli Massey Ms. Rolanda Ward Mr. and Mrs. David and Rachel Wasserman

Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Carolyn Weber Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey and Susan Wellington Mr. and Mrs. Edward and Claire White Mrs. Christine Wiktor Mr. and Dr. Gregory and Emily Williams Ms. Keyonna Willis Mrs. Janet K. Wisbaum Ms. Luna Yager Mr. and Mrs. Eric and Sandra Yarwood Ms. Jennifer Zimpfer Ms. Jen Zorn

Premier In-Kind Donors Crowley Webb M&T Bank Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Unifrax WebbMason

Become a member of the Prep Honors Circle The Prep Honors Circle was created to sustain the organization and meet its long-term goal of impacting the lives of talented underrepresented students, their families, and the community at large. We invite you to become a member of The Prep Honors Circle.

Thank you to the Prep Honors Circle Founding Members: Barbara W. Billings • Richard and Judith Bryan • Mary Ann Coulson • Sally Marks Jock and Betsy Mitchell • Eleanor Murray If you are interested in becoming a member of the Prep Honors Circle, please contact Ashley Coder at acoder@buffaloprep.org.

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Buffalo Prep has an operating budget of $1.7 million, which we raise each year from the local community. Our monthly giving campaign, 30 for 30, provides a reliable stream of critical revenue that sustains our ongoing programs.

$30 a month, $7.50 a week, $1 a day!

Provide supplies and backpacks for six Prep students as they move on to high school

Purchase a set of books for an English language arts class

Support three 5th or 6th grade students to attend the Middle School Prep program

Sponsor travel for a class field trip

JOIN TODAY! VISIT BUFFALOPREP.COM/SUPPORT Annu

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The Prep Collective is Buffalo Prep’s crucial affinity group, which has fundraising, visibility in the community, and student and alumni support at its core. It is a cohort of like-minded individuals who are passionate about Buffalo Prep's mission and involved in various aspects of Prep, including special events, corporate cultivation, and student and alumni engagement.

Assist with Prep’s partnerships with businesses and corporations, including your places of employment. Opportunities for you to be on the Business Council, which works to increase awareness about Prep by recruiting area businesses and corporations to support our work through financial support as well as by offering mentoring, employment, internships, etc., are available, allowing also for your own professional networking.

Corporate Cultivation

Help plan Party for Prep, an annual summer fundraiser, secure locations, sponsorships and auction items, sell tickets, and assist with promotion. There is also the opportunity to participate on the Prep for Dinner and Celebration of Achievement committees, as well as creating or planning speakers series, cultivation and networking, events, etc.

Special Events

Directly engage with students and alumni through our Mentor Me program, speed mentoring activities, chaperoning field trips, planning and facilitating workshops, networking events, etc.

Prep Collective Committee Co-Chairs Rashida Dowell '98 M&T Bank Maura Duggan ACV Auctions Myles Hervey '13 Buffalo Prep Laura Hettrick Buffalo Sabres Courtney Hunter Miller Gesko Wealth Management Rocco Lamparelli Lamparelli Construction Paige Lamparelli Crowley Webb

Lauren Lewis StaffBuffalo

Chavuanne Cousins '99 M&T Bank

Justin Moffatt Rich Products

Maya Meredith '07 Buffalo Prep

Nicole Hue Gaines Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY

Ally Pawarski Pegula Sports and Entertainment

Eliza Kaye Hodgson Russ LLP

Adina Pera Crowley Webb

Michael Larry Bank of America

Jean Jacques Yves Sibomana '06 Rodriguez Construction Group

Matthew Becton '01 Verizon Consumer Group

Jamila Lee '02 Erie County Surrogate Court

Jasmine Stratford HSBC

Rosalind Cardone Crowley Webb

Tessa Lewis Delaware North

Ashley Soderlund

Hannah Chambers MSW Student, University at Buffalo

Carlisle Lipke Dale Carnegie Training of Western New York

Marcene Robinson '05 University at Buffalo Sarah Washington '04 National Fuel

Members

If you are interested in joining the Prep Collective contact Grace O'Connor at goconnor@buffaloprep.org.

Kelsey Sweet Pegula Sports and Entertainment

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2020 - 2021 Staff A special THANK YOU goes out to Buffalo Prep’s fantastic full-and part-time staff. When faced with a global pandemic, the staff tirelessly supported our scholars. The Buffalo Prep part-time staff is especially dedicated; many teach in local private, public and charter schools while also teaching or tutoring for Buffalo Prep at night and on the weekends.

Your dedication and care are recognized and appreciated!

Management and Administration Patti Stephen Robert G. Wilmers Endowed Executive Director Moira Ciechoski Director of Program Operations Ashley Coder Director of Development Marcus Deveso Assistant Director, Director of Academic Programming Kanika Durland Assistant Director of Academic Programming Alex Dzadur Director of IT Operations

Elizabeth Guzmán Admissions and Recruitment Manager David Johnson Director of College Counseling Services Grace O’Connor Director of Community Relations, Development Manager Christina Petit* Director of Admissions and Recruitment

Vanessa Boyd English Language Arts

Stephanie Rivera Manager of College Prep Services

Tim Callahan '18 Teacher Assistant

Alexys Swygert Director of College Prep Services

River Carr '19 Teacher Assistant

Brenda Weber-Miller Program Administrator

Middle School Prep

Jason Dormann Science

Lawrence Ramos Miranda Middle School Prep Director

Diego Guzmán '19 Teacher Assistant

Mariah Allaire History

Angelecca Jackson Math

Unique Allen '19 Teacher Assistant

Carey Miller History

Chaniqua Bailey English Language Arts

Lucas Potter '13 STEM Student Teacher & Teacher Assistant

Yayla Blodgett-White '16 Teacher Assistant

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Dakota Clay '19 Teacher Assistant

*Joined September 2021

Ericka Rivera LIFE

Stacy Scheuneman Science

Ben Cordero '18 Teacher Assistant

Wendy DaCosta Attendance Manager

Joshua Deveso Science Teacher

Joshua Deveso Tutor, Scholar Success Coach

Layah Fortune '18 Teacher Assistant

Ashley Ellis Tutor, Scholar Success Coach

Aaron Hall '18 Teacher Assistant

James Ferrantini Tutor, Scholar Success Coach

Jessica Lattanzio English Language Arts

Kazi Mahmud Success Coordinator, SAT Prep Instructor, Scholar Success Coach

Nicole Ndayishimiye '19 Teacher Assistant Richard Roman Social Studies

Maya Simmons Literature/Research Student Teacher

Dakari Sawyers '18 Teacher Assistant

Carol-Sue Stapleton Research & Social Studies

Katie Swanson Science

Lysette Vazquez Teacher Assistant

Michelle Wing Social Studies

Sarah Wright Social Studies

College Prep

Jennifer Zebrowski Science

Linda Alegria Scholar Success Coach

Prep Scholars Academy

Joe Bieron Tutor, Scholar Success Coach

Lourdes Machuca-James Program Manager

Rebecca Cefaratti Tutor

Sulaiman Meriles Demry Tutor, Scholar Success Coach Leiah Renford '07 Prep Chat Facilitator Kristina Sisyukin Tutor, Scholar Success Coach Kenny Vargas Prep Chat Facilitator Sarah Wright Tutor Brenda Weber-Miller Scholar Success Coach

Wilmarie Fernández Math and Science Ericka Rivera English Language Arts, Social Studies, LIFE

High School Prep Ta’Ria Wideman '08 Program Manager Linda Alegria Math Te'Aira Alexander '15 Teacher Assistant

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Staff Spotlight David Johnson, Director of College Counseling Services David Johnson has been a vital asset to College Prep since he joined the team four years ago. In his role, Mr. Johnson helps students and families as they navigate the college search and application process to ensure their success in their post-secondary journey. Mr. Johnson is passionate about his work at Buffalo Prep because he gets to play a part in changing the landscape of education access and opportunity for all students. Mostly, he enjoys seeing the hard work of the scholars pay off when they achieve their goals. He is committed to ensuring that Buffalo Prep scholars and families have the resources necessary to succeed.

Mr. David hyping up the crowd He describes Buffalo Prep as family, leadership, and commitment. His at Celebration Village favorite Buffalo Prep Core 4 Value is integrity because he believes in always doing the right thing simply because it’s the right thing to do.

If you’ve been lucky enough to meet Mr. Johnson, you’ve most likely heard one of his famous motivational speeches. He can often be found leading a workout, sharing a piece of wisdom, or inspiring those around him to be the best versions of themselves. A bit of advice Mr. Johnson would like to share with all Prep scholars is, “Don’t allow your current circumstances to define your future ones.

Where you are now isn’t where you have to stay.”

Outside of Buffalo Prep, Mr. Johnson adores spending time with his wife Bridgette and two sons Bryce and Cameron. Mr. Johnson is also a member of the Daemen College Men’s Basketball staff, where he works as the director of player development. Daemen College is also Mr. Johnson’s alma mater from where he earned his BA in Interdisciplinary Studies and MS in Executive Leadership, Higher Education Specialization.

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Johnson is a loyal Lions fan, but Buffalo Prep doesn't hold his football allegiance against him!

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Carol-Sue Stapleton, Middle School Prep Teacher Having started with Buffalo Prep in 2004, Carol-Sue Stapleton is a mainstay at the organization. Over the years, Mrs. Stapleton has taught computer skills, social studies, and digital literacy. She brings extensive knowledge and experience from her work outside of Prep; currently, Mrs. Stapleton is the middle school librarian for Nichols School, where she teaches 5th-8th grade and acts as a 6th-grade advisor.

She has worked in the education field for more than 41 years and has her Masters of Liberal Arts degree.

Mrs. Stapleton describes Buffalo Prep as an organization that is caring, supportive, and has high expectations. Her favorite Core 4 Value is integrity because she believes every person should have a moral compass that helps them make good decisions, which will also helps them display responsibility, excellence, and leadership. Mrs. Stapleton loves working at Buffalo Prep because it helps her keep learning and expanding her boundaries. She appreciates discovering new things from the students and through professional development workshops at Prep.

Carol-Sue is always willing to lend a hand, in whatever manner is needed, from signing up for garbage duty (willingly) at Celebration to flexing her creativity by sewing the High School Prep sashes each year. Her advice to the Prep scholars: “Stay focused on your dreams for the future and make choices that will help to make your dreams come true.” As a teacher, she is most proud when her students come back to visit her.

Outside of Buffalo Prep and teaching, Mrs. Stapleton values family. She enjoys spending time with her wonderful husband, her incredible son and son-in-law, and her beautiful, sassy granddaughter. Mrs. Stapleton is also a HUGE dog lover! Carol-Sue, thank you for sharing your knowledge, compassion and positivity with the Buffalo Prep community!

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2020 - 2021 Board of Directors Officers and Executive Committee Mary Ann Coulson President Senior Vice President and Branch Manager Morgan Stanley Dr. Shelley M. Kimelberg Vice President Director of Interdisciplinary Degree Programs University at Buffalo Betsy Mitchell Treasurer Community Volunteer Luis A. Rodriguez Jr. ’97 Secretary Chief Executive Officer Rodriguez Construction Group Jodyann Galvin Governance Chair Partner Hodgson Russ LLP Stephen W. Bell Managing Director Steve Bell Communications LLC Dina Benderson Community Volunteer John Dandolph President & Chief Executive Officer Unifrax Annu

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David Donovan Vice President, Strategy, Business Development and Outreach Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Francisco Guzmán Deputy Commissioner, Department of Public Works, Parks, & Streets City of Buffalo Honorable Craig D. Hannah Buffalo City Court Chief Judge Buffalo City Courts Kathie Keller Treasurer Keller Technology Corporation Kevin Kerl Senior Vice President - People Operations & Analytics AML Rightsource William Maggio Lorraine Capital Alexandra Montante Community Volunteer Jeff Pappalardo Partner/Chief Creative Officer Crowley Webb

Doug Parks Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer HealthNow New York Everett Pefley Senior Manager M&T Bank Corporation Honorable JaHarr Pridgen '94 Buffalo City Court Judge Buffalo City Courts Vivian Quinn Partner Nixon Peabody Dr. Suzanne Rosenblith Dean and Professor Graduate School of Education University at Buffalo George Schoeneman Senior Vice President - Finance Citigroup Tracy Woodrow Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer M&T Bank Corporation Eric Yarwood Executive Director EdCo of WNY

u B

p's Core 4 e r P Val o l a ue ff

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LEADERSHIP

EXCELLENCE

INTEGRITY

RESPONSIBILITY

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BUFFALO PREP • 105 ALLEN HALL • UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO BUFFALO • NEW YORK • 14214 • 716.829.3605 • www.buffaloprep.com

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Thank you to Prep's dedicated team for preparing and designing this report.

Thank you to contributing photographers Dawn M. Gibson, Katie Schnieder, Ryan Delmar, The Natural Hustle Entertainment and Buffalo Prep staff.