New York Edge General Brochure

giving students An Edge for success

A NOTE FROM OUR CEO

New York Edge (NYE) believes that every student deserves opportunities to find a passion, develop skills, become a leader, and have a healthy and safe environment beyond school hours. Our after school and summer programs reach thousands of students annually in more than 100 schools across all five boroughs and Long Island, with activities that are welcoming, enriching, and fun.

NYE serves New York City K-12 students of all ages, races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We offer culturally relevant programs that are tailored to students’ needs and interests as well as their social and cognitive development. Activities blend academics, recreation, arts, social emotional learning, and other pursuits, so that the learning feels fun and the fun is developmental.

Our goal is for every single student who participates in New York Edge to find something in our programs to get truly excited about, and for every single student to develop skills and perspectives that will help them in K-12 and beyond. And we’re succeeding–according to evaluation reports by the New York Department of Youth & Community Development, NYE excels at student engagement, staff feedback, and administrative management.

NYE added an exciting new program, The Excellence Project, for students who are already thriving in school. Though we have always served all interested students, our programming has often been designed around remediation. This gifted and talented program is one more way that we can meet the unique needs of every student.

Rachael Gazdick Chief Executive Officer

New York Edge Covers New York City and Long Island

136 LOCATIONS

New York Edge programs are in ALL five boroughs of New York City and Wyandanch, Long Island.

27,OOO+ STUDENTS

And their families served every year!

1OO+ MULTI SCHOOL EVENTS

Sports leagues, spelling bees, robotics tournaments, and performances are all core components to the after school experience.

54O PROGRAM HOURS

PROVIDED YEARLY

Each year, students have the opportunity to participate in thousands of hands-on activities, informative trips, and academic enrichment programs.

n VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS

Through our visual and performing arts programs, we aim to foster creativity. The goal of each program is to inspire curiosity through careful observation and artistic exploration.

n SPORTS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Sports, health and wellness is dedicated to promoting the physical and nutritional health in our youth in all of our school communities through engagement in programs that encourage involvement in sports, nutritional awareness and personal fitness.

n STEM EDUCATION

Through our STEM curriculum, students learn to question, test, observe, collaborate, and explain their findings in all activities. These skills are crucial as children experiment and investigate issues relevant to the world around them through hands-on learning opportunities.

n SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP

The underlying thread for all NYE programs is the social emotional development of our students, which opens the door to learning. Students benefit from SEL currlicula focused on character development and leadership capabilities, and these lessons are reinforced through NYE programming.

n ACADEMICS AND COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS

Academics is led by a team of education professionals who have expertise in curriculum, coaching, and program development in the areas of literacy, integrated technologies, and STEM. NYE builds in college and career readiness to all of our academics, as well as providing focused programming, counseling, campus visits and more.

n SUMMER PROGRAMS

Each summer, New York Edge provides school communities with camps that feature fun activities and trips. Students are engaged in sports and arts programming as well as activities that keep their academic skills sharp.

The New York Edge Difference

n A WHOLE CHILD APPROACH

Students need healthy minds, bodies, and relationships, as well as creative outlets, to thrive. New York Edge programs help them develop all four. From academic support, to sports and movement, to social emotional learning and engaging enrichment activities, our programs offer students opportunities to develop in every aspect of their lives. New York Edge also provides mentoring and coaching, with dedicated staff focused on increasing student academic performance, attendance and engagement, fostering social emotional learning (SEL), and helping students feel a sense of belonging within their school communities. We also have strong relationships with best-in-class partners who specialize in areas that are outside the scope of New York Edge’s traditional program model. Finally, we are adept at collaborating with other community-based organizations to leverage each agency’s area of expertise and to align the delivery of programs and services in a coordinated way.

n DEEP INTEGRATION

New York Edge is highly experienced at seamlessly integrating into the fabric of the school community and supporting school leadership in achieving their education plans. New York Edge staff coordinate with teachers to deliver academic supports that align with classroom activities. In addition, New York Edge coordinates with school social workers, guidance counselors, and psychologists to train school staff on SEL intervention strategies for all students. We are also experienced at working closely with families to address needs that may exist at home so parents and guardians are in the best position to support their children.

n HIGH-QUALITY CURRICULUM

New York Edge has a dedicated curriculum department responsible for developing lessons that are culturally responsive, informed by educational research, and aligned to learning standards. Every New York Edge activity specialist and instructor is trained in curriculum delivery, student engagement, and assessment and evaluation tools. New York Edge staff are given the flexibility to adapt the curriculum to meet the various learning styles and academic levels of each student enrolled in our program. This approach helps us to deliver tailored, deeply engaging, expanded learning time experiences.

n FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY

Schools know their students and neighborhoods best, and that’s why New York Edge gathers the perspectives of students, school leaders, community leaders, and families as it customizes the program model for each site. If goals shift or if new opportunities arise, our flexibility and adaptability allow us to be responsive to the school community as it continues to develop, grow, and change.

n CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

New York Edge enlists professionals from a variety of internal departments to support the design and implementation strategy for each school. This includes the New York Edge curriculum, finance, human resources, compliance, and the training, assessment, and evaluation teams. Each one of these departments provides direct support to the site-based staff and school administration, which ensures the alignment of goals and outcomes, as well as the coordination and distribution of resources.

n EXPERIENCED, CULTURALLY COMPETENT STAFF

New York Edge selects only the best and most qualified candidates for our leadership positions, and we work with local colleges and universities to recruit dedicated staff who are passionate about our mission. We prioritize hiring from within the school community and local neighborhood in order to better align afterschool programming with the goals and priorities of the school day, as well as to employ people who are connected to the communities that we serve. New York Edge staff are highly trained and receive 90+ hours of professional development each year, are required to be trained in first aid and CPR, and receive regular training in safety and security.

Our Impact

AMONG PRINCIPALS

More than 9o% say that New York Edge effectively supplements their schools with skill-based enrichment activities

Nearly 95% say that New York Edge successfully maintains a safe and orderly school environment

1oo% would recommend New York Edge to other schools

AMONG PARENTS

Nearly 1oo% say that their children enjoy the program and are very interested in the activities 96% say their children have learned about managing emotions and making responsible choices from New York Edge 98% see the program as contributing to their children’s learning 99% would recommend New York Edge to other parents

AMONG STUDENTS

94% enjoy the New York Edge program 84% believe New York Edge has helped them do better in school

All data drawn from 2020-2021 surveys

You have a vision for all the things you can do for students, but you’re pulled in so many directions that you just don’t have time to reinvent the wheel. New York Edge has the know-how, they have great staff, and they’re able to put in the legwork. They make things happen in ways that we could never do on our own.

” New York Edge is so in tune with the school. There are so many great choices for students, and there is connection and communication with teachers and administrators as well.

— Harry Sherman, Superintendent, District 9, New York City Department of Education

Our Social and Emotional Learning Approach

Our model for aiding social emotional learning includes robust academic and personal wellness support, and trauma-informed teaching strategies. We blend the critical elements that support an appreciation of cultural diversity with the core SEL competencies of self-awareness, selfmanagement, relationship skills, social awareness, social capital, and decision-making into all academic curriculum and extracurricular activities.

New York Edge integrates SEL into every element of our programming. Every New York Edge staff member who works with students is trained to understand the trauma that students have experienced and the supports needed to address it. Every New York Edge program contains elements designed to support students in developing and maintaining healthy relationships with their peers, their teachers, their families, and themselves.

In addition to social and emotional support, New York Edge programs provide students with opportunities to enhance their physical and mental wellness. Whether providing programs and services directly or through partners, New York Edge is committed to offering a blend of wellness and integrated supports that will help each student thrive.

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