Seizing the Chance
To Achieve
Program models best of independent school values Too often, bright students from low-income urban areas get
lost in their schools, becoming disengaged from the classroom and losing enthusiasm. For many adolescents, the value of an invested mentor is immeasurable. The Achieve program looks to fill the void for a small group of middle school students from the Boston area by enhancing their academic skills and building self-confidence. Achieve supports uninterrupted learning success by incorporating two components—a summer session and academicyear session—which run from the summer before sixth grade through the summer before eighth grade. Students must apply for the tuition free program through an extensive application and family interview process. Connie Yépez, executive director of Achieve says that she and her staff are not looking for the “superstars” or the students with discipline issues in the public schools. Instead, she says, “We’re looking for kids in the middle who need some enrichment to get to the next level—to become the cream of the crop.” The rigorous summer program bridges the gap for summer learning loss and fosters a love for lifelong learning. About 70 students are bused to Nobles from Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Mattapan and Roslindale five days a week for six weeks over the summer. Students are positioned in an academic environment that is modeled on Nobles values and practices; they are pushed to explore their potential and reach beyond perceived limits. They take classes in English, math and science, and develop social skills such as public speaking and the confidence to interact with adults.
“I tell them [that] I know at some point this is going to get really difficult. I tell them that my hope they'll is that a moment will come when they are so challenged and want to give up. But they don’t. They push through,” Yépez says. Although the program’s standards are set high, Achieve offers students strong mentorship and guidance to overcome obstacles. It is a safe community for the scholars to take risks in and be academically focused. For some students, this kind of environment is not available at their home school. “When I started Achieve, it was an eye-opening experience for me because I always wished there was a program like this for me and for the kids I grew up with,” says Nobles graduate Shabrina Guerrier ’09, who works with Achieve students. “Some of us got lost, so having a program like this would have been beneficial.” Lillian Vo has two sons who have benefited from Achieve. One is a sixth-grader in the program. The other, Jason, is an Achieve graduate. “When Jason started the program, he was a shy guy, but attending the program has made him more confident. They taught him to speak publicly during morning meetings, and when he shakes people’s hands, you notice his handshake is very strong. Achieve has helped my son in [building] his character. It has helped shape his thinking and has helped him learn from other kids. “I believe that if the kids feel loved at any school or any program they go to, they will do well in school. It has not only helped my kids, but it’s also helped me—learning to support my kids at home. As my kids grow, I grow too.” As much as the program is beneficial and positive for Achieve students, the teaching and tutoring opportunity for
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