SUMMER BRIDGE BUILDS STRONG RELATIONSHIPS
Over the past year, we have read headline after headline about teacher burnout and teachers leaving the profession. So why do some teachers and chaperones volunteer during the summer, often with little or no additional compensation, to accompany students to the Princeton-Blairstown Center (PBC) Summer Bridge Program?
The reason: to build deep relationships that translate back to the classroom.
“If you’re ever looking to establish a relationship with teenagers who want very little part in adult interactions, I highly recommend sticking them out in the woods with little to no cell phone reception and a bunch of teambuilding activities with the staff of the Princeton-Blairstown Center because it completely transforms the dynamic of the student and teacher relationship.”
-Kiersten Perks, Teacher LEAP Academy University Charter School
Our staff hear this feedback regularly from the teachers and chaperones who accompany students to our Campus. Suddenly students see their teachers as human beings and as Kiersten Perks says, “we’re able to form more of a bond.” At PBC, educators often show their vulnerability to students when they share personal fears of snakes, bears, climbing/heights, etc. This helps to normalize students’ sharing their own emotions, and often results in students and teachers building a deep and lasting bond.
According to Kiersten Perks, one of her students “hated my guts when I was her teacher. She would roll her eyes when I
would ask if she could please take out her book in English class or refrain from doing her hair during a lesson.” After spending a week in the woods together they developed mutual respect and empathy. They solved problems together, communicated effectively with each other, and shared unique experiences in a safe but challenging environment.
Feedback from our teachers and chaperones tells us that they value the time they spend with students at PBC, and they recognize the benefits of bringing students to Summer Bridge with 100% indicating their students met their goals and 92% indicating their students demonstrated improved teambuilding skills.
Research demonstrates that when teachers consistently build strong connections with students, there is a significant impact on student engagement including psychological
engagement, academic grades, school attendance, reduced disruptive behavior, suspension, and dropout rates. For these reasons, building these deep relationships is one of the three core goals of our Summer Bridge Program.
As PBC looks to 2023 and the opportunity to welcome all our Summer Bridge partners and students back to our Blairstown Campus to build these strong relationships, we need your support.
Facing the challenges of inflation, compe tition for staff, and rising food and utilities costs, we depend on our loyal supporters to help us provide programs that move the needle and change the trajectory of our students’ lives. Thank you in advance for your support.
With gratitude,
Claudia Franco Kelly Pam Gregory Board Chair President & CEO
FALL 2022
2022 Summer Bridge students work on a STEM project with their chaperone.
In Memorium - Reverend David H. McAlpin,
Rev. David H. McAlpin, Jr., Former Trustee, Former Board Chair, and Honorary Trustee of PBC passed away in August at the age of 94.
A Princeton native, and the son and grandson of well-known philanthropists, he attended Miss Fine’s School, Princeton Day School, and Deerfield Academy. Raised primarily by his mother after his parents divorced, he stated that “it was her example and her compassion which were the primary influence in my choosing of my calling.” He attended Princeton University where he was called to pursue a career in the ministry. Rev. McAlpin received a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1953.
After graduation, he settled in Princeton with his wife, Joan Rockefeller McAlpin. He met with Benjamin Anderson, the minister of the Witherspoon Presbyterian Church, who invited Rev. McAlpin to assist him. In 1957 Rev. McAlpin was installed as the first associate pastor of the historically black congregation where he was in charge of the youth ministry. While there he earned his Masters in Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1961.
Rev. McAlpin became keenly aware of discriminatory housing practices affecting African Americans who were beginning to purchase homes in allwhite neighborhoods. He was soon determined to establish an integrated housing development in the Princeton area. His efforts helped to establish two acclaimed integrated housing developments: “Glen Acres” in West Windsor Township off Alexander Road and “Maplecrest” at Dempsey Avenue and Walnut Lane in Princeton.
In 1963, he and his family moved to Detroit, where he served as a pastor working on civil rights and establishing affordable housing organizations. In the early 1970s, he and his family returned to the Princeton area where he led churches in transition and counseled fellow pastors. He also helped found the Trenton Chapter of Habitat for Humanity in 1986 and served as President of the Board until 2012.
In 2017 PBC awarded him the Frank Broderick Award for his deep commitment to social justice, compassion, and selflessness. Jane Fremon, Honorary Trustee and Former PBC Board Chair, who helped present the award, shared two personal recollections spanning several decades. “The first – his leading us by example into choppy, uncertain waters. The second – evidence of his lifelong practice of investing – with his hands –in the work needing to be done.”
He had a deep commitment to the Mercer County community, where he served on the Boards of numerous organizations including the Princeton Area Community Foundation, The New Jersey Association on Correction, The Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association, The Historical Society of Princeton, Union Theological Seminary in NYC, The Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society, the Paul Robeson House in Princeton, and the Princeton-Blairstown Center.
Mark Antin, Former PBC Board Chair who served with Rev. McAlpin for many years shared,“Rev. McAlpin was a great friend and supporter of PBC, but also a person whose actions followed his inspiring words. So many have Rev. McAlpin to thank but he, most of all, would agree that there is so much more to do. His legacy is too broad and deep to adequately eulogize.”
Rev. McAlpin is survived by his four children David M. McAlpin, Ann R. McAlpin, Loring R. McAlpin, and Janet U. McAlpin, and his four grandchildren, and two great grandsons.
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Jane Fremon ’75, Rev. David H. McAlpin Jr. ’50, and Joe Broderick at the 2017 Soiree Under the Stars.
“His legacy is too broad and deep to adequately eulogize”
Betty Johnson’s Enduring Legacy
Throughout the region, the name Betty Wold Johnson is synonymous with philanthropy. For decades, Mrs. Johnson supported numerous causes and organizations, with a particular emphasis on those with a focus on the environment. PBC was one of the organizations that benefited from Mrs. Johnson’s generosity, as she supported numerous campaigns and capital projects to improve the Blairstown Campus for nearly 50 years.
During her lifetime, Mrs. Johnson made gifts to upgrade facilities and prepare the way for year-round programming; build staff housing, Egner Lodge, and the then-new wash houses; and create a maintenance endowment that provides funding in perpetuity for some of the upkeep of our 268-acre Campus.
Newly renovated interior of the Johnson Apartments.
Most recently, the Willard T.C. Johnson Foundation, a source of much of Mrs. Johnson’s support, made a significant investment in the renovation of the Johnson Apartments, PBC’s staff housing. In the 30 years since it was built, the Johnson Apartments have had routine maintenance such as painting, a new roof, and some new flooring. But with multiple staff tenants each year, the wear and tear on the building was taking its toll.
PBC’s Vice President of Facilities Jody Zengulis evaluated the needs and determined that each of the four apart-
ments needed a new kitchen and bath, new flooring, new lighting, repainting, and new furniture. In addition, the base ment of the building was refurbished to include an upgraded staff lounge with new furniture, and painting of the walls and floor. In addition, we purchased and installed a generator.
Mrs. Johnson’s legacy of philanthropy can be seen all over the Blairstown Campus. The renovation of the Johnson Apartments is just the latest in her decades-long support of PBC and the thousands of young people who visit each year.
PBC Elects Chris Gribble to Board of Trustees
Princeton-Blairstown Center recently welcomed Chris Gribble to its Board of Trustees. Chris is an Executive Director and Private Banker within the Asset and Wealth Management business of JPMorgan. In this role he focuses on delivering a boutique experience to families and select institutional clients, including endowments and foundations, high net worth individuals, and family offices. Chris helps advise clients across their balance sheets including advising in investment selection, credit solutions, and trust and estate advisory.
Chris has spent the last 12 years at JPMorgan in this capacity. He also has participated on the JP Morgan Advisory Council and was an analyst manager for two years where he helped manage and mentor the junior talent population. Chris lives in Holmdel, NJ with his wife and daughter.
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Updated kitchen in the Johnson Apartments.
PBC Hosts Princeton First-Year Students Through Community Action Program
The Experience
Written by Josh Lau, Class of 2026
When I was staying at PBC I experienced things I never did see As we ran from spiders We all became writers And teamwork was the key We ran around the field While like ducks we squealed To hit each other with foam It all felt like home Together in Danielson our stories were shared And we all came together and truly cared Our glorious leaders Morgan and Calvin Facilitated our bond like a solid battalion.
After a two year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Blairstown Campus was alive with 133 Princeton first-year students and Community Action (CA) leaders for four days and three nights. In small groups of 10 students and two leaders, half of the small groups focused on the theme of Leading Through Mentorship and the other half on Arts in the Woods.
The University’s website articulates the goals of the orientation experience as introducing first-year students to community at Princeton and the surrounding area, learning what it means to be part of a community, how to grapple with complex societal questions, and beginning to develop an awareness of their personal values.
PBC staff worked with CA Fellow Kasey Shao ’25, who is majoring in Molecular Biology with a Piano Performance Certificate, to develop a diverse and rich schedule for the students who would be spending their CA time at PBC. PBC’s experiential learning model and specially crafted program provides a fertile environment for students to bond with each other in a deep and
meaningful manner in four short days before transitioning into the academically rigorous environment they will soon face.
Students in the Arts in the Woods group participated in hands-on seminars with faculty from the University’s Department of Music while PBC staff helped students in the Leading Through Mentorship groups learn about positive youth development and the importance of social emotional learning.
Blairstown provided the inspiration, the magic, and countless opportunities for students to solve complex problems as a team and reflect on the past and the future. Each day, in addition to their work on their service projects, students also participated in team-building and bonding activities, shared meals together, and reflected on their experiences.
Each small group engaged in a range of service projects that included painting a sign for the PBC garden, creating curriculum materials for PBC’s environmental education program, creative writing and drawing for use in PBC publications, planting the next phase of PBC’s pollinator garden, and repairing
an element and spreading chips around a PBC challenge course element.
Two culminating events capped the experience. On the students’ final night at PBC we hosted a PBC history panel composed of Princeton alums who worked at or volunteered for PBC including Priscilla Hayes ’75, Andre Washington ’74, and Sarah Tantillo ’87. On their final morning each service group participated in a showcase where they shared and discussed their service.
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Community Action students in life vests - ready for teambuilding, bonding, and adventure.
Students complete a sign for PBC’s teaching garden as part of their community service.
Links to Youth Golf Outing Raises More Than $85,000
benefit committee that hosted PBC’s first fundraiser in over two decades and lead the Institutional Advancement Commit tee for three years. A vocal ambassador, Christina has been able to amplify PBC’s mission and voice, raise friends and funds for the Center, and get her community and her family involved in supporting PBC.
We are also tremendously grateful to our Links to Youth co-chairs, Heather Reilly and Derek Simpkins for their time, energy, and effort organizing and executing this successful event.
Thanks to our Event Sponsors!
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On Friday, September 16th, PBC held its seventh annual Links to Youth Golf Outing at the Fox Hollow Golf Club in Branchburg, NJ. This event drew 88 golfers and 22 additional dinner guests and raised more than $85,000, which will support PBC’s award-winning Summer Bridge Program. Each year, Summer Bridge offers hundreds of students from Trenton, Newark, and Camden, New Jersey a high-quality summer enrichment experience focused on social emotional learning, Literacy, and STEM completely free of charge.
At the dinner celebration following golf, guests heard from a teacher and student from LEAP Academy University Charter School about their Summer Bridge expe rience. Teacher Kiersten Perks and her student Fatima, gave a moving testimonial about how PBC helped change their perspectives and improve their relation ship. Fatima shared “growing up in an area with not many opportunities makes you believe that many things are limited. For a certain time in my life, I believed that going out in the world and being part of nature was only a dream, but this pro gram made me realize I can go anywhere and do anything.”
Also, the Ev Pinneo Award was presented to PBC Board Member Christina Bailey. Established in 2018, the Ev Pinneo Award is given to a volunteer or staff member who has gone above and beyond in their dedication and commitment to the mis sion of the Princeton-Blairstown Center, in much the same way that Ev has throughout his seven-decade association with PBC.
Christina Bailey is the embodiment of what an engaged volunteer and Board member should be like. She organized a
AMSkier Insurance
Sarah & Mark Antin Bank of America NJ Market Bijou Salon, LLC
Blue Ridge Lumber Company Bryn Mawr Trust
Peggy & Russell DaSilva Tamara Simpkins Franklin Pam Gregory & David Palladino Hill Wallack LLP
Inside Edge Consulting Group, Inc. Praveena Joseph-de Saram & Vijay Krishnamurthy
Yvette Saeko Lanneaux & Michael Nissan
Lasley Brahaney
Lear & Pannepacker, LLP
Joseph Leccese
Northfield Bank
NRG
Energy Payday
PBC Senior Leadership Team Penbrook Management LLC
Kathy & Bruce Petersen
Everard Pinneo
Pinneo Construction
Suman Rao & Kaushik Arunagiri Ajanta & Pulkit Shah
Pam & Derek Simpkins
Sarah Tantillo
Robin & Chris Van Buren
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Christina Bailey (left) holding the Ev Pinneo Award and Pamela Simpkins (right).
The winning foursome of the day included Michael Seitz, Don Seitz, Tom Heffernan, and Jon Heffernan.
Where Are They Now? Frank Blancero
Blancero worked as a Facilitator at PBC in the summer of 2012. Currently, he is the Program Director with the Staten Island Community Organizations Active in Disaster (SI COAD).
Frank
How did you first learn about PBC?
I first learned about PBC through a leadership scholarship program I was enrolled in through the Posse Foundation. My career coach at Posse knew I was looking for summer jobs and made the connection. Throughout the years, PBC has welcomed many a Posse Scholar!
During the summer I worked at PBC there were a total of four Posse Scholars from around the country working as summer facilitators.
What was your job in Blairstown?
I was a summer facilitator and loved every minute of it.
How long did you work for PBC?
I only worked for PBC for 9-10 weeks, but truly developed a deep love for PBC, its mission, and the many lives we all touched.
What did you expect the job to be like?
Expectations couldn’t predict reality, really. My prior experience lent itself to working with at-risk youth, serving as a mentor, and leading others in team building, development of interpersonal skills, etc. The combination of a steep learning curve to develop both hard skills and soft skills in a short period of time meant a lot of growth for me too - not just our participants.
How did the job match your expectations?
When I found out the location was off the Appalachian Trail, I knew I’d be up for some exciting adventures, beautiful views, and amazing time out in nature. Still, the site of PBC exceeded expectations, and my off hours spent hiking and running in preparation for the final season of cross country for my senior year of college made this place incredibly special, both on the job and off.
What was a highlight of your time at PBC?
The people – the staff, the groups of young people, the chaperones... we all became immersed in a diverse human experience thanks to one another. Beyond that, PBC was really centered around a unique cornucopia of experiences that were fairly devoid of distractions from technology. Putting aside the laptop, texting, social media, etc. during that summer meant being present for the world and people right in front of me. Luckily, both were quite fun to explore!
What challenges did you face?
As a very disciplined competitive runner at the time, I didn’t want to abandon my training goal of running 1000 miles over a three month span. Mentally and physically it was challenging to stay dedicated at times. Giving the summer facilitator job and my intense hobby both 100% effort meant waking up at 6:00AM most mornings to cover anywhere from 6 to 20 miles of varying terrain on the beautiful Appalachian Trail. I saw my fair
share of early morning wildlife, rolled plenty of ankles, and greatly appreciated the delicious spreads of food put out by Chef Joe!
How did your time at PBC impact how you saw the world as a young person? Now?
Perspective. In a word, PBC taught me to appreciate perspective like never before. Spending so much time in close proximity with a tight knit group of friends and coworkers and bonding closely with the groups of participants that visited was quite the enriching experience. I still look back fondly to my times at PBC, I still remember lessons learned from colleagues and from participants, and I still have a deep appreciation for everything PBC provided me.
In what way did your time at PBC influence your career choices?
At PBC, my existing personal and professional skill set grew, a number of new skills and life lessons were learned, and my worldview expanded for the better. I carry all of those things with me in my professional career.
Do you have a story or memory to share?
More than I can count! I’ll leave everyone with a recommendation: if you find yourself lucky enough to be at PBC on a warm summer night huddling around a campfire, take a moment to step away, stare up at the bright stars, and take in nature, before returning back to the campfire for some good company.
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Blancero participating in group activities during his time at PBC.
Frank Blancero
Partnering to Combat Summer Food Insecurity
This summer PBC partnered with two organizations – Princeton University in Trenton and HelloFresh in Blairstown – to support our Summer Bridge students and help fight food insecurity. Ninety percent of the students PBC serves in its Summer Bridge Program are eligible for free or reduced school lunch.
Princeton University Dining Services, they graciously agreed to partner with PBC for a second year. Every day they prepared a fresh, nutritious lunch that included a turkey, roast beef, chicken salad, or smoked turkey sandwich on a bun or hoagie; chips, a baked good, water, and a piece of fruit. They also prepared a fresh vegetarian option.
Upon opening a lunch bag with roast beef on a roll, one of our Summer Bridge students asked, “What is this?” because she had never tasted roast beef. She shared that the only kind of sandwiches she had ever eaten were ham or turkey sandwiches. Eating chicken salad and roast beef sandwiches expands the culinary experiences of our students who often have very few choices and limited experiences.
to those experiencing food insecurity. HelloFresh provided meal kits so our students could learn to prepare a meal like black bean tostadas and tomato and zucchini flatbread in small groups. Each student also received a meal kit from HelloFresh with the same ingredients to take home to share what they learned with their family. Our students learned that cooking healthy meals was easy and fun and they were excited to bring home their new knowledge and skills.
“The HelloFresh cooking experience was a highlight of our Summer Bridge Program. This experience along with our garden curriculum helped students learn more about food justice issues and how they can take action. We are so grateful.”
- Mark DeBiasse, Vice President of Programs
Trenton, a city of approximately 85,000, has only three grocery stores. Most residents do not live within a half mile of them and must either find transportation or take multiple bus routes to reach them, so residents often shop at local corner stores and bodegas that lack fresh produce and nutritious food options. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that only 2.4% of Trenton outlets offer healthy food. Feeding America estimates that 50,000 people in Trenton struggle with hunger and 20% of this number is made up of children. A sluggish economy, rising food prices, and an end to pandemic emergency benefits have exacerbated the problem.
Because PBC decided to run its Hybrid Summer Bridge Program in Trenton rather than at Blairstown due to the pandemic, we needed a partner to provide healthy lunches for our students and staff. When we contacted
PBC is so grateful to the Princeton University Dining Services team for their generous contribution of delicious food and their culinary skills. Because of them, our students had the nutritional resources that enabled them to learn.
Jeffrey Yorzyk, Senior Director of Sustainability at HelloFresh said, “We are excited to be supplying fresh, portioned ingredients and cooking directions for supervised hands-on, experiential learning during PBC’s Summer Bridge Program. We are honored to support culinary education through our meal kits, and to provide additional meal kits for them to take home to cook with their families!”
At our On-Site Summer Bridge Program, PBC had the opportunity to partner with HelloFresh through their Beyond the Box program. This program advanc es the company’s mission to change the way people eat forever by ensuring that fresh food is available and accessible
Pam Gregory, PBC President shared that, “The students absolutely loved the cooking experience. They used reading and math skills in the process as well as worked together as a team to create delicious, easy to prepare meals. Their pride and sense of accomplishment was apparent to everyone.” PBC’s Vice President of Programs Mark DeBiasse said,“The HelloFresh cooking experience was a highlight of our Summer Bridge Program. This experience along with our garden curriculum helped students learn more about food justice issues and how they can take action. We are so grateful.”
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Summer Bridge students enjoyed bagged lunches from Princeton University.
Summer Bridge students working together to make a meal provided by HelloFresh.
Princeton-Blairstown Center
13 Roszel Road, Suite B109
Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 921-0070
www.princetonblairstown.org
Princeton Office
President & CEO
Pam Gregory
Vice President of Finance & Administration
Nicole Nilsson
Vice President of External Affairs
Meredith Murray
Communications & Special Events Manager
Jennifer Fisher
Accounting Assistant
Gina Grieco (part-time)
Operations Assistant Anna Kats (part-time)
Blairstown Campus
Vice President of Programs
Mark DeBiasse, D. Litt
Assistant Director of Operations & Staff Management
Maren Morsch
Food Services Manager
Robert Buarotti
Operations Manager
Pat Karl
Program Managers
Ron Franco (Sr. Program Manager)
Holly Lynn
Handy Pierre
Facilitators
Tabassum Alam (Sr. Facilitator)
Anokwale Anansesemfo
Malik Church
James Frye
Facilities Director
Jody Zengulis
Facilities Assistants
Jacob Bruch
John Haney
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chair
Claudia Franco Kelly, MBA
Vice Chair
Shawn Maxam, MSW
Secretary
Sarah Tantillo, Ed.D. ’87
Treasurer
Warren M. Stock, MBA
Trustees
Christina Bailey
Russell DaSilva, Esq. ’76
Susan G. Danielson, Psy.D.
Bruce A. Ellsworth, Ph.D.
Peter A. Gasparro
Chris Gribble
Praveena Joseph-de Saram *10
Andrew F. Morris, MBA
Christopher S. Moser
Jessica Perry
Bruce Petersen ’79
Suman Rao
Heather E. Reilly
Karen Richardson
Donald R. Seitz, MBA ’79
Pulkit Shah
Aline Silva
Derek Simpkins
Christopher Van Buren, CFA ’84
Advisory Council
Eleazar Adjehoun
Minda A. Alena
Mark L. Antin, Esq.
Rev. Allison Boden, Ph.D.
Susan G. Danielson, Psy.D.
Jon Dec ’13
Barbara DiCostanzo
Michael S. Fletcher II ’03
Jason K. Griffiths ’97
Sari Chang Guthrie, RA ’84
Rochelle R. Hendricks
Kevin C. Hudson ’97
James B. Huffman, P.E. ’77
Al Kaemmerlen, MBA ’62
Meryl Kessler, Esq. ’84
Yvette Saeko Lanneaux, Esq. ’88
Chris Murphy ’20
Richard Ober, Esq. ’65
Pamela L. Simpkins, MBA
Seema Thomas *08
Pam Walker
Honorary Trustees
Janet Smith Dickerson, M.Ed.
Joan N. Doig
Jane Fremon ’75
Rev. David H. McAlpin, Jr. ’50 ◊
Everard K. Pinneo ’48
Dr. Robert J. Rivers, Jr. ’53
Peter T. Smith
C. Andre Washington, Esq. ’74
President & CEO Pam Gregory
◊ We remember
IS THE PRINCETON-BLAIRSTOWN CENTER INCLUDED IN YOUR WILL?
The greatest assurance that the valuable work of the Princeton-Blairstown Center will continue for another century is through a bequest from you. Please consider the Princeton-Blairstown Center as you provide security to those you love and honor and include us in that special group.
Through a bequest, you will join the 1908 Legacy Society which honors the visionaries who have left an unsurpassed legacy like Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cornwall; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Egner; Mrs. Mary “Randy” Hobler; and Sarah Tantillo, Ed.D. Their gifts have helped to ensure that deserving youth can experience the transformative power of our Blairstown Campus.
Please contact Meredith Murray at mmurray@princetonblairstown. org for more information.
Joe Cornwall ’39 at the 1995 dedication of Egner Lodge.
