Week 5: College Life

Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." Malcolm X

Today was an exciting day! The young ladies played a home made board game called College Life. This game allows girls to role a dye, move forward, then pick up cards that fit into the categories of health, academics, social life, and finances.

The cards provided different scenarios that can come up throughout the college experience in those areas. Some of the scenarios were:

Health:

• You get sick, but you are very busy and have so much going on that you don't make a doctor's appointment. Now you've been sick for three weeks and can't seem to get out of bed. Move back two spaces.
• You don't like the processed food in the cafeteria, so you always go to the grocery store off campus and get fruits and vegetables. Move forward two spaces.
• You have a very important project that is due in a week. You have been pulling all nighters to get it done. You have only slept 2-3 hours per night in the last week. Move back to spaces.

Academics:

• You start a study group for one of your challenging courses. Move forward two spaces.
• You meet your professors during their office hours so now they all know you by name. Why is this important? Move forward one space.
• You work hard and get a high GPA. You make the Dean's List! Move forward two spaces.
• You aren't getting as good of grades in college as you did in high school. You are very disappointed and frustrated. What will you do?

Social Life:

• You have been in school for two months and you haven't found new friends. You miss your friends from home and you are feeling like you don't like college. Move back one space. What can you do?
• Your dorm has a lot of events and activities that people can attend and participate in. You go to all of them and have a lot of fun. Move forward two spaces.
• Your roommates go to parties 3-4 nights a week, they seem to be having fun and they know a lot more people on campus than you do. They aren't doing as well in their classes, but they tell you that GPA doesn't really matter in the 'real world'. What do you think?

Finances:

• Somehow you overspent and now your bank account is in the negative. You have bills that need to be paid and you are really stressed out. Move back one space. What can you do?
• You applied for a lot of scholarships as a high school senior, so now that you're in college you don't have to take out loans. Move forward three spaces.
• You save money by buying books online instead of at the campus bookstore. Move forward one space.
• You get enough financial aid to pay tuition and fees, but you don't have enough for books. What will you do?

The game is intended to get the girls to discuss these issues and talk about what they would do and how to determine what would be the best decision. The young ladies LOVED the game!

Star Jackson was the winner, but we all learned invaluable information from the experience.

Week 4: A Voice From the Field

"Real education means to inspire people to live more abundantly, to learn to begin with life as they find it and make it better." Carter G. Woodson

The young ladies of South Bronx Prep were fortunate to have a guest speaker this week. Joelle Robinson, a recent graduate of the Mailman School of Public Health, spoke to the ladies of YWLI and the young men of the YMLI together about the field of public health.

Before the speaker, we spoke with the girls about useful questions to ask, in order to make the most of the opportunity to hear from a professional. Some of the strategies included:

1. Be specific. Rather than asking a question about the speaker's favorite food or region of the country, ask a question that allows her to explain how or why she did something. If a speaker mentions a specific event that was life-changing, make sure to refer to that event and ask for insight about it.

2. Open-ended questions are better than Yes/No questions. Open ended questions usually begin with "What", "Why" or "How" and have only as detailed an answer as the question allows for (i.e. "What were some motivating factors for you to choose college in the Southeast as opposed to other places?" is better than "Did you go to school in the South?")

3. Listen to all responses before coming up with another question. Seminars, lectures and speeches are terrific forums for learning while participating in a broad discussion of a topic. Listen carefully to the speaker and the questions other audience members have. You may hear an answer to a question you've had, or want to add something to a question. The best way to be heard is to first listen.

The speaker discussed what public health professionals do and explained the diversity of the field of public health. This interactive discussion was very informative. The following are some journal entries:

Keren: "Health is not only about having cancer, it is about being stable mentally and I want to become a lawyer. I want to go to NYU. A lot of people mistreat their health and I know that college important for my health."

Jainabu: "I feel this was very helpful because it influences me to be more healthy, and it also gave me more information about public health. It was very interesting."

Gabby: "I believe the presentation was very interesting. I learned that volunteering will be very good for me in the future. I also learned I can get an interesting job during the summer. I also really liked the candy!"

A great introduction to a field of study that serves communities of color and is underrepresented by people of color.

Public Health, here we come!!

Session 3: Facing our Fears

"Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement." Brian Tracy

Last week the young ladies discussed some of the concerns and barriers they felt might stand in their way of achieving their goals, so this week was all about addressing those issues head on.

After pizza and refreshments, the ladies were given a handout of major scholarships, federal funding options and resources, as well as a list of CUNY scholarships. We went over each scholarship and highlighted the requirements. The ladies understood that if they know what scholarships are looking for, they can begin working now to build up their resume, so they will be ideal applicants when it is time to apply.


The group discussed what kind of internships and work experience would be useful for their field and how to plan those activities.

Two more mentors were introduced to the group.


Sheirly is in her first year of her masters program at Alfred University. She is studying Educational Counseling.

Connie has just finished her bachelors degree at SUNY Old Westbury College. She received a Bachelors of Arts degree in Health and Society.

Both of the new mentors gave a brief overview of their college experiences and their educational and career plans. They also described to the girls how their experiences in high school led them to college and helped them to succeed. They discussed how high school is different from college in order to help the girls prepare their mindset for the transition. Since we have been addressing how the young ladies will know what their resources are, the mentors discussed what resources they have utilized, as well as how they found those resources.

Next, we reviewed a handout of information on different scholarships so that the young ladies would be able to see what qualifications different scholarships are looking for. The scholarships covered included the Gates Millennium Scholarship, Coca-Cola Scholars Program, Burger King Scholars Program, Girls Going Places, and a document of federal, state and city scholarships. It also had links to the four year colleges and universities in New York City, so the girls could look into different programs and financial aid at the different schools.

The young ladies of South Bronx Prep had great questions and expressed that they felt more prepared for their adventure due to the guidance of their mentors. Together, we found the answers to the questions that seemed to make them apprehensive, and in the end, we all benefited from it.

We can't wait for next week!

Session 2: Understanding our Resources

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Harold R. McAlindon



Today the ladies were excited to be met with pizza and drinks to energize them after a long day of classes. They were enthusiastic and excited to revisit some of the conversations from last week.


To begin, the young ladies were give blank paper and markers and asked to create name tag for their desk that describes something about them. many used colors that they like, hearts and stars were common images that the ladies shared. The back side of the name tag had their nicknames, so we were all able to learn more about each other and see what we have in common.


The ladies were very interested in doing the circle activity from last week, so we did it again with some new questions and more about their concerns for achieving their future goals. We debriefed about what their fears were for the future, and what they feel is standing in their way of achieving their goals. Girls expressed concerns about:

• Not knowing how to pay for college
• What scholarships are looking for and how to know what you qualify for
• How do you identify what your resources are?

Today, the first of three mentors was in attendance and introduced to the group. Quicil is finishing her junior year at John Jay College and she is a criminology major. She spoke to the girls about her college experience and was able to address some of the questions that the ladies had about accessing resources and what college life really looks like.

The ladies were given time to write out some of their goals for the future:

Sonia: "So, right now I want to learn languages and religions. I want to go around the world, be a vet, a teacher, or a designer. I like to move around and get to know people. The languages are important to communicate with people and get to know what they are saying. The religions are good to know because around the world, there are wonderful things for each culture and I want to be sure I know about that. I love animals of any kind and there are a lot of animals that are dying and need help. I would be a teacher because I have good communication skills with children that I work with."

Abby: "I would like to become a vet or a nurse. To become a vet, I have to get good grades in school and have experience with animals. To become a nurse, I also have to get good grades and go to college. I have to know biology and math. Those two subjects are my favorite! I have to get a masters degree and a bachelors degree."

Star: "I have a dream to be a lawyer more than anything else in the world. I kinda have an idea for what to do. I know that I have to finish high school and go to college, then I have to go to law school for another 6-8 years and I'm fine with that, I think. I know while in college I have to try to get an internship with lawyers to see what they had to do to get there. I can't wait to become a lawyer!"

Iecha: "What I need to become a forensic scientist is good grades, a lot of scholarships, jobs, to do well in math and science. I need a Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. I am able to do everything I need to get into what I've always wanted to become. I'm starting early because I wouldn't like the idea of being someone that didn't achieve their goals."

The ladies are clearly ambitious and have visions for the future...

Post a comment if you have any suggestions for the ladies!

Session 1: Welcome and Introductions

"Maximum human fulfillment: Success in life is not to be measured in terms of money and personal advancement, but rather the goal must be the richest and highest development of one's own potential." Paul Robeson, Here I Stand

The young ladies that came to the first session of the Young Women's Leadership Initiative shared a common interest in finding out the depths of their own potential.

The group did a fun introduction activity that allowed the girls to get to know each other and practice speaking by presenting their fellow group members to each other. Each young lady wrote on a piece of paper three things that not many people know about them. The papers were crumbled up and thrown around at each other like a snowball fight. Then, we each picked up a piece of paper and found that person to talk about the information they wrote and to find out more.

Abby wants to be a nurse or a veterinarian.

Sonia wants to learn languages and religions and would like to travel around the world possibly as a teacher, designer, or veterinarian.

Star has a dream to be a lawyer, more than anything else in the world.

Iecha wants to be a forensic scientist.

Keren wants to be a lawyer.

Amber wants to be a nurse.

Gabby is still undecided about which career to pursue.

Jainabu would like to be a psychologist or a detective.

The group put together group guidelines for attendance and behavior. It was a good activity to gauge the group dynamics and ensure all the girls were able to provide input into the structure of the group setting. Some of the guidelines were:

• Everyone will contribute to group conversations and activities


• We will all respect each other's opinions


• We will have fun!


• We will ask questions to try to get the most out of this experience


• We will strive for excellence

It was great to see these suggestions (and more) come directly from the young ladies. It was clear from the beginning that these were young women that were committed to getting the most out of this experience.

We then did an exercise in which the ladies stood in a circle and were asked to step into the center of the circle if they agreed with a given statement. The statements were about their background, their personal experiences, and their family history in terms of college and career experiences. Some included:

• I am an only child


• I am being raised by a single parent


• I am a first generation American citizen


• My parents know what kind of career I want to pursue


• I have a parent who went to college


• At least one parent did not graduate from high school


• Someone in my family or a loved one has told me how to prepare for college


• I have fears/apprehensions about how I will achieve my goals
  

It was great for the young ladies to think about these things and see what they had in common with their peers. The ladies really enjoyed the activity and asked to do it in the future. The sense of group cohesiveness could really be felt.

The ladies then utilized a Goal Generator Worksheet to identify a major goal they want to achieve in the coming year and the different aspects of what it will take to achieve it. The document highlights what the motivator is for the goal, what resources will support her, what could get in her way, and what is the plan of action in achieving it.

The ladies shared their goals with each other and were able to keep this document to keep them on track as they work towards it.

We're off to a great start. The ladies were very engaged and receptive to the activities and conversations.

There are some really sparkling gems shining in the South Bronx. Look out world!

Young Women's Leadership Initiative at South Bronx Prep--Let's Get Started!

In a survey of women and under-represented minority chemists and chemical engineers, 40 percent reported that they had been subjected to discouragement at one point in their STEM education and career. For 60 percent of respondents, college was where most of that attempted dissuasion occurred and college professors were often the source. The Bayer Facts of Science Education survey, found social and economic factors at the center of the disparity, noting that like other children, women and minorities showed early interest in the sciences but it was rarely nurtured or encouraged as they matured through their teen years. (Survey: U.S. Women and Minority Scientists Often Discouraged from Pursuing STEM Careers, Arelis Hernandez , March 23, 2010)

In order to expand the opportunities for young, talented, intelligent women of color of the South Bronx, and to open up the realm of possibilities for the STEM fields, the Young Women's Leadership Institute (YWLI) was developed. The YWLI at South Bronx Preparatory High School is sponsored by the City University of New York's Black Male Initiative, a program intended to increase, encourage, and support the inclusion and educational success of under-represented groups in higher education.

During this program, the group will work to explore an assortment of educational and career options, particularly those in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Equally important, these ninth and tenth graders will explore themselves, and be encouraged to explore the college experience and open their minds to the opportunity of college life and the path towards meaningful careers.

The group meets once per week on Thursday afternoons at South Bronx Prep, and the best part is that we will share it with you, week by week, so you will have the opportunity to share in the experiences and development of the young ladies as individuals as well as a group.

We will provide the girls with opportunities to learn from guest speakers, participate in creative activities to challenge their thinking about STEM careers and college expectations, and assess their own personal goals and aspirations.

Stay tuned! And be sure to post comments so we can get your feedback...