May 2009
Spring Ahead For Public Schools
Welcome to the May edition of Keeping It Going, the monthly e-newsletter of The Fund for Public Schools. It "may" just be the best month yet to get involved with public schools across our city!
Late last month, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg unveiled NYC Service, a groundbreaking blueprint designed to engage New Yorkers in critical volunteer work. A key part of this effort is to ensure that city schools do their part, and beginning this fall every one of our 1,500 public schools will submit a comprehensive service plan to engage more young people in volunteerism. New York City is leading the way in answering President Obama's nationwide call to service, and NYC Service seeks to channel the power of volunteers to address our city's greatest challenges.
For more information about NYC Service, please click here. We hope that in May, you'll find a way to get involved with our public schools and support the tremendous progress our 1.1 million students continue to make, every single day.
How to Keep It Going In May
May is another great month to help keep the progress going in our city's public schools! If you know of a volunteer opportunity not listed here, please let us know by emailing info@fundforpublicschools.org.
Join Us At The Gallery Walk!
 On Saturday, May 16, take a free tour of some of the world's most renowned art galleries, and support arts education for public school students at the same time! Hosted by the Madison Avenue BID, the Second Annual Madison Avenue Gallery Walk promises to be a great event for all New Yorkers. This special day will include free tours, family-friendly activities, and an all-day silent auction of donated artwork to support the Summer Arts Institute, a comprehensive arts education program sponsored by The Fund for Public Schools. For further information, click here. We hope to see you at the walk!
Get Involved With Learning Leaders
Respond to President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg's call for service with New York City’s foremost school volunteer program. Come to a Learning Leaders orientation session—held throughout May and June—and discover what an impact two hours a week can make to a NYC public school student. Train now and be ready for back to school, or ask about our spring mentoring and summer school programs. Don’t forget, you can now browse volunteer opportunities, read our latest news and events, and enroll as a volunteer on our revamped website, www.learningleaders.org!
Be One Of 50,000 For New York
 New York Cares, one of our city's leading non-profit volunteer organizations, is launching "50,000 for New York City" in response to Mayor Bloomberg's recently-announced service initiative. Last year, New York Cares mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers to make our city a better place by working with public school students as tutors, volunteers readers, and homework helpers. This year there are more opportunities than ever before! New York Cares hosts frequent orientation sessions for prospective volunteers, at convenient locations across the city. To get involved, visit www.nycares.org, for a list of upcoming sessions near you.
Stay Updated with The Fund for Public Schools
Stay informed about exciting opportunities for involvement with our public schools. Add yourself to our mailing list, and you'll start receiving The Fund's e-newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox! Just click here. |
Back On Track At Transit Tech
Student Beats Odds To Graduate
High school graduation is a significant milestone in any student's life, marking the culmination of a long road of academic achievement. For some students, this road is made more difficult by academic or personal problems. Fortunately, New York City's public schools go the extra mile to make sure every student has a chance at success—contributing to our city's highest graduation rate in decades.
East New York High School of Transit Technology, affectionately known as Transit Tech, is a one-of-a-kind career and technical education program in Brooklyn. The school's partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority helps students prepare for exciting and lucrative careers in engineering, while ensuring that graduates are prepared for the challenges of higher education.
Jose Gonzalez (pictured above) is set to graduate from Transit Tech in June, an outcome that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago. During his sophomore year, Jose was running laps in gym class when he began to feel dizzy and suddenly collapsed. Rushed to the hospital, he was revived and ultimately diagnosed with a rare heart deformity. He remained in the hospital for the next several weeks, and was unable to return to school for several more. Altogether, Jose missed several months of his sophomore year.
While other students in his situation might have been thrown seriously off-track, Jose was undeterred. "I wasn't going to let it stop me from graduating," he says simply. Jose's determination was matched by his school's commitment to ensuring that every student's potential is fully realized.
Jose and his teachers got to work on a plan that would enable him to make up his missed assignments. "I had to do as much work as any other student, but in much less time," he says. His teachers paid special attention to preparing Jose for the Regents exams and kept him on the path toward on-time graduation.
"It was a lot of work, but graduating in June will be the payoff," he says.
Before he got sick, Jose had developed a strong bond with his teachers and fellow students. Teacher Janice Jones called Jose "very special," adding that she tries to give each of Transit Tech's students the same level of attention and support. "I tell people I have 1,500 kids," she says.
Jose, a popular and outgoing student, is something of an enigma at Transit Tech. While unambiguously interested in the technological aspect of his studies—he says he is most interested in the theory of electrical circuitry—he is also a pillar of the school's budding theater community, performing in several plays and musicals. "I love this school," he says.
"In high school, you get a lot of opportunities," Jose says. "Especially in a school like this, I couldn't give up. I had to keep going." |
