QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ASK ABOUT THE YOUNG SCHOLARS FUND
1. What’s its purpose?
To identify inner-city-school 3rd and 4th graders who show potential for going to college and then help them get there.
2. Where did you start and how do you help?
We started at the Martin Luther King Junior Charter School for Excellence in Springfield, Massachusetts. We now also operate at the White Street School in Springfield. Here’s what we do:
A. We put up money for a scholarship, which is invested for the Scholars until they enroll in college.
B. We set the criteria and the schools pick the Scholars; the scholarships are awarded to the winners during a school wide assembly.
C. We assign a mentor to follow each Scholar until enrollment in college.
3. What does it cost you in money and time?
Money: Each scholarship is $3,000. (We welcome contributions of any amount toward a full scholarship.)
Time: The amount of time mentors spend can be variable. Here’s what they do:
• Help guide Scholars through academic choices of schools and curriculum and arrange academic help if they need it;
• Keep Scholars in touch with each other and promote a sense of shared mission.
• Encourage the older ones to help and inspire younger ones and other children to set attending college as a goal;
• Get to know their families and supporters to develop a strong team to keep the Scholars on track.
• Correspond with each scholar mentee at least once a year to receive latest school progress notes and contact information.
The schools run a faculty-advised Scholars’ Club, which meets 4 or 5 times per year for a variety of activities, including community service projects or other leadership activities. Mentors are invited to club activities, but the primary responsibility for the club belongs to the school staff.
Finally, the Board and the mentors host an annual cookout or social gathering for Scholars and their families and school staff. Here we get to know the families and let Scholars know we’re available to help and guide in any way we can.
4. Have you been successful?
More than 95% of the scholars who have received our scholarship have enrolled in college. According to the school staffs and the Scholars and their families, the program is enormously appreciated and is doing its job inspiring the winners as well as other children to aim toward college.
5. What are you asking from us?
Please join this effort.
If you can donate one scholarship, that would be wonderful. We could add another child next year. With enough support we could even start a program at another school. If you can donate less than a full scholarship, we’d welcome that too.
Beyond money, if you live near Springfield, Massachusetts, consider volunteering. CLICK HERE to learn more about volunteering.
Some of our donors say that of all the money and time they have contributed to charitable causes, nothing else comes close for impact and effectiveness.
We’d love to hear from you. Email us at youngscholarsfund@gmail.com
The Board of Directors: Doris and David Cohen, Ann Pufall, Carol Jolly, Emma Ford, LaTonia Naylor, Harvey Hill, Lan Katz, Melody Foti, Kim Henrichon, David Arnold
