Spring 2021 Programming Highlights

In-School Social Emotional Learning

• Our Teacher Mentors reported back into the school building on Thursday March 18th and held virtual parent teacher conferences

• We welcomed students back to in-person class on Monday, March 22

• 11th Grade Elevate student took their SATs in April

• As of this article, the 2021 graduation ceremony is slated for June 16th and June 21st, BBSWA will host an outdoor, personal ceremony for each graduate

• 41 out of the 63 graduating seniors have taken Elevate New York classes during their time at BSSWA

• Our Teacher Mentors demonstrated innovation by having students present lessons of leadership and character virtually to staff. Ordinarily students would present to elementary-age students, but the pandemic precluded this from happening. Teacher Mentors develop each student’s facilitation skills and teaching strategies. Students then assessed their own performance, thinking critically about areas of development for professional competence. The creativity of Elevate staff has preserved the integrity of our leadership development programming despite covid-19 restrictions.

Mentoring

• Our Teacher Mentors have held mentoring calls with 60 students and their guardians

• In March, Elevate students and staff visited female entrepreneur, Rosa Garcia, at her restaurant, Mott Haven Bar & Grill. Ms. Garcia shared her experiences and advice, while sharing a meal together. Mentoring meals are an important part of building relationships with our students.

• Elevate New York has been invited to once again to lead the My Brother’s Keeper District 8 Initiative. This initiative will mentor 60 young men from high schools throughout the district.

Adventure

• In February, Elevate staff brought students on an adventure trip to Chinatown during the Lunar New Year celebrations. Students learned about Chinese culture and were introduced to traditional cultural practices to celebrate the new year. Students received customary red envelopes for prosperity and enjoyed a meal together.

• Thanks to our partnership with Christian Bible Fellow (CBF), our Teacher Mentors have had the opportunity to host outdoor, socially distant, adventure trips. During these trips, students participate in team building exercises, build upon leadership skills developed in the classroom, and bond with their Teacher Mentors and their peers. After over a year with limited in-person interactions, being out in nature has been especially important for our student’s social-emotional wellbeing. CBF has provided Elevate with a beautiful outdoor space for students and staff to learn, lead, and bond.

Post-Secondary

• Elevate once again partnered with NERA Economic Consulting for another semester of financial literacy programming. NERA hosted sessions that covered topics such as financial strategy, economics, taxes, and investments. Financial literacy session topics included financial strategy, economics, taxes, and investments.

• Elevate is partnering with Goldman Sachs to offer a seven-week virtual entrepreneurial series. Lead by Goldman Sachs, this program is designed to build leadership skills and enhance the student's entrepreneurial mindset. Participants will work together to learn how to generate business ideas, create a business plan, conduct market research, and pitch their final presentation. Students from both Elevate New York and Elevate Orlando are participating!

• Members of the Weill Cornell Medicine Postdoc team hosted a five-day virtual celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math. BSSWA middle & high school students were introduced to research fields such as: cancer biology, HIV cure & infectious diseases, neuroscience, and stem cell to name a few.

• Our corporate partners enhance our programming by introducing our students to post-secondary opportunities, teaching valuable twenty first century skills, and providing our students with unique experiences.