Reason #31: Because when you give, you claim this community as your own.

There is great news to share — we have met our challenge! Your gifts over the last ten days have topped $30,000  and so the anonymous donor has given $10,000. All of which means we have hit our revenue goal for 2011 and enter 2012 encouraged and excited to work together to change the odds for Boston youth.

If you haven’t made a gift yet, there is even better news: there is still time left in 2011 to make a gift and claim the Trinity Boston Foundation community as your own. To be part of the movement to change the odds. Are you particularly excited about TEEP, the Trinity Boston Counseling Center, Sole Train, Bostonians for Youth, Music for All or Trinity Public School Partners? If so, you can direct our gift to one of our programs. Or just make a general gift and support it all.

To those who gave to meet the challenge — thank you! To those who are still considering a gift — join us!

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Reason # 30: Jumping for Joy

 The college admissions process can be a tense and often times nerve-wracking experience; and that’s just from my perspective as a college admissions counselor. Perhaps you remember what it was like as a 17 or 18 year old?

We encourage our TEEP students to apply via the early admissions process. This year 100% of the students who have received early responses have been accepted — Tufts, University of Connecticut, Eastern Nazarene College and University of Hartford. Our TEEP students are well rounded, maintain good grades, and have invested more than 1800 hours over the course of their four years in the Leadership Development Program (LDP). Clearly they are very attractive candidates!

~ Chris Parris, TEEP Academic Dean

Lani, who offered reason #9 for this blog, wrote the following post script:

“Why would a seventeen year old be crying two weeks before Christmas? Why would a grown man be screaming at the top of his voice while knocking his chair over and jumping for joy? Well that’s the reaction a “Congratulations” in a college acceptance letter will give you. I still can’t believe it…. I got in!”

Alandra Champion, Boston Latin Academy ‘12,  Tufts University ‘16

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Reason #29: Because your gift will carry us to the finish line!

 Last week we were challenged to raise $30,000 in order to earn a $10,000 match and meet our 2011 revenue goal. Because so many of you have generously responded to our call for gifts of all sizes, we have only $9,000 left to raise!  We’re Almost There!  Will you help us cross the finish line? 

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Reason # 28: An internship makes a difference

 As a second-year social work student, my choice of internship site is a crucial step in my developing career. Upon learning about the Trinity Boston Counseling Center (TBCC), I was immediately drawn to its holistic view of mental health, its mission to serve marginalized groups, and its identity in the Boston mental health community as a provider of spiritually integrated therapy. After working at the Center for only a few short months, I have already benefited greatly, thanks to the supportive and experienced staff here. TBCC offers the opportunity to students like me to translate therapeutic principles based on social justice into practice with my clients. Through its emphasis on relationships and community, TBCC has not only shaped and sharpened my professional lens and ambition, but greatly contributed to my personal sense of identity and formation.

 Dan Robb, Trinity Boston Counseling Center Social Work Intern

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Reason # 27: TEEP provides a path to success

Trinity Education for Excellence Program, the name alone says commitment to students and families.  As a parent of TEEP students for over 4 years, I am impressed each year by the unconditional support of the staff to foster growth and success in students both academically and socially.  I have both students and my own children in the middle school program and the high school leadership development program.

 The middle school program gives students the bricks needed to build a solid foundation for continuous achievement in school, community and home.  The high school leadership program allows students to build upon this foundation of excellence by learning about themselves, experiencing new opportunities, and carving out their space in the world.

I have witnessed unbelievable growth in my students as they matriculate through TEEP.  The staff creates such an incredible road to success that is filled with directions, warning signs, rest stops, and most importantly u-turns.  Students are allowed to travel this road knowing there is ongoing support along the way.  As a parent, this is peace of mind, when you know there are other adults you trust who are teaching your child values for life that are in alignment with your own family values.

As parents, we must be invested in our child’s educational experience and therefore must take advantage of every opportunity to be involved.  The TEEP Parent Council is a great way to support our children and the TEEP staff.  Parental involvement completes the triangle of success for our children.

Monique Veale, TEEP Parents Council

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Reason # 26: We all can be positive role models for youth in our community

 Hello everyone,

On the behalf of the Sole Train Running Club, we would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for all the donations, support and encouragement – to our mentors and most importantly our youth. We also want to congratulate our fellow mentors and youth for completing the B.A.A. Half Marathon – 13.1 Miles – WOW! This will prove to be a major milestone in their lives and have a significant impact on their personal endeavors – short-term as well as long-term!

This program has been very rewarding – mentally, physically and spiritually for our family and all the participants involved. To see the transformation of our youth has been very motivating as well as inspiring. We are blessed and fortunate not only to have our son, Quinton, Jr., in this program, but we are also blessed to be mentors. To be able to help the youth strive for excellence as they pursue their personal dreams, goals and aspirations – academically, socially and athletically is priceless!

We are so thankful for the TEEP Program and Jess Leffler (Director of Sole Train), for leading the youth mentorship running club! There are so many youth starving for attention, positive role models, and community/afterschool programs that foster excellence in all areas of their lives!

In closing, although we have nothing against celebrities that live their lives in a way that’s worthy of being mimicked, however, it’s imperative for us – adults, parents and professionals that have direct access to our young people, to be that local “CELEBRITY” and be that local “HERO” in their day-to-day lives!

Our children are WORTHY of the best that life can offer! They are WORTHY of YOU! So let’s get involved!

With honor and admiration,

 

Quinton & Takesha Hurd, Sr., Parents of Quinton Hurd, Jr. &  Sole Train Mentors

 “Live your life so that your children can tell their children that you not only stood for something wonderful – you ACTED on it.” – Dan Zadra

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Reason # 25: Reaping the benefits of hard work, and of course, celebrating.

 What does it feel like to hear from one of your TEEP seniors that she got into the “reach” college of her choice? How about Tufts as an Early Decision candidate? Call it the best Christmas present that we’ll receive this month.

We’ve been mentoring Lani and her sister, Alex, since October in the formidable and ever-daunting college application process.  We’ve read many essays, and asked a lot of questions like “What are you really trying to say?”  We’ve made suggestions, not all of which have made the final cut. Most importantly, we’ve seen these two superb young women learn to write confidently about themselves and the personal challenges they face at home and in school.

Tufts was at the top of Lani’s list, and December 14th was a big day, not only for Lani but for Tufts too. “The Class of 2016 is no longer an abstraction.  339 students (about a quarter of our projected class) just received an invitation to join Tufts’ 159th entering class through Early Decision.” wrote Tufts’ Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Lee Coffin, in his online blog.

We can’t wait for Lani to become, in Tufts parlance, a ‘Jumbo’, and to hear where Alex is headed come September. And that’s why Advent feels extra-special this year.

     –Jay Cushman and Janet Shipman, grateful TEEP mentors.

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Reason # 24: For a chance to turn struggles into success

 

What I really liked about Street Potential was the people. It was like a family. It was a place for us to be us. It was a very positive environment, which is rare for where we grew up. At Street Potential we didn’t have people on our backs pressuring us to do what they wanted us to do. We got to be who we were and strive to be who we wanted to be. 

The Trinity Boston Counseling Center continues to be a positive support and motivator. Without it and their support, I know I’d be struggling, rather than succeeding as I am now.

~Natho, Street Potential

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Reason # 23: To support the character development and academic success of Boston youth

 Responding to the needs of the teens and youth who live a couple of miles from my house is unavoidable.  I pass through neighborhoods every day and see the challenges that they are up against.  The work of the Trinity Boston Foundation is groundbreaking.  It works in the environments of the youth served; it works with their families and most importantly it helps the teens get on and stay on the path to a college degree.  As I think about my involvement with the Foundation, some things come to mind of which I am most proud:

• I am most proud of the fact that students leave us with a set of core values that will give them the strength to navigate the inevitable rapids of their lives
• I am most proud of the fact that almost all go to and stay in college
• I am most proud of the fact that they leave us with a responsibility to care for their body, their mind and their spirit
• … and I am most proud of the fact that they leave us with a desire to care for and help others.

The youth who are involved in Trinity Boston Foundation programs, such as TEEP, are a model of humanity at its best and I am so grateful to them for all they have taught me.  In our holiday season I am acutely aware that George and I have gotten way more than we have given.  They will be the leaders of tomorrow and we can all be proud.

Mimi Bennett, Board Chair, Trinity Boston Foundation

Reason # 22: We’ve been challenged

 We’ve been challenged. We have $40,000 left to raise before December 31. One donor has stepped forward with a challenge – if Trinity Boston Foundation raises $30,000 before the end of the year, that donor will contribute the last $10,000. We have 10 days to do this and we think it will take at least 100 donors, with gifts of $15, $150, or $1,500.

Gifts to Trinity Boston Foundation help change the odds for Boston youth.

Here are some highlights of 2011:

• Trinity Education for Excellence Program (TEEP) served 145 students in the five-week summer program and employed 36 high school and college students—all of whom were graduates of TEEP.

• 100% of TEEP’s six-year graduates enrolled in college and 100% of TEEP ninth graders enrolled in a college-prep high school.
• The Trinity Boston Counseling Center served more than 100 clients at Trinity and across the city through partnerships with the Department of Youth Services, Fenway High School, and City Year.
• 18 youth and 22 adult mentors completed the B.A.A. Half-Marathon as part of the Foundation’s newest program, Sole Train: Boston Runs Together.
• Bostonians for Youth raised nearly $400,000 to support efforts to end youth violence.

There are ten days to go in our $10,000 challenge to meet our revenue goals for 2011. Will you help?

Please consider making your contribution online or send a check made payable to Trinity Boston Foundation, to 206 Clarendon St., Boston, MA 02116. Thank you!

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