Get Involved "Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present"

Overview

Scholars
Capital Region Sponsor-A-Scholar recruits students motivated to achieve academically who could use additional support and direction to meet their goals. Students with at least a B/C average who demonstrate leadership potential and a commitment to their education are eligible. All students at time of induction are from low-income families, as documented by their eligibility for free or reduced lunch in the schools. Induction into the program occurs in ninth grade, and is based on an application process which includes teacher and counselor nominations, letters of recommendation, and family contact. Many students are the first in their families to attend college. Sponsor-A-Scholar currently enrolls ten students per class in each of the three high schools. Students participate in the program from tenth grade through college graduation.

Academic Support
Capital Region Sponsor-A-Scholar works with the three public city high schools of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy. Academic Coordinators, who also serve as full-time guidance counselors in the high schools, coordinate the enrollment and application process, provide support and guidance to scholars and their families, and oversee weekly homework sessions. Tutors at homework sessions are classroom teachers from each major subject area, or graduate students studying in the field of Education. At each session, a healthy snack and a chance to participate in a positive peer culture is offered. Sponsor-A-Scholar also encourages and provides funding for Advanced Placement (AP) courses and PSAT/SAT training. Additional Sponsor-A-Scholar staff serves to coordinate the operational and programmatic aspects of the organization, to support and track college scholars, and to organize and implement events.

Sponsors
To pay for the participation of the students in our program, we enlist a combination of 30 individual, foundation or corporate sponsors each year. Each sponsor donates $10,000 to cover the cost of enrolling a student in our program. Some sponsor multiple students while others team up to co-sponsor a single student. Sponsors’ desire to donate stems from a commitment to seeing our youth succeed.

Mentors
Efforts are made to appropriately match each scholar with an adult mentor as soon as possible. Prerequisites for serving as a mentor include having attended college so as to serve as a model, and making a commitment to stay student-oriented and regularly connected. Mentors take a significant role in helping students identify college resources and accompanying students on college visits. The relationship that develops serves as a valuable support to scholars seeking a seasoned perspective and an active listener.


Community
Sponsor-A-Scholar currently has 302 students enrolled. The mission of our program is to increase access to higher educational programs. Therefore, Sponsor-A-Scholar offers support in the form of time, mentors and money. The direct beneficiaries of our work include students and their families. However, our hope is also that the community at large will benefit, as it already is, from Sponsor-A-Scholar students returning with college degrees to work and improve the overall culture of the Capital Region.

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