Essex Street Academy is fortunate enough to have received a grant from New York City\’s Expanded Success Initiative which was designed to tackle the educational achievement gap and increase the number of Black and Latino young men who graduate high school prepared to succeed in college and careers. Through a partnership with Outward Bound, ESA launched a Big Sib Mentoring Program in 2012, pairing every 9th grade boy paired with an older mentor. Through workshops and retreats, the participants have gained invaluable leadership and collaboration skills.
The Jeanie Platow Memorial Girls\’ Fund was established to replicate the same experience for the girls at ESA. Please read more about it here.
Outward Bound also assisted ESA in putting together its first ever Community Day, where students participated in teambuilding and problem solving activities in mixed grade level groups. It\’s a beautiful thing to see our community grow!