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QC03262015

16 THE QUEENS COURIER • KIDS & EDUCATION • MARCH 26, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com kids & education SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT COMPILED BY BOB HARRIS AND s ROBERT POZARYCKI Project HYPE helps young men in Cambria Heights Project HYPE is a voluntary mentoring and tutoring program for boys on the sports teams of the Law, Government & Community Service and the Business, Computer Applications & Entrepreneurship high schools at the Campus Magnet Complex in Cambria Heights. After dismissal on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the students meet in a third-fl oor classroom and receive mentoring, homework help, college information and SAT prep. Guest speakers are also invited from time to time to address the students. The project’s aim is to motivate the students to complete their education, plan for a future career, evaluate what they need for college and their future, and learn how to balance their school, work, family and social lives. Students are encouraged to talk about their experiences. One student spoke about having to live on the streets in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake that devastated the Caribbean nation. The student told his tale of the diffi cultes fi nding food and shelter amid the ruins left behind. During this mentoring session, assistant football coach Rufus Dunton tied this story in with the importance of planning for the future and being prepared for anything. Operating Project HYPE are Principal Donna Delfyett White of the Law High School; Principal Lynne Callender of the Business High School; Coach Dunton; and college advisers Ms. Bandone and Ms. Krieger of the Law and Business schools, respectively. Bayside retiree still teaching students Mike Eisenman, a Bayside resident and retired teacher at John Bowne High School in Flushing, continues to educate young minds by volunteering at Elmhurst’s Pan American International High School. He works individually with students to improve their math skills and is proud to have helped students pass their Math Regents exams. After more than a decade of volunteering, Eisenman shows no signs of slowing down and plans to continue his volunteer work. Campus Magnet has eyes on Project PRIZE Shown above are some of the members of the Project PRIZE chapter at the Campus Magnet Complex in Cambria Heights. The students come from the complex’s six themed high schools and meet after school with project facilitator, social worker Sandra Whittier. The project is a Liberty Partnership Program funded by the state Education Department and, for the last 25 years, has helped students in grades six through 12 with comprehensive after-school, Saturday and summer educational services. Project PRIZE partners with several organizations in Queens to provide mentors to help the students become ready for college and their professional careers. Meetings are also held at Queensborough Community College in Bayside, where the students are provided additional resources and support, along with use of the college’s facilities. Hillcrest student president keeping busy Helping to plan the cotillion isn’t the only thing keeping Hillcrest Student Organization President Minerva Mata busy these days. The Jamaica resident is in the Biz-Tek Institute, which is one of the nine small learning communities at Hillcrest and earned placement on the honor roll each of the last three years. Mata spends her free time helping student government adviser Ms. Recinos with student government and Ms. Tellez with planning the 2015 yearbook. As the student leader, Mata has been involved with activities including the blood drive, prom, the senior trip, the senior breakfast and various fundraisers for charities. She has been in the leadership program for the last three years, is involved in the Red Cross Club and took a college course in computing. But that’s not all for Mata, who also reads morning announcements on the school’s public address system and participates in the Borough Students Advisory Council. In the latter role, she meets with other student representatives from across Queens and the Queens high school superintendent to discuss issues of interest. Bullying is one such topic that the council is looking to tackle. Mata has not decided on a future career, but intends to attend a community college to explore career choices.


QC03262015
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