College and career readiness for all at
Mindful Awareness Academy for Children
(MAAC)
Holistic college and career readiness programming for students, incorporating mindfulness, social and emotional wellness, and community engagement
About MAAC
Mindful Awareness Academy for Children (MAAC) was created to provide a safe and nurturing environment where students can grow, heal, and prepare for their future. MAAC’s holistic college and career readiness programming combines mindfulness, social and emotional wellness, and community engagement to improve academic achievement and prepare students for success in higher education and careers.
MAAC stands out from other college readiness programs by aiming to help our communities’ most vulnerable students, especially those who have been held back from opportunities as a result of their ethnicity, poverty, homelessness, displacement, or other challenges.
College and Career Readiness
At MAAC, we prepare scholars for both college and career success by meeting them at their starting point, identifying their needs and interests, and guiding them step-by-step toward their personal and professional goals. Our dedicated staff provide individualized attention and support that ensures scholars are equipped with the knowledge and tools to succeed.
Social and Emotional Wellness
MAAC’s focus on social and emotional wellness addresses these key drivers to overall success and well-being. Our skilled and caring staff meet each scholar where they are, giving them a space to feel heard and supported.
Mindfulness
MAAC programming includes a mindfulness component to help scholars manage stress and anxiety, improve their focus, increase resilience, build healthy relationships, and make good decisions.
Community Engagement
MAAC Villagers, our ever-growing consortium of leaders from the business and academic communities, support MAAC scholars by sharing their own stories and providing valuable guidance for personal growth, college and career exploration, civic responsibility, and making a positive impact.
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Chrys Rodriguez: Determined to Reach Her Career Goals!
Every month, we highlight a student whose story reflects resilience, purpose, and heart. This month, meet Chrys Rodriguez—a spirited young woman whose determination shines through even the toughest of setbacks. Juggling caregiving by day and night, Chrys has faced detours on her path to college with grit and grace. Through it all, she’s stayed focused on her dream: to create a better future, not just for herself, but for everyone she cares for.
By day, she cares for young children in their homes; by night, she tends to her grandmother in hers. This month's MAAC scholar Chrys Rodriguez talks about her mission to care for others and the surprising challenges of getting her foot in the door.
During last year's MAAC Summer Boot Camp, Chrys shared her dream of attending Middlesex County College to become a certified nursing assistant. MAAC director Andrea Nicole Smith-Morgan contacted the school and arranged a virtual meeting between Chrys and a college representative. After the meeting, Chrys was excited about the prospects and began preparing to enroll. Then the floor fell out.
"When I was about to register, they [Middlesex] said they don't offer that program anymore," she said. "So I tried Lincoln Tech instead, because they had many scholarships available."
Chrys took a test for admission for the nursing assistant program and soon received happy news: She passed the test. "I told all my friends I passed. I did all the requirements for entry. I even called and asked if I really passed. Twice!"
Two weeks later, however, Chrys got a phone call. "I had just come home from work and getting vaccinated [a requirement for admission]. My arm hurt. And I got a call from Lincoln Tech saying there was a mistake—I didn't pass. I was so embarrassed and upset, I didn't even want to deal with it. No way did I do all this for nothing."
The school suggested that she could apply for other programs, such as dental assistant, but Chrys declined. "I said, 'I don't want to do that.' I was so mad."
Even after encountering these roadblocks, Chrys remains determined to achieve her goals. "I really want to go to college. I've been trying to save up money." During the day, she's working as a caregiver to infants and young toddlers in their homes. "I feed them, give them naps, change them, read with them, and help them with sensory toys."
Chrys loves her work with children. "Two kids gave me drawings. It literally melted my heart." And the kids love her, too. "They [the parents] call me often because their kid cries for me."
But her day isn't over yet. When she returns home, she cares for her grandmother.
"I help her with what she needs, like with brushing her teeth and giving her company. I annoy her a little," she laughs. "It's a way we joke around. We talk about what she did when she lived in Puerto Rico and the traditions she did. She asked what I would do if she started cooking again. Oh, the smell from her cooking... I'd go running down the stairs!" She's hopeful that her help is paying off. "She's moving around better."
But not every day is an "up" day. "I have been feeling discouraged. I think the hardest part is the financial stuff. I also have a learning disability, and I know I'm going to struggle really hard. I've been told I don't have to go to college and it's not for everyone. But I really want to go. I want to be successful. My biggest fear is having a future where I'm struggling. That's what pushes me to have a good education."
Chrys has been invited back to Summer Boot Camp 2025 to continue receiving guidance and support in reaching her goals. If she attends, she'll be joining her sister, who learned about the program from Chrys. "I didn't know there was anyone to support me," she said. "MAAC prepared me for what to expect."
Chrys Rodriguez of Perth Amboy is a caregiver to the core, looking after both children and seniors.
"Two kids gave me drawings. It literally melted my heart."
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Our Impact
Whether it’s helping displaced youth find stability or guiding students toward achieving personal milestones, our work speaks for itself.
80%
of scholars continue learned wellness strategies
1000+
students served
98
of graduates go on to college
Our MAAC scholars have gone on to these colleges and universities
American University
Columbia
Davidson
Delaware State
Drexel
Emerson
Essex County College
Felician
Fordham
Guilford
Howard
Lincoln Tech
Marist
Montclair State
Naval Academy
Northern Illinois
Penn State
Princeton
Rutgers
School of Visual Arts, NYC
Seton Hall
Spelman
St. Elizabeth
SUNY Binghamton
Syracuse
Temple University
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
University of Pennsylvania
William Paterson University
WHAT STUDENTS SAY
Keannah
“I am now a college freshman with a clear mind and dedicated to my purpose.”
WHAT STUDENTS SAY
Blake
“Without MAAC, I would have never been given the inspiration to consider a new career path after high school.”
WHAT STUDENTS SAY
Lydia
“...during mindfulness discussions, it was normalized that you will face some uncomfortable moments to grow, which I think has encouraged me to try new things like welding...”
WHAT STUDENTS SAY
Devin
“MAAC was a part of my success. It put me ahead of the game. When I returned to school in September, I felt more prepared than most.”
WHAT STUDENTS SAY
Cassidy
“MAAC has helped me grow in so many aspects of my life.”
Summer College Readiness Boot Camp
After-School Program
HESAA/FAFSA workshops
College Day events
Community events
Partnerships with local and state organizations
School partnerships
Community engagement speakers
Virtual tutoring
Refugee assistance
Resource connections
…and more!
MAAC has served scholars through its
Program$
Offerings include FAFSA, HESAA, scholarship and grant exploration, and financial literacy.
Free Mentoring
We connect college students with resources including networking opportunities, health and wellness, goal-setting, study skills, internships, and more.
Summer Boot Camp
MAAC’s flagship summer college readiness program for rising high school seniors offers 2- to 4-week sessions.
After-School Program
Our tailored 4-year program guides high school scholars through their personal and academic growth journey.
MAAC became one of those opportunities that was hard for me to accept because of life being thrown at me, in addition to the distresses that caused me to be anxious about the future instead of present about my goals. MAAC is exactly where I needed to be, and so I met Ms. Andrea, and her lovely spirit of trust and temperament opened my mind to stay there. Guess what? I didn't want to leave when the course was ending. I was shocked at the staff who were like family, and the college guests who were just as mindful as Ms. Andrea. And I needed that--someone who was present and honest to help. I got aid mentally, physically, and wisely! They'd ask me if I needed anything more, and just like that, they made it happen where someone from my dream college visited me. We talked about all my worries, and I am now a college freshman with a clear mind and dedicated to my purpose. I am passionate about who I want to become: a midwife. Thank you MAAC family!
Community Engagement
Our inspirational and motivational speakers engage on a variety of subjects, including:
-
Financial literacy
-
Career choices
-
Emotional health and wellness
-
Academic support
-
Resilience and personal growth
-
and many more!
We work with your budget and needs. Click here for more information.
Community Engagement
Our inspirational and motivational speakers engage on a variety of subjects, including:
-
Financial literacy
-
Career choices
-
Emotional health and wellness
-
Academic support
-
Resilience and personal growth
-
and many more!
We work with your budget and needs. Click here for more information.