Summer Off? Not For These College-Bound Scholars!
No sleeping in for these high schoolers! Dozens of high school students from across New Jersey chose to invest several weeks of their summer break preparing for college through the highly successful MAAC’s Summer College Readiness Boot Camp at Montclair State University.
"Through the hard work, dedication, and generosity of many, MAAC held its largest-ever boot camp, serving students from school districts across the state and providing invaluable college preparation services tailored to their individual needs," said Andrea Smith-Morgan of the program, now in its sixth year. "When you look in the faces of these young people, you can see the excitement—the sense of hope and purpose—as they explore within to acknowledge their value, identify their passions, and begin to chart their exciting course for the future."
Rising juniors and seniors pursued potential "next steps," met with college representatives and business people, honed their ELA and writing skills, and prepared their applications, essays, and interview material. Guest speakers from as far away as Ithaca College in New York spoke with scholars on a range of topics including financial aid, tips for the application process, self awareness, entrepreneurship, and more.
As part of all of its programming, MAAC employs a mindfulness component that is integral to the mission of the organization. Through counseling, peer discussions, and "mindful moments," scholars learn skills for improving their overall wellbeing, recognized as key to success in other areas of life, including academics, relationships, and more.
Another standout feature of MAAC's program is the special effort made to assist students with specific issues or interests. One scholar who expressed a desire to pursue an education in nursing got the chance to sit down one-on-one with a nurse practitioner. Others who were more uncertain or even apprehensive about their future received special attention from their colleges of choice.
"Two of our scholars were experiencing uncertainty about college. They knew where they wanted to attend, but worried about the interview process and the unknowns of the future. We arranged visits by representatives from both of these schools, who sat down with the scholars individually to talk with them about the opportunities available and reassure them that every student comes in with some trepidation and there are people to help!"
With breakfast and lunch being provided by MAAC, a curriculum, staff, and daily guest speakers to coordinate, and a room full of students showing up each morning, it's no surprise that such a program would require a great deal of energy—and occasionally scrambling—to make it all come together. But it did.
"As our 2024 Summer Boot Camp enters its final week, I can reflect on the growth we witnessed—I am so proud of these scholars, and this program, and our supporters," said Andrea. "Our scholars made overwhelming progress as a result of their hard work and determination, as well as the personal investment of our skilled and dedicated staff, volunteers, and speakers. Hopefully our scholars leave here with a much stronger sense of who they are, of what their future looks like, and that there are many people they can count on, including their robust MAAC community who will be available to support them and help celebrate their successes for years to come."
Illustrating the success of the program, many MAAC boot camp alumni have gone on to prestigious universities and notable careers and still keep in touch with Andrea and fellow boot camp attendees. Boot camp alumni Devin Ramsay, who was featured in MAAC's June newsletter for his full scholarship to University of North Carolina, noted, "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."
Congratulations to all our MAAC scholars! You are going places!
What They're Saying About MAAC Summer Boot Camp
Teacher Miss Bennett said...
Boot camp has been a critical space for me as a teacher and for my students. Unlike during the school year, the summer boot camp has given me an opportunity to learn about my students’ artistic and athletic aspirations. I’ve gained the opportunity to engage with them in an interdisciplinary way, with co-curriculars being foundational to shaping a more holistic teacher-student dynamic.
Intern Jake said...
This, being my first internship, has changed my perspective about a lot of things. I hope next summer I can be a part of the MAAC family again. It has truly been a great experience overall. Ms. Andrea is a wonderful person... I’ve never seen someone show so much curiosity about youth. The energy here is immaculate. All the staff members are friendly and kind to one another.
A student said...
I was doing some thinking for the better, and I realized how many mothers or women in my life weren’t role models and how that can affect my transparency with adult women today. Especially ones that look after me. I just want to appreciate you in all honesty and I look forward to being a part of this journey with MAAC all the time. I feel connected with it; not a burden. Thank you again.
A parent said...
My mini me loves it! I am so pleased and happy. This baby girl battled with severe depression, social anxiety, and a few other things. God has genuinely answered my prayers and MAAC proves it! I didn't even have to harass her to get out of bed.
We Couldn't Have Done It Without You!
To our community engagement speakers
Oona Callender, RayGlo entrepreneur
Dr. Daniel Jean, Montclair State University
Lakesha Watson, Ithaca College
Dr. Simone Flowers-Taylor, Felician University
Jesica Rueda, Rutgers University
Kelsey Dennehy, Felician University
Tanya Green-Brown, MSN, APN, FNP-BC
Adele Basile, Montclair State University
Ricky Castaneda, Essex County College
Desiree Brower, Middlesex County College
Kelly Arboleda, Montclair State University
To our generous donors
Breakaway Prep
Tanya Isler-Horne
Cyndi Mayer
Fred Randall and Mindful Breath Foundation
Netflix
Toni's Kitchen
To our dedicated staff & volunteers
Kamika Bennett
Charity Bracey
Alexander Lamonte
Jose Mercado
Sofie Michalak
Cameron Morgan
Yajaira Pons
Jake Stockling
MAAC Board Members
Yanira Amadeo LeShae Daniel Eleanor Gil-Kashiwabara * Tanya Isler-Horne
Ramel Meekins Julian Pinnix-Odrick Nadine Verna * Tamara Williams
Sent to: patty@themaac.org
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Mindful Awareness Academy for Children (MAAC), PO BOX 338, Montclair, NJ 07042, United States
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