A child”™s educational issues can have a direct impact on the business community.
After all, when someone”™s child is having difficulties in school, that parent may not be fully engaged when they are at work ”” or they may not even make it in to work.
Lisa Syron, the executive director of the Elmsford-based nonprofit Student Advocacy, knows well that her organization”™s work reaches far beyond the students it serves in Westchester and Putnam counties.
“There are lots of employees who are working parents,” Syron said.
And the nonprofit”™s goal ”” its slogan is “Getting Kids on Track to School Success” ”” makes a difference to many, she added.
- Lisa Syron
“It”™s a really critical issue for parents in the workplace.”
The organization, formed in 1982, is a service that combines an understanding of the school systems with education law to advocate for a child, ensuring they get the education they are entitled to and ideally putting them on a path toward graduation. It strives to help students overcome obstacles created by learning or physical disabilities, family problems, poverty or what it calls youthful mistakes. Services include advocating to obtain the help each child needs at school, helping families access needed community services, sharing facts about educational rights and also advocating to change educational policies and practices.
“We are a legally based organization, but we really focus on problem solving,” Syron said.
Often, she added, issues have long simmered.
“In almost every case, the parents tried to do some advocacy, and they have failed.”
Student Advocacy, which served more than 1,000 students in the last school year, works through a process that starts with exploring a child”™s specific needs and continues through advocating that school services be put in place to meet these needs.
The process is not meant to be confrontational, but rather to form a working relationship that will continue once its service is complete.
“We”™re there for the short run, but parents and schools have to work together for years,” Syron added.
She also proudly noted that Student Advocacy has found much success. Working so closely with schools, pediatricians and the mental-health community, it has a large professional network, one that has evolved since its start in 1982.
“In 98 percent of the cases where we are able to complete our service, we”™re able to get new services in place,” Syron said.
In addition, part of Student Advocacy”™s role is to simply alleviate frustration.
“I think the value of an advocate definitely is to take away that level of emotion,” added Martha Jordan, Student Advocacy”™s assistant director. “With a certain number of parents we are able to work with them to improve their own advocacy skills and empower them to work on their own.”
Each year, Student Advocacy pauses to recognize some of the students who have completed what Syron said is “an incredible journey.”
The organization will host its 20th Overcoming the Odds Awards Dinner May 14 at Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown. The evening is designed as a celebration of students who have overcome the odds to stay in school. The award winners, some of whom are clients, were nominated by their school districts and recognized by a committee of community volunteers. This year”™s program will honor four seniors, Adbul Quadir Abdul Matin of Mount Vernon High School; Anthony Hull of Kenneth Clark Academy; Madeline Martinez of White Plains High School; and Rebecca Newman of Blind Brook High School.
In addition, 10 Special Recognition winners will be honored during a May 27 program at the Greenburgh Public Library.
As Syron said, “It”™s a good investment helping kids to overcome the odds.”
