BY WENDY R. NADEL
With Thanksgiving soon upon us, it is a perfect time to give thanks to those individuals and businesses creating opportunity for young people who may not otherwise have a chance. Fortunately for Yonkers Partners in Education and the thousands of students we serve every year, there are many who are making this important investment in the workforce of tomorrow.
David Buckler is director, therapeutic proteins at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Every other week Buckler drives to Lincoln High School in Yonkers and goes from professional scientist to volunteer graduation coach, working with two sophomore boys to help them navigate the road from high school to college. For young people who may be the first in their family to attend college, having a caring adult like Buckler to help guide and mentor them can be transformational. Through the YPIE Scholars Program launched last year, more than 120 Yonkers students are receiving this care and attention from more than 65 volunteer graduation coaches from across Westchester County.
Buckler is fortunate to work for such a community-minded company. In addition to giving its employees time to volunteer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is taking its work outside of the laboratory and into the minds of our students with the Sci2Med Academy at Regeneron each week. Here, during a six-week program in the spring and fall, 18 Yonkers students learn about the groundbreaking research taking place at Regeneron, how to take a drug to market and different educational pathways that can lead to a career in science or biotechnology.
Another supporter of Yonkers students is Kathy Welch, executive vice president of retail at Forest City Ratner Cos., the owner of Westchester”™s Ridge Hill shopping center in the city. With Kathy”™s support, businesses throughout Ridge Hill open their doors to our students for Ridge Hill Academy ”” a two-month career experience program exposing students to careers in the shopping center industry. Students learn about running a restaurant, starting an entrepreneurial business, operating a retail store and what it takes to manage mall security and operations. Students hear from professionals about their personal career challenges and triumphs. After seeing the positive benefits this program has provided to our students, Welch deepened Forest City Ratner”™s commitment to YPIE by providing a paid summer internship for a Ridge Hill Academy alum at its Brooklyn offices.
Bob Jandovitz, human resources regional manager at ASR Group/Domino Sugar, not only contributes his thoughts and ideas as an active YPIE board member but also advocated for Domino to become a major community partner by constructing and funding the YPIE College & Career Center at Saunders Trades and Technical High School, one of eight high schools in Yonkers. This YPIE center ”” the high school”™s go-to hub for college inspiration and information ”” supports hundreds of students each year, offering guidance with college research and planning, application completion, introductions to college representatives, essay writing help and financial aid support.
Students from low-income, urban communities like Yonkers face devastating opportunity gaps that impact their prospects for college and beyond. Experiences and opportunities common in most Westchester communities do not exist in Yonkers. Thankfully there are individuals and businesses that are committing their time, talent and resources to help level the playing field.
Wendy R. Nadel is executive director of the nonprofit Yonkers Partners in Education. She can be reached at 914-377-4882 or wrnadel@ypie.org. For more information on YPIE, visit ypie.org.
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