Be the dream : Prep for Prep graduates share their stories / compiled and introduced by Gary Simons.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Simons, Gary.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Prep for Prep (Program).

Educational equalization--New York (State)--New York.

Educational equalization.

Children of minorities--Education (Secondary).

Children of minorities.

College preparation programs.

New York (State)--New York.

College preparation programs--New York (State)--New York.

Children of minorities--Education (Secondary)--New York (State)--New York.

Physical Description:

xxii, 374 : illustrations ; 23 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Chapel Hill, N.C. : Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, [2003]

Summary:

Twenty-five years ago, an elementary school teacher in the Bronx had a vision: No bright, determined, spirited child should be left behind because of the circumstances of race or poverty. Out of that vision, Prep for Prep was born, to identify gifted children and provide them access to a first-rate education. Thousands of these students have graduated from America's most demanding universities and gone on to become leaders in their communities. Thirty-five of them have written about the experience - an experience that changed their lives. Their stories offer indisputable proof that education empowers people to do great things

Contents:

An Autobiographical Vignette: "To Infinity and Beyond" / Damali Driskell, Age 11 xi

I. Beginnings 9

An Open Letter to Future Generations of Stickball Players at 112 Nagle Avenue from a Trinity School Eighth-Grader / Ezequiel Minaya 13

The Scent of Sawdust / Thomas Sze Leong Yu 18

Going Home / Nicole Isaac 28

M'Ethangatha's Gift / Karimi Grace Mailutha 31

II. The Culture of Prep 37

"Esos Muchachos!" / Elbert Garcia 41

Prep for Prep and the Construction of Meaningful Democracy / Joshua Demetrius Bloodworth 53

The Test / Yu Wong 59

III. Lessons Learned Well and Early 75

"I'm a Bidness Man!" / Nnamdi Orakwue 79

Doing the Right Thing / Orlando Bishop 83

"I Am the Master of My Fate; I Am the Captain of My Soul" / David Gonzalez 91

Anomalies / Jameel Dennis 95

Fifty Bucks in Your Pocket / Richard Bertematti 103

IV. A Place to Belong 115

Who's That Smiling Through My Face? / Derrick Biney-Amissah 119

Golden Boy / Lionel Archille 140

V. The Me Inside of Me 147

Heroes and Saviors Need Not Apply / Donnell Butler 151

Discoveries / Charles Guerrero 158

Staking My Claim / Francine Chew 171

VI. Navigating the Identity Rapids 181

Chasing the Dream / Jamaal Lesane 185

The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side / Pang Lee 191

Reflections on the Life of a Young Ambassador / Kevin L. Stroman 198

The Party / Karen Young 203

The Inner Work of Carving a Self / Sarah Sayeed 209

VII. Prep for Life 215

"Get on the Bus with a Dog on Its Side" / Priscilla Aquino 219

Telling the Truth / Stacey Irizarry 236

A Moral Compass / Diahann Billings-Burford 239

VIII. Journeys 251

Making Pilgrimage to Myself / Lorelei September Williams 255

A Long Way from St. Ann's Bay / Kevin Johnson 271

The Journey of a Thousand Miles / Janice Cruz-Rowe 280

A Life Worth Living / Kevin Otero 285

IX. Making a Difference 295

Julio and I / Yahonnes Cleary 299

Why Is It Okay to Kill Cockroaches but Not Minks? / Manuela Arciniegas 309

Three Moments in the Life / Kristen Clarke 316

Interventions with Power / Anthony E. Wright 327

In the Words of Young Children 353

Speech Delivered at Commencement / Damali Driskell, Age 12 354

Speech Delivered at Commencement / Joanne Caceres, Age 11 358

Submission to the Be the Dream Essay Contest: "Breaking Down a Wall" / Grace Jiang (Age 12) 361.

Notes:

"A Prep for Prep Press Book."

ISBN:

1565124170

1565124162

OCLC:

52887639