News About RICH

Spring, 2008

Two new foundations are now supporting RICH! The Gannett Foundation has contributed $5,000 for general support, and the Capitol Hill Community Foundation has donated $2,500 toward RICH's Saturday Academy. They join our regular foundation supporters: The Commonweal Foundation, The Herb Block Foundation, The Luther I. Replogle Foundation, and the Washington Post Foundation.

RICH is at the forefront of SAT instruction for low-income youth in the Washington, D.C. area! Director Paul Penniman and master instructor Sheree Adams will be leading a lunchtime conference of area non-profits regarding the "A B C's of Teaching the SAT's" on July 16. The Herb Block Foundation has graciously agreed to host the event.

RICH honors Antonio Williams, soon to graduate from our partner school, Maya Angelou. Antonio's SAT scores increased 180 points after he took our prep class with instructor James Stallins. Antonio has received a full scholarship to attend Denison University.

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Winter, 2008

This has been an incredibly busy and exciting winter for us at RICH.

We have begun a partnership with Fair Chance, www.fairchancedc.org, which recognizes young, promising non-profits that serve the impoverished Wards 5-8. Fair Chance will provide RICH with $60,000 worth of administrative assistance during 2008. In other financial news, our largest cash donor, the Commonweal Foundation, has invited us to apply for a capacity-building grant in the summer of 2008.

Our "Saturday Academy" at the Cesar Chavez-Capitol Hill School has been a huge success. In November, we invited all the ninth graders who failed their first quarter math exams to come in and relearn the material. 15 out of 17 ninth graders retook their first quarter exams and doubled their original scores.

Our most recent SAT course at the Maya Angelou Shaw campus resulted in 8 students scoring an average of 133 points better than their previous PSAT or SAT, a result comparable with commercial test prep companies.

On the financial front, our most recent fundraising drive raised 50% more than last year, which was great news.

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Fall, 2007

RICH is excited to partner with the See Forever Foundation, which runs the Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools, in helping to design the math curriculum at the Academy at the Oak Hill detention facility for boys. During the summer, Paul Penniman and a staff of three educators collaborated with the faculty at Oak Hill. It was inspiring to work for David Domenici, co-founder of See Forever, who reminds us of “our moral obligation to teach these kids.” It is equally inspiring to meet the new staff, such as Rachel Crouch, a 2006 graduate of Howard University. It is teachers like Rachel who are the future of public education in this country—talented, energetic, and fearless.

RICH has also started a "Saturday Academy" at our principal partner school, the Chavez campus on Capitol Hill. Between 12 and 18 students come and are taught by 5-7 teachers, most of whom are RICH professionals. The purpose of the Saturday Academy is to help raise the math skills and grades of the neediest ninth and tenth graders at the school.

For the first time, RICH operated a summer SAT class, at Chavez's Parkside campus in NE DC, which met for 60 hours! Scott McKinley was our instructor, and he was so inspired by his students that he spent many extra hours preparing these students for this October's SAT I. Thanks, Scott.

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Summer, 2007

These past few months saw many RICH students receive awards. One of Maya Angelou-Shaw's graduates, whose SAT score had increased 120 points thanks to the RICH SAT prep class, won a $9000 award from Trinity University here in D.C.

Several of Maya Angelou-Evans's juniors, most of whom took RICH's SAT prep class, won DC Achievers Scholarships. This is a new award for qualified eleventh graders, administered by the D.C. College Success Foundation and funded by the Gates Foundation.

Here is what our graduating Cesar Chavez-Capitol Hill student, Tigest, recently wrote about her tutor, Annie Barsky: February 21, 2005, is a blessing day for me. That’s the day I had Hiwota and Annie at the same time. Having Hiwota is a blessing because she brought family to me. Having Annie as my tutor has changed my life. I don’t see Annie as a tutor; I see her as my mom and a friend who helped me to get where I am today. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t even want to think of where I would be. Thanks to Annie, my grades are wonderful. I used to fear Thesis, but now I see it as a piece of cake and I owe that to her.

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Spring, 2007

More and more positive reinforcement is coming in from foundations. The Luther I. Replogle Foundation granted RICH $5,000 without even accepting an application this year! Also, for the first time, the Herb Block Foundation awarded RICH $5,000. The Commonweal Foundation awarded RICH its largest grant yet, $7,500. Onward and upward.

One of the services RICH provides that we are most proud of is our home tutoring of students at Cesar Chavez and Maya Angelou who are either about to give birth or who have just given birth. One of these students, named Tigest, will be graduating on time this June 8 from the Chavez School. There are three more such students we are helping in the next two months, two of whom are seniors. RICH will do its part to to see that these students graduate with their class.

Maya Angelou's graduation, incidentally, is slated for June 26, in the evening. Watch this space for details on both the Chavez and the Maya Angelou graduations.

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Winter, 2006

SAT scores are in for our fall classes. Seven of our students who took the fall test scored 80 points or higher than their previous (P)SAT, a new record for RICH. Three students scored 140 points or higher. Classes continue in the spring at the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School on Capitol Hill, where Scott McKinley of Focused Coaching will be teaching; and the Maya Angelou PCS Shaw Campus, where John Jee, previously of the Princeton Review, will once again teach for RICH.

Good news on the financial front: Our fundraising campaign for individual contributions this winter raised more than 50% more than last year's campaign. Furthermore, the Washington Post has repeated its grant to RICH, awarding 25% more than last year. This continues a pattern whereby most every foundation that has contributed to RICH has repeated their contribution the following year with a substantial increase.

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Fall, 2006

We were lucky this fall to have two outstanding SAT instructors. One, John Jee, had taught at the Princeton Review. John taught the first SAT class ever at the Maya Angelou Evans Campus on East Capitol Street. The first day I visited John's class, one of his students gave me the thumbs-up, unusual approval by an adolescent!

Our other instructor, Joel Velazquez, taught at the Maya Angelou Shaw campus. Joel also taught several of our ESL students at the Cesar Chavez School. Joel's story is a great one:

"I am originally from Puerto Rico and migrated to the D.C area when I was nine years old. I did not know any English, and I can clearly remember my first report card, one full of “F’s.” However, I was fortunate enough to have caring and dedicated ESL teachers, and by the end of the year, I received A’s and B’s in the regular courses with the native students.

Now as I take some time off between law school and my legal career, I am truly enjoying my teaching experience. I feel that I can relate to many of my students’ insecurities and frustrations because I’ve been there. Hopefully, I can serve as an example as other tutors and teachers did for me."

Joel's most intransigent student in the SAT class wrote in a review of the class: "At first me and Mr. V. did not get along, but I pulled it through at the end. Thanks, Mr. V."
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Summer, 2006

The Chavez graduation in June was a marvelous affair. There were several "firsts" for both Chavez and RICH. For the first time, a Chavez grad who had graduated from college was invited to make the graduation keynote speech. For the first time, students who had been in RICH's SAT class spoke at graduation: valedictorian Candace Dorsey and student-chosen Greg Barbieri. Both students did very well on their SAT after taking RICH's prep course. Candace will be attending the University of Maryland next year, and Greg will be attending Penn State University.

On a related note, Greg's mother, Laura Maas, is joining RICH's Board of Directors. Laura's other son, Jeff, was also in Chavez's class of 2006 and also took RICH's SAT course. Jeff will be attending the University of Virginia. Laura joins on the Board Executive Director Paul Penniman, Administrative Assistant Louise Rotholz, Jean Mooskin, Karen Guberman, and two faculty members of RICH's partner schools, Chavez ESL Coordinator Arturo Martinez and Maya Angelou Director of Counseling Quentin Graham.

Speaking of Maya Angelou, RICH bids goodbye to an exceptional SAT instructor, Sheree Adams, who taught the SAT course at Maya Angelou in the fall and spring semesters this past year. Spring scores are not yet in, but Sheree was universally acclaimed for her patient and expert teaching. Sheree moves on to Johns Hopkins's School for Advanced International Studies in Bologna.

As the school year wound down, RICH received two substantial grants from foundations, the Commonweal Foundation and the Luther I. Replogle Foundation. The Replogle Foundation's grant was more than triple that of the previous year. On another fundraising note, individual donations have increased about 20% from a year ago.

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Spring, 2006

RICH is winding up our most successful year ever! Approximately fifty students will have been tutored or given SAT class instruction over the past year. Some of our students began the year failing every class, and most of these students are now passing most or all of their classes. More importantly, all of these students will be graduating from high school by 2010 at the latest. RICH is pleased to announce that eminent tutor Barbara Taylor has agreed to join the swelling ranks of RICH professionals involved in the instructional program at the Chavez School in the fall.

On the financial front, we have received grants from the Washington Post Foundation and the Samuel Dweck Foundation, as well as a pledge from BB & T Bank. We also have received positive vibes from the Commonweal Foundation and the Luther I. Replogle Foundation.

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Winter, 2006

SAT scores have begun to come in for the fall, and the news is excellent, especially regarding the students in Sheree Adams's class at Maya Angelou. Sheree's students averaged an increase of 200 points (out of 1600), and one of the students received a full scholarship offer from Grinnell College.

The instructional program at Chavez continues to expand. Annie Barsky has rejoined the on site group of tutors, and ESL tutor Merissa Gerson begins tutoring two recent Latino immigrants in January.

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Fall, 2005

RICH's tutoring program and SAT classes are in full swing! Four tutors visit the new Chavez campus twice a week, and Jean Mooskin, co-founder and -director at Edmund Burke, has joined to tutor in French once per week. Annie Barsky and RICH director Paul Penniman will soon be home-tutoring a Chavez senior who has just given birth.

On the SAT front, John McManus taught the recently completed course at Chavez. John's spring students averaged an increase of 145 points (out of 2400), of those students who attended 80% of class. At Maya Angelou, Sheree Adams, a literacy and SAT expert, also just finished with her students. Both classes prepared for the November SAT I. We should have their scores soon! Now that the SAT classes are in abeyance until February, Sheree has agreed to be an ESL (English as a second language) tutor to a freshman boy at Chavez.

In September, major donor Stephen Jacques and Paul visited Maya Angelou School grad who is attending Virginia Tech. He is happy as a clam and surviving his freshman engineering program. Steve O'Keefe donated a graphing calculator for this student.

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Summer, 2005

Dr. Ann White, recently retired from the Edmund Burke School, has agreed to be one of RICH's master tutors at the Chavez School's new Capitol Hill campus this fall. Ann taught history and English for twenty-five years at the Edmund Burke School. She holds a doctorate in Far Eastern history from the University of Pennsylvania. RICH is very excited to welcome Ann aboard.

RICH received two gifts in June, one much less substantial than the other but no less meaningful. First was RICH's second foundation grant, this time from the Commonweal Foundation, another endorsement of our good work. Second was a gift presented to Paul by the Chavez faculty in appreciation of the after-school tutoring program and SAT classes. Also in June was the moving graduation ceremony of the Maya Angelou School. One of the graduates (see below) received a scholarship that will help defray his costs at Virginia Tech.

In May, Paul attended Chavez's wonderful graduation ceremony at the historic Lincoln Theater. It was an emotional experience for many of us, as many of the students will be the first in their families to go to college.

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Spring, 2005

One of the students in RICH's fall SAT class gained admission to Virginia Tech! With some assistance from one of Paul's contacts in the college counseling business, this student was able to cobble together a financial package so that he could afford all the costs. This is a terrific achievement for the student and his school, Maya Angelou, and of course for RICH. Advanced Computer Center was kind enough to offer a laptop computer at cost for this student's freshman engineering program.

RICH also received its first foundation grant, from the Luther I. Replogle Foundation. RICH appreciates the confidence the Replogle Foundation has in RICH. One reason the grant was approved was a letter of appreciation written by two Chavez teachers, a great testimonial of the work RICH is doing.

Graduation dates for the Cesar Chavez and Maya Angelou Schools are as follows: Chavez seniors graduate on Friday afternoon, June 10. Maya Angelou seniors graduate on Tuesday evening, June 28. Contact Paul Penniman if you are interested in attending.

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Winter, 2004

RICH's after school program has continued. We have clearly made a difference at the Chavez School. One of our students, in the third year of ninth grade, passed his first semester of classes in three years. Another Chavez student had a 190-point increase on her SAT after taking RICH's fall SAT course.

Paul Penniman with one of his Chavez students.

RICH's tutors have been particularly well-received by the Chavez staff. "Amazing" and "miracle workers" were words used at a recent Chavez faculty meeting. Paul Penniman and Annie Barsky recently met with one of the school's counselors to discuss several of the students, and Susie Humpstone astutely recommended a speech pathologist for one of her students. Thanks to RICH's contacts in the Washington professional community, speech pathologist Naomi Silberg, from Michelle Fill and Associates, joined RICH's group of tutors. The student in question just had her "best semester ever," according to a Chavez administrator.

RICH has been lucky to find two excellent educators to teach this spring's SAT classes for juniors, one each at Maya Angelou and Cesar Chavez. John McManus of the Princeton Review will work at Chavez and will also practice with Chavez's chess team, and Hilary Moore, a four-year veteran of the Princeton review, will teach the course at Maya Angelou.

Beginning in March, Paul and Annie began tutoring a Chavez tenth grade student who recently gave birth and is taking time off from school. This student will return to school in May.

Paul is also continuing his tutoring of math students and consulting with the math department at Maya Angelou. He is known as the "math god" there, and his ego does not object to the moniker.

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Fall, 2004

At the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy, RICH currently operates an after-school program two days per week, where Annie Barsky, Susie Humpstone, and Paul Penniman tutor Chavez students selected by their faculty. Also at Chavez, Landon Zee taught an eight-week SAT preparation class for seven seniors which culminated with these students taking the November SAT.

At the Maya Angelou Public Charter School, Emma Snyder is teaching an SAT class to five seniors, the first such class in the history of the Maya Angelou School. These five students will be taking the December SAT. Also at Maya Angelou, Paul has been working in the math lab two evenings per week with other tutors and their students who need help with math.

Altogether this academic year, RICH professionals have provided a significant amount of instruction to approximately thirty students. One of our students, a 17-year old ninth grader at Chavez, had flunked four semesters in a row but had a C average in the first marking period. Another ninth grader has stopped his poor attendance since meeting with RICH tutors.

Resources donated, 2003-04