Our teachers have been guiding , supporting and caring for students , whether in-person or remote , for the past three months — even as they must increase their support and care for their own children and families . Our faculty and staff have also made significant financial sacrifices . To help Fordham Prep meet increased demands from our families for financial aid and for us to invest in health and safety measures on campus , we have frozen salaries and suspended a key retirement benefit . When the negative financial impact of the pandemic subsides and we can restore those benefits and salary increases , we can once again be thankful that their collective sacrifice had an impact on the welfare of their students . I ’ m proud to say that , as far as I know , not one student has left Fordham Prep due to the economic impact of COVID-19 .
Of course , parents were delighted that we were ready as many were ready too ! Ready to have their sons return to school , after being locked up with them for months . But our readiness had a value far beyond bringing greater peace and stability to Fordham Prep households . In fact , being ready to welcome our students back , ready to deliver our mission of faith , scholarship , and service has never had higher stakes .
This pandemic has made us aware , more than ever , that what happens elsewhere in the world — no matter how far away — can create devastating consequences here , and everywhere . It has also opened our eyes to the potential of technology to keep us connected . But coronavirus also exposed the rifts in our society — between those who can afford to stay home , and essential workers ; between those with health care , and those without .
And we ’ ve become aware of other challenges as well . Any responsible reflection on the past several months can ’ t ignore the stubborn persistence of racial divisions and racial injustice that continue to infect our country . George Floyd ’ s killing — as troubling as it was — reveals that skin color still shapes and determines outcomes : outcomes in the criminal justice system ; in educational opportunities ; in housing and healthcare ; in so many other areas of life . What does this have to do with Fordham Prep and our readiness to teach and learn ? Well , almost everything . Fordham Prep provides a mission-based education in which we aim to graduate young men who are Open to Growth , Intellectually Competent , Religious , Loving , and Committed to Justice .
We were ready this summer , so our students would be ready for college , and ready for life : ready to succeed , lead , and serve in a society that is more divided than ever by ideology and background ; divided by the haves and the have-nots . Ready to set the world on fire — not with hatred or violence , but with love , and a dedication to service .
I ’ ve seen this preparation and readiness all over our campus : in an academic year when international travel is not possible , we are leveraging our investment in smart classrooms to launch our Global Scholars Program . This program will allow students at Fordham Prep to explore and engage with the world — right from our campus as we bring the world to the Bronx and connect our students to young people at our international network of Jesuit schools . Students will participate in round table discussions on topics such as global warming , human trafficking , and responses to the pandemic . Speakers will be invited to give brief presentations and engage our students in conversation . Students will earn a certificate and recognition as Fordham Prep Global Scholars .
FEATURE STORY
Two years ago , Fordham Prep established our iSTEAM Program to help our students grow intellectually and prepare for competitive college placement and STEM careers . We can ’ t engage in close proximity , projectbased group work , but we have continued several activities , such as our eSports team which we launched two years ago . Thanks to our readiness , and our eSports team success , colleges are sitting up and taking notice : they have actually begun to recruit our students to play in their programs .
We are also ready to open our doors a bit wider , so that young men who don ’ t have the opportunity to attend a college prep , Jesuit secondary school might do so here . As we know , this benefits not only them , but all of our students , who can learn and grow from the diverse and inclusive environment that they will experience later , in college and the workplace . This is why I was delighted and grateful to receive several new commitments from a diverse group of donors to establish the George Jackson Scholarship and Mentoring Program . Named for Hall of Honor inductee , the late George Jackson ’ 76 , the scholarship and program will enable more students in need to come to the Prep . But rather than just get them through the door , this program will pair them with an alumnus mentor who will support their success as a first generation college-bound student , and give them a role model .
It ’ s going to help young men like Edwin Aquino ’ 21 , a Bronx resident and an Our Lady of Refuge graduate . Edwin has a 4.34 GPA , taking all Honors and AP classes at the Prep . A member of Kawaida Club and Financial Literacy Club , Edwin wants to study economics and political science . He ’ s applying to Brown , Boston College , and Fordham University . There ’ s only one way we could have been ready to open this fall--especially open for students like Edwin and those in need of additional financial support . And there ’ s only one way we could be ready to provide a premiere Jesuit education to Edwin and his classmates , in the midst of these challenging times .
Your generosity makes us ready . Thank you , from the bottom of our hearts .
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