1. How old were you when you started at HEAF? 11 years old 2. What was your first impression of HEAF? I thought it was a fun program because I began in the Summer Quest program not only did we participate in academic classes, but we also worked in groups to build our own restaurant. We had an opportunity to visit restaurants and talk with the chefs and owners, and be really creative as students. [..]
HEAF hosted its annual Fellows Program, a weeklong career readiness program designed to give HEAF college students an insider’s look at a variety of professions, throughout the week of January 9, 2012. As a HEAF Fellow, students have the opportunity to receive valuable information on a variety of professions, networking and workplace etiquette as well as shadow professionals. The HEAF 2012 Fellows visited [..]
Beginning this February at HEAF, students will focus their studies on reality TV. Don’t worry – It’s not what you think. Over the past few years reality TV has taken over television networks and become the majority of available programming during prime time hours. But the question remains, “Are these shows actually ‘real’ at all?” HEAF students will study the reality behind these shows in a [..]
When Miriam received her report card for this year’s first marking period, she was excited to share it with HEAF. In the previous year, this was not the case. Miriam spent seventh grade struggling academically. She began to question her abilities. High Expectations worked with her and her father to develop a variety of methods to improve her grades, including helping her to think critically about her [..]
Angelina is a new ninth grade student who entered HEAF in September. She can be generally described as quiet, shy, and reserved but, in the three months she has been at HEAF, Angelina has started to find her voice. Initially, she would engage staff in one-on-one conversations but could rarely be heard amongst her peers. She was also a little hesitant to share her talents in art. With encouragement from [..]
Milly is a twelfth grade student at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, one of the specialized high schools in New York City. Despite being accepted to one of the most competitive high schools in the city, Milly doubted that pursuing a college degree was a realistic possibility, based on her family’s finances. Through the HEAF program Milly has come to realize that college is in her future. She attributes [..]
Bana is a 10th grade student who joined HEAF late last year. After attending the annual college tour in October, she realized that doing the bare minimum will not be enough to get her into a good college, let alone Yale (one of the colleges visited). Bana stated that visiting the campus and speaking with some of the Yale students was eye opening. Bana’s goal is to attend an Ivy League college one day, [..]
The results we have developed at the Harlem Educational Activities Fund over the course of our 22 year history are often lauded as being remarkable. I admit I’m proud of the high expectations we set for our young people and their dedication to their own intellectual and personal development. However, while we are constantly looking to infuse innovative approaches into our work, I can’t say it’s a precise [..]
Happy New Year! While the HEAF family enjoyed a much needed break for the holidays, we came back swinging on January 3rd with the launch of our annual Onward Winter Conference. The conference is one of my favorite times of the year. We enjoy a steady stream of college students and alumni visiting the floor, sharing updates and reminiscing on their most memorable HEAF moments. It’s an amazing time and because [..]
HEAF hosted its third annual Parent Conference on December 3, 2011 and nearly 100 parents attended the event. With the theme, Being an Effective Advocate for Your Child Beyond the Classroom, the conference provided parents with the tools to be educational, social and emotional advocates for their children as they seek to realize their collegiate and life aspirations. Dr. Douglas Thompkins, associate professor [..]
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