September 2023 eMagazine Supplementary Issue
OUR PEOPLE, OUR MISSION Global Health eMagazine September 2023 Supplementary Issue YOUTH ACADEMY FOR LATINO LEADERS COLLABORATION CELEBRATING SUCCESS GLOBAL HEALTH ACADEMY INAUGURAL PROJECT Y.A.L.L. BIOSKETCHES AND REFLECTIONS PHOTO NEWS RESOURCES PREVIOUS ISSUES OF THE EMAGAZINE Youth Academy for Latino Leaders (Y.A.L.L.) Written by Jacqueline Cabrera Jacqueline is a Dominican-American, abstract artist who has always been fascinated by the beauty of nature and people. She studied sociology at Baruch College in New York City, but as she pursued her degree, she realized that there was more to life than just theory. She had always been artistically inclined, but she felt like she couldn’t create the same kind of work as others. What began as ideas swiftly transformed into actionable steps. We convened regular meetings, both in person and virtually. Several months later, the Youth Academy for Latino Leaders (Y.A.L.L.) came into being. A collaboration between the Dominican Community Center and Nuvance Global Health Academy birthed Y.A.L.L. Its fundamental mission is to cultivate college-ready students and, through them, foster informed, active Latino communities that serve as assimilation hubs for newly arriving migrant families. In January, our inaugural meeting took place. This provided an opportunity not only to discuss the program but also to share details about our personal lives. As weeks progressed, we forged stronger connections, establishing the bedrock of positive and supportive relationships that would underpin the entire initiative. Each of us contributed, ensuring that our voices were heard, and participation was equal among all. I’d like to highlight Jason Nova, our DCC Secretary, who maintained a vigilant eye on our timeliness and focus. He served as the architect of this project, guiding our efforts to stay on track. Crafting this endeavor proved to be an immensely rewarding experience for me. Throughout my life, and I am confident this holds true for my peers as well, mentors have played a significant role. Others often help us discover what we may not see in ourselves, shaping our identities in the process. The Youth Academy for Latino Leaders emerged from the collaboration of community leaders in Danbury, our cherished city. The explicit objective was to enhance the quality of life for our graduates. Drawing from community data and our own experiences, we formulated the program’s objectives. This goal will be achieved by ensuring our graduates acquire self-development skills through the mentorship experiences provided by their mentors and facilitators. Situated in Danbury, the Dominican Community Center is within the Alliance Districts, where the lowest-performing schools in the state are located. Danbury’s Next Generation Accountability Index, at 66.8, reflects the students’ readiness for college. Our aspiration is to bridge this gap and improve our students’ college outcomes. 10 Y.A.L.L. continued on next page >>
OUR PEOPLE, OUR MISSION Global Health eMagazine September 2023 Supplementary Issue I was pleased to learn that the academy would commence with 9th graders. Adolescence is a tumultuous period, and the prospect of offering support during these formative years is exceptional. For me, ninth grade proved to be particularly challenging. Arriving in the United States in June of 2003 with my siblings, entering my second year as an immigrant, coupled with adjusting to a significantly larger school, posed considerable difficulties. Although some familiar faces from my middle school were present, most were in different classes. Throughout that year, I grappled with feelings of disorientation and fear. I am convinced that having a support system akin to the Y.A.L.L. program would have significantly altered my experience. At the core of this academy lies our commitment to fostering our students’ postsecondary success.An integral component of our strategy involves building partnerships with students’ parents. Research underscores the positive impact of family involvement on academic outcomes. YOUTH ACADEMY FOR LATINO LEADERS COLLABORATION CELEBRATING SUCCESS GLOBAL HEALTH ACADEMY INAUGURAL PROJECT Y.A.L.L. BIOSKETCHES AND REFLECTIONS PHOTO NEWS RESOURCES PREVIOUS ISSUES OF THE EMAGAZINE Group photo at Academy Mentoring is a gift that is meant to be shared. No one forges their path alone; we all need a community to ensure our students’ success. Every individual who contributed to the inception of this project devoted countless hours to guarantee its execution with the utmost quality, all for the betterment of our students. Just this past Wednesday, the academy was officially launched. Time has flown since our inception. Our students gathered, acquainting themselves with one another. Interestingly, all of them will be attending Danbury High School in the fall. Each has now gained five friends before the school year even begins. The day commenced with words of motivation and encouragement from Dr. Majid Sadigh, the Director of Global Health at Nuvance Health, representing himself and his family in announcing the gift of a Chromebook laptop for each student participating in 11
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OUR PEOPLE,<br />
OUR MISSION<br />
Global Health<br />
<strong>eMagazine</strong><br />
<strong>September</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
<strong>Supplementary</strong><br />
<strong>Issue</strong><br />
I was pleased to learn that the academy would commence with 9th graders.<br />
Adolescence is a tumultuous period, and the prospect of offering support during<br />
these formative years is exceptional. For me, ninth grade proved to be particularly<br />
challenging. Arriving in the United States in June of 2003 with my siblings, entering<br />
my second year as an immigrant, coupled with adjusting to a significantly larger<br />
school, posed considerable difficulties. Although some familiar faces from my<br />
middle school were present, most were in different classes. Throughout that year,<br />
I grappled with feelings of disorientation and fear. I am convinced that having a<br />
support system akin to the Y.A.L.L. program would have significantly altered my<br />
experience.<br />
At the core of this academy lies our commitment to fostering our students’ postsecondary<br />
success.An integral component of our strategy involves building<br />
partnerships with students’ parents. Research underscores the positive impact of<br />
family involvement on academic outcomes.<br />
YOUTH ACADEMY FOR<br />
LATINO LEADERS<br />
COLLABORATION<br />
CELEBRATING SUCCESS<br />
GLOBAL HEALTH ACADEMY<br />
INAUGURAL PROJECT<br />
Y.A.L.L.<br />
BIOSKETCHES AND<br />
REFLECTIONS<br />
PHOTO NEWS<br />
RESOURCES<br />
PREVIOUS ISSUES OF<br />
THE EMAGAZINE<br />
Group photo at Academy<br />
Mentoring is a gift that is meant to be shared. No one forges their path alone;<br />
we all need a community to ensure our students’ success. Every individual who<br />
contributed to the inception of this project devoted countless hours to guarantee<br />
its execution with the utmost quality, all for the betterment of our students.<br />
Just this past Wednesday, the academy was officially launched. Time has flown<br />
since our inception. Our students gathered, acquainting themselves with one<br />
another. Interestingly, all of them will be attending Danbury High School in the fall.<br />
Each has now gained five friends before the school year even begins. The day<br />
commenced with words of motivation and encouragement from Dr. Majid Sadigh,<br />
the Director of Global Health at Nuvance Health, representing himself and his family<br />
in announcing the gift of a Chromebook laptop for each student participating in<br />
11
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