As costs soar, CDI helps make college possible

In 2012 alone, the cost of public college tuition increased nationally by 8.3%. Attending CUNY or SUNY now costs students over $11,000 a year. For the roughly 80% of MC and HPHS students living below the poverty line, college can feel like an unaffordable dream. “Many of our students think they can’t afford college, but that’s simply not true,” says Beth Novick, CDI’s Director of College and Academic Services at MC.  Lena Eberhart, Site Director at HPHS, adds, “We connect students and their families with available resources. With financial aid and scholarships, college is possible.”

Each year, about 80% of MC

75% of MC students were accepted to college last year

students who go on to college attend CUNY. Most are the first in their family to graduate from high school and consider higher education. “CDI helped MC students receive $1.2 million in financial aid and scholarships last year,” says Novick. Once students are in college, CDI offers assistance with reapplying for financial aid, which must be done each year. “One of the main reasons that students drop out of college is because they can’t afford it,” says Novick. “We try to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Congratulations winter graduates!

Richard Stuart, Class of '12, receiving his graduation boutonnière from Theresa Gonzales, MC staff member

48 Manhattan Comprehensive students received their  high school diplomas on February 16 to the beat of a steel drum band and an audience of friends and family from all over the world. The diversity of the MC community was on full display with a gospel choir, songs sung in Chinese and other student performances. MC Principal, Michael Toise, noted: “While I was up on stage I was marveling both at the diversity of the performances and the level of community involvement.” CDI’s Advisory Board Chair, Kevin Walker, flew in from Maine to give the keynote speech with words of inspiration and wisdom for the graduates.

More pictures of our proud graduates here.

First stop for night students: room 202

Mercedes Brazier-Thurman, Internship Coordinator, with a student at the Student Services Office

For MC’s night students, the path to getting the services they need to graduate starts in the office of Student Support Services, known as Room 202. The room is always a buzz of voices and activity. “We’re the first stop for night students,” says Director Bobbie Hernandez. MC offers classes during the day and night. Night students are primarily local New York City youth, while day students are typically new immigrants. “The four of us ask lots of questions, we get to know each student and their needs and we make a plan. We coordinate with the school guidance counselors and teachers and help students navigate CDI’s legal, tutoring and internship services.” Students are assigned a “primary person,” a CDI staff member who guides them through their initial school experience.

“We also run the Leadership Class for these students. For four afternoons a week for 20 weeks, they are introduced to our services, expectations, culture of respect and demanding work ethic. It’s a new beginning for students who come here from a variety of schools that may have been tough, dangerous or discouraging,” says Hernandez. “The class also gives students a chance to connect with one another. For students who come from so many different cultures and backgrounds having that peer support network is particularly important.”

Hernandez and her team must be prepared to deal with almost anything. “On any given day a student can walk in with a medical or financial crisis or a difficult family situation,” says Hernandez. “You might be very bright but if you have to wonder when your next meal will be, it’s hard. So we reach out and let them know that this is the place they can come to for help.”

1003 students and counting!

Marina Royo, College Advisor, with a student at CDI's College Office at HPHS

Since September, CDI’s HPHS College Team has held individual meetings, family workshops and classroom visits to help more than a thousand students and their parents with advisement, applications, financial aid, and scholarships. “Between February and March is the financial aid or FAFSA deadline (Free Application for Federal Student Aid),” says Lena Eberhart, Site Director of CDI’s college office. “It’s a very complicated application. For the first time we are holding “FAFSA nights” when parents can come to the school and get help filling out the financial aid forms.” This spring the office will concentrate on meeting with freshmen and sophomore classes and starting to get them excited about the college process. “It’s terrific to start the college process earlier,” says HPHS Principal Robert Gentile. “It’s a way for us to get parents involved and build a college-going culture from the beginning.”

One piece of a giant jigsaw puzzle

Lois Lowenstein with her student, Aicha

It was an unassuming handwritten cardboard sign in the window of Manhattan Comprehensive that caught Lois Lownstein’s attention: Volunteer tutors needed. “That’s when it all started,” says Lownstein. “I fell in love with the students. They have so much desire and perseverance to do what they have set out to do.” Lowenstein, a retired social worker, tutors students in ELL. “My students come from all over the world. We work together on English conversation, writing, and preparing for the Regents exams. Those are difficult even for native speakers!”     

One of Lowenstein’s students was a young man from Guinea who had a night job with long, grueling hours. “He was so tired, by the time he got to school that he would often fall asleep during our tutoring session,” says Lowenstein. “I alerted a CDI counselor and she spoke with the student’s employer and had his hours changed. Just that small thing made all the difference. He’s now in his first year of college. We each play a role is these students’ lives. CDI is like a giant jigsaw puzzle, and tutoring is just one piece of many that helps each student reach his or her goals,” she says.    

As Lowenstein got to know her students, she realized that they often struggled to afford basic necessities. So, she helped establish “The Eyeglass Fund,” an emergency fund that CDI uses to help students pay for essentials. “It’s for students with emergency expenses such as a new winter coat, bus fare to visit a sick relative and, of course, eyeglasses. Just a month ago a student’s glasses fell out of her bag and cracked. The fund helped her replace them,” she says. Lowenstein sees herself tutoring at CDI for many years to come. “It’s so rewarding to see students strive and go forth.”     

Hear more tutors tell their stories here.