School is back in session, but we've had a busy summer in the meantime!
After graduation, we had a special summer program - TAPE - focused on the arts and technology to help our students learn.
We also made major headlines, being featured on the74million.org, the National Mentoring Resource Center, and the Extra Credit Blog from the Northeast Charter Schools Network. We also were selected by New York City's Department of Education for a grant so that we can share best practices with public schools in the area - a major initiative for us that was featured in the New York Daily News.
As school begins, we're looking forward to a brand new year - with some new gear! The Marilyn Violet Foundation was kind enough to extend their charitable efforts with us by donating new backpacks, pencils, notebooks, and more to our students.
On Wednesday, May 11, a group of 45 Broome Street Academy students viewed the smash Broadway hit Hamilton and two BSA students performed their own history-inspired hip hop track before the show's creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
BSA attended as a member of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History's Hamilton Education Program, a curriculum sponsored by The Rockefeller Foundation that uses the musical Hamilton to teach New York City students historical analysis techniques and the power of using art to tell history.
Hamilton, which racked up a whopping 16 Tony nominations, uses hip hop and other musical styles to communicate the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton, a penniless immigrant from the Carribean who ascended to the heights of Revolutionary America through brilliance, drive, and eloquence. The musical's relatable story, diverse cast, and acclaimed tunes make it a valuable educational vehicle for BSA.
BSA is the only charter school participating in the Hamilton Education Program and was one of only a handful of schools whose students were invited to perform their own musical number.
Two BSA students, Tootie and Christopher, delivered a rap on the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791, which is considered a seminal event that demonstrated that American democracy could succeed. The New York Daily News described their song as a "sick 32-bar monologue" with "a wicked Doug E. Fresh-style beat."
BSA students also had a chance to participate in an exclusive Q + A with the Hamilton cast. A number of BSA students will also be going to interview Alexander Hamilton's biographer Ron Chernow.
Miranda, who graduated from a New York City public school and recently received a MacArthur "Genius" Award, described the event as "the best day of the year."
“If we can excite curiosity in students, there’s no telling what can happen next,” Miranda said previously about the Hamilton Education Program.
To see photos from the event, check out our "BSA Hamilton" Facebook Album.
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This quarter, we've gotten some very important news.
The state has renewed our charter for five more years, ensuring that we can keep our doors open through 2021 for our students. Five years is the maximum renewal possible, and the Board of Trustees at the State University of New York (SUNY), which authorizes all charter schools here, praised our success since our original charter.
We opened our doors to the first class of 110 ninth graders in the fall of 2011. This year, we have 330 students, and 82 percent of those first ninth graders are enrolled in two-year or four-year college programs after graduating at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. Our charter renewal was also featured in the local online news outlet, DNAinfo!
Additionally, we hosted our annual career fair on March 9. We had workshops, guest speakers, and plenty of representatives showcasing potential careers. We also look forward to our annual college fair, hosted in conjunction with our partner organization The Door, in April.
In the past few months, our young women have been stealing the spotlight!
To kick off the new school year, a wonderful foundation partner brought brand new backpacks, pens, notebooks, and more to our students to help them get off on the right foot.
In the first quarter of the new school year, 37 women earned high honors and 32 earned honors, continuing to excel academically among their peers.
Several of our young ladies also had the chance to perform in front of more than 300 people at our annual fall gala event, which we hold with two of our partner organizations. One of the performers gave an incredible rendition of What I Did for Love, while several others composed their own spoken word piece about a day in their lives as students.
We also celebrated a major renovation in the space that we share with The Door. Another incredible female vocalist from our school performed in the newly-remodeled dance studio for our board members and VIP guests.
Hello Supporters! As summer comes to a close, the ladies of BSA have tons to update you on!
Graduation Success
Monday, Monday, June 29 marked a very special occasion for BSA - our first graduation ceremony, held at the American Musem of Natural History! New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña provided the keynote address, sharing her words of wisdom with our graduates as they take the next steps in their lives on the path to success. Read more about BSA’s graduation success on our website, view our photos from the big day on Facebook, and see Chalkbeat New York’s article that highlights Chancellor Fariña's remarks on BSA
The Change a CHAMPION can make- one BSA girl's story
Recent BSA graduate, Emani, started her high school journey in a scholars program where she took classes at Long Island University, but at some point she felt herself getting detached from the environment, stopped going to school and eventually dropped out. That’s when her father decided to intervene. He told her he wouldn’t allow her to be a dropout and that she needed to get back into school. Fortunately they found Broome Street Academy – a school designed specifically for students at risk of falling through the cracks, a place where “detachment” isn’t an option.
The first thing Emani noticed about BSA was the caring, supportive staff, including one teacher in particular: senior English teacher Ms. Kim Adams. They formed an immediate bond that made Emani’s adjustment to a new school that much easier. “Coming to school and having someone to look up to, that feels good. It’s like a home away from home.”
The fruits of that passion and dedication were clearly evident as Emani, along with BSA’s first-ever official graduating class, took the stage at the American Museum of Natural History on June 29th. As a special touch, graduates received their diplomas from their dedicated CHAMPION. It was a memorable moment between Emani and the person who has championed her since her first day at a brand new school – who attended so many of her basketball games, supported her through so many exams, and who was there for her when her father passed away. The hug they shared after Ms. Adams presented Emani with her diploma marked a major milestone – but certainly not the end of their journey together. As Emani starts college at CUNY’s Borough of Manhattan Community College in the fall, she knows Ms. Adams will be right there with her in spirit, championing her continued success.
Learn more about our CHAMPION model from Senior English teacher, Ms. Adams, and our recent graduate, Emani, in a special spotlight on our website
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