Dear Friends,
It’s been an exceptional year at Enroot. When I think back across 2018 I’m struck by the incredible accomplishments of our students and I can’t help but be filled with hope. From 100% of seniors graduating high school, to record scholarship awards, and impressive academic achievements, Enroot students once again taught the adults around them constant lessons in courage and perseverance. 
It's been a year of significant growth for Enroot, expanding the number of students we serve by over 50%, to 175 this year. For years we have wanted to support our students beyond high school. This fall we launched our College Success program and we’re thrilled to be supporting 28 Enroot high school graduates during their crucial first two years of college - all of them first-generation students.
The Enroot team pours its heart and soul into this work every day, always putting students first. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but we know there are many more students in the region without this kind of support. That’s why we’re working hard to prepare the launch of our third Enroot site next year
. This expansion to serve more students is only possible with your generous support.
Recent events have brought a unique sense or urgency to Enroot’s work. This is a moment when the network of support around our immigrant students is needed most. We are committed to affirming the value our immigrant students and their families bring to the community. We simply could not undertake this work without the support and generosity of individuals like you. Thank you for joining the movement to advance equity for the newest members of our community.
With Gratitude,
Ben Clark
Enroot just launched our new College Success program this fall designed to support Enroot's high school graduates in their first two years of post-secondary education through mentoring, 1:1 coaching, and support navigating the higher education system. College Success programming is essential in expanding opportunities for traditionally marginalized individuals and communities and Enroot is uniquely positioned to do this work alongside our students.
We are thrilled to announce Enroot AmeriCorps Massachusetts Promise Fellow Georgia Lederman has joined our team full time and will be leading this effort as our Manager of College Success and Alumni Engagement. She wrote, "I couldn't be more excited to manage Enroot's College Success Program, which will include academic, career, financial and social-emotional coaching, ultimately leading to an increase in the number of first-generation immigrants who graduate from college and enter the workforce ready to succeed."
A week before students headed off to college, we hosted our first night of College Success mentoring. Students and mentors met over ice cream to talk about students' college goals and everyone enjoyed the familiarity of the Enroot office before embarking on their college journey.
Enroot recognizes five pillars that lead to college success:
We look forward to sharing updates about this new program.
Links:
While we celebrate the amazing accomplishments of Enroot students this year, and recognize the many ways immigrants make our community stronger, we are deeply disturbed by what is happening in our country right now.
Our government has failed people fleeing danger by enforcing flawed and destructive immigration policies. The Supreme Court decision on the Muslim ban was profoundly disheartening. In many ways our government’s policies and actions fail to recognize the humanity in immigrants. I write to you today in opposition of these hurtful, xenophobic and fear-based policies. I am saddened by the message we’re sending to the world, especially our Muslim brothers and sisters, and the children, women and men fleeing danger in their greatest time of need. This is not who we are.
In response to this moment, I urge you to continue finding new ways to support your immigrant neighbors. Lend a hand and a smile. Check in on them more often as they forge ahead and work to protect their families. Make sure they know they are still welcome here. Please also lend your voice to the wider policy debate. Call and write to your elected officials to let them know how you feel about the way our country is responding to this moment.
Thank you for your steadfast support of Enroot and for doing anything you can to stand with immigrant families, especially during this time. During this time, we also want to recognize the accomplishments of our students: this year, our seniors were awarded over $100,000 in scholarships and are headed off to 12 different colleges and universities in the fall.
April is a particularly bright month at Enroot, as college acceptance letters arrive nearly every day for Enroot seniors! This year, our 34 seniors were accepted to 30 different colleges and universities, received substantial scholarships, and are now tasked with making their final decisions. We recently held a workshop on "Making a wise choice" on how to interpret financial aid award letters and make a financially sound choice for post-secondary education. Congratulations to all of our seniors and thank you to all of our volunteers and funders for supporting them throughout the process!
Enroot seniors have been accepted to....
Brandeis, UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth, UMass Lowell, MCPHS, Suffolk, Lesley University, Bucknell University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Anna Maria College, Gordon College, Framingham State, Bridgewater State, Salem State, Regis College, American International College, Merrimack College, University of Miami, School of Visual Arts, Art Institute of Chicago, Drexel University, University of Hartford, Southern New Hampshire University, Roger Williams University, Clark University, Arizona University, Indiana University, Bunker Hill Community College
Over February and April school breaks, students toured UMass Boston, Framingham State University, and Lesley Universit. Somerville students explore local rock climbing spot, Brooklyn Boulders, and in Cambridge a number of students attended the Alumni of Color conference at Harvard with the theme, “radicalize, reimagine, reconstruct.”
Enroot students participate in after school professional internships that allow students to learn new skills and make connections in the community. Read the accounts of two of our Somerville students on their internship experience:
Laura*, 11th Grade, from Brazil:
"I had an internship interview at Somerville Community Schools Program organization. Before the interview I felt nervous and anxious, but in the middle the conversation I got more comfortable, and the interview went well. In the room we answered the questions together and I felt more easy, and another reason for my feeling comfortable was we practiced the questions in the Enroot program before the interview. They asked me what I want to improve and my answer was I want to improve and learn more about work with children, do some different activities, meet more people, and I want to improve my English."Camila*, 9th grade, from Brazil:
"I go to Somerville City Hall for my internship after school. I create tables on Excel, and enter required data. I organize files and folders in the office. I also highlight required data that I am asked for. I learned how to access and work with excel. I have learned how to keep myself organized. I interact with people at work, and I feel confident to talk to new people now. I would like to learn what is the data they give me to work with. Thanks Enroot for the opportunity to intern at City Hall."One of our internship supervisors summed up the experience from his perspective: "We had a great experience with our intern and we’re happy we were able to provide a learning environment for an Enroot student and look forward to hosting in the future!" We appreciate our internship partner sites for providing learning opportunities to our students.
*Names Changed
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