|
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to provide academically motivated students from under-resourced New York City high schools with a three-year summer program of enriched academic and cultural activities; to promote connections between CSSP students and families in our community; and to help prepare our students for college and expose them to career options to support their future personal success. |
In Solidarity: A message to the CSSP Community
Dear CSSP Family & Supporters:
We would like to express our love for our CSSP students and alumni and recognize that they are on the front line of the pandemic that has swept this nation. Yes, there is the Covid-19 pandemic, that has hit NYC the hardest, and the Bronx in particular, which our students call home. Yet there is a centuries old pandemic, one of racism and hatred, that hasn’t always been front and center in the national psyche. That is until now, with the tragic killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others. In this watershed moment, we recognize that many of our young CSSP students are also at the front line of this pandemic of racism and injustice. We stand in solidarity and love with our students and their families as we all demand justice and change. Our world is asking a lot of our young people, in the midst of a global pandemic, being isolated from their schools and friends, and now having to experience the nation face up to the plague of systemic racism, all right on their front doorstep. As individuals, as a nation we must do better. The time is now. We stand arm and arm with our students, declaring Black Lives Matter, as we look to a more just future.
As we look outward to the world to demand justice and change, we also use this time to look inward at our CSSP program and reflect. CSSP asks itself what can we do? While our volunteer program is an academic and cultural enrichment program, the heart of CSSP is the connections between host families, students, teachers and the community that is built from that. Learning about each other’s diverse experiences breeds understanding and empathy. This is the glimmer of hope in these dark times, that our meaningful connections will lead the way to a brighter shared future of equal justice, and a path toward ending systemic racism in our world. We will continue to work towards how we can confront racism in our own community and keep finding ways to promote more connections and understanding from within our program.
When reflecting on the wonderful CSSP students and alumni, our hearts are lightened with hope, because we know that these young people are the answer to a more just future for our country. Their willingness to face adversity, try new things, challenge themselves, and leave their comfort zone each summer gives us great confidence that they can lead the way for their peers and us all. CSSP students broaden our horizons as much as our program has expanded theirs and for that we are deeply grateful.
In the recent words of President Barack Obama, “Build a community. No one does big things by themselves….So be alive to one another’s struggles. Stand up for one another’s rights. Leave behind all the old ways of thinking that divide us - sexism, racial prejudice, status, greed- and set the work on a different path”. The proud CSSP community we have all built is here to help forge that path together to end racism and injustice. History does indeed have it’s eyes on all of us, let’s show them what we’ve got.
With peace and resolve to work for a better and more loving world,
The CSSP Board
Ellen Adnopoz
Nancy Silver
Fran Alexander
Josh Culwell-Block
Inara de Leon
Amy Echelman
Jennifer Fahey
Jennifer Mebes Flagg
Claire Gilvar
Stephanie George
Nadine Graham
Helen Harrison
Corinne Menn
Tom Scholl
Camp Shropshire
CSSP Seniors 2020We celebrate our CSSP seniors and their upcoming graduation from high school. They are on to great things! Here are some of the schools that are lucky enough to get our wonderful students in the fall!
50 years of CSSPOn November 4, 2018 we honored Nancy Stein and celebrated 50 years of CSSP! Check out the video below.
|
SUmmer 2020 UpdateThe Board has given this much thought and we feel that with social distancing still in place and nearly every activity and business shut down, we are doubtful we can hold the program in Chappaqua this July. However, the CSSP Board members agree that it is crucial that we continue CSSP and we will move to an online academic and cultural experience. We have been working hard to preserve as much of the program for the summer as possible. We want to continue to provide our students with the skills and tools that they will need to succeed in their academic career. We also will be providing all the college resources that have been so useful to our graduates in the past. We are working out the details of what the online experience would be. We are thrilled that all of our CSSP teachers have agreed to return and they are currently working on their particular online curriculum-- Shakespeare, STEM, and Creative Writing. Our dates will be Monday, July 6 to Thursday, July 30. We think it would be fun and also productive to devote one day to activities like dance, art, cooking and filmmaking classes or other experiences, like a talent show, TikTok competition, or movie night. We are very much hoping that host families would like to be a part of our summer by connecting with our students as we feel that these relationships are more important now than ever. We are considering different ideas for this . We are certainly open to any ideas that you might have. Starting with a Zoom dinner?! We have reached out to each of our returning students to let them know that we are available to help with whatever they might need. We will be providing laptops to those who do not have one and hot spots to those with poor internet service. While understandably disappointed, they are very happy to continue our program. Thank you for your continued support. Please understand that was an extremely difficult decision but we know that we need to move forward for our students. Onward to our 52nd summer! If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me, and we will be in touch either this week or next. Warmest regards, Ellen Adnopoz Executive Director Chappaqua Summer Scholarship Program " CSSP is a jewel in the crown of Chappaqua. I know from experience what it means to have someone reach out a hand to help a stranger." The Chappaqua Summer Scholarship Program (CSSP) has been in existence since 1968. Each summer we invite 22-24 promising students from under resourced schools in the Bronx to join our community. The program is possible because Chappaqua families open their homes up to host these wonderful students . Our goal is to prepare them for the rigors of college and beyond. For three consecutive years, these specially selected students attend academic classes at one of the Chappaqua schools in the mornings and participate in a range of recreational and cultural activities in the afternoon. The Program's primary objective is to broaden the students' horizons and widen their vision of the world while letting them see that there can be a bright, happy future ahead.
CSSP students have gone on to attend many wonderful schools including: Babson, Brandeis, City College, Dartmouth, Fordham, Howard, Hunter,Pomona, RPI, SUNY Albany, Binghamton and Stony Brook, Trinity, UVM, Vassar and Wesleyan. Our graduates have joined the work force in a multitude of professions. We have doctors, teachers, engineers, counselors and nurses among our alumni. Equally important, many graduates themselves are involved with community service. Several alumni have returned over the years to speak to our students about their lives and work. CSSP is financially supported through contributions from the Chappaqua community. The program is entirely run by volunteers. |