update from the bronx

More than seven months into Year 1 of our Hunt’s Point College Pathways Program at St. Ignatius School, we are thrilled by the dedication and growth of our students.  With 17 classes and four practice exams under their belts, the students have enhanced their skills, grown more comfortable with the exam, and raised their baseline scores by an average of more than 140 points.  Below, we hear from Genesis Rodriguez, a sophomore at Cristo Rey NY High School in East Harlem...
 
It’s not always easy having to commit to things. At about this time last year, students from the Bronx, who attended middle school at St. Ignatius School in Hunts Point, were offered the opportunity to take SAT classes before they take the SAT exam during our junior year of high school. As high school students, we get carried away with the things we can do. After a long day of work or a long day of school we sometimes just want to go home. We want to go home and go straight to bed! But we know we must be responsible young adults who do things that benefit us in the future. Things that can help us be the greatest versions of ourselves.

​Coming from the Bronx, we’ve seen that the type of education some students get is not so great.  If we can make a change in our families by going to school, thriving in school, and aiming to go to college, we are making a difference right there. We want to be sons and daughters who can provide for our families in the future. From Hispanic descent, we understand that not all our parents were able to finish high school or even afford to go to college. So, with this being said, I can say that we are very grateful to have the opportunity to enhance our SAT skills. Even if it means taking a 7am train tomorrow morning (on a Saturday!) to get to our next practice exam.