Preparing for Success in College and the World at Large
Being a teenager has always been a challenge, but perhaps now more than ever, and it is particularly difficult when you live in a community that lacks resources and role models. As the father of twin teenagers, I can attest that even teens with parents who are willing and able to help will seek out caring adults outside of the home who open doors for them and help them find their footing. At the Y, linking teens with a caring adult is a highly intentional process. Our programs are designed to provide the unique support for each young person we work with to help them discover their talents and find fulfilling opportunities to match.
In the case of 18-year-old Ahmya Dickens, this person was Kevin Salter, the Y Next Generation Scholars Program Manager at Reginald F. Lewis High School, a Y Community School.
“I was new to Baltimore when I started high school and I didn’t know anybody. I then met Mr. Salter. Without him, I’m not sure I would be on the path to go to college and I definitely wouldn’t know about a lot of different opportunities that were available to me,” says Ahmya.
Ahmya was one of 24 students who recently graduated from our Next Generation Scholars program, a state-funded effort that helps prepare students to be college-ready. Y Next Generation Scholars programs operate at Frederick Douglass High, Forest Park High, Patterson High and Reginald F. Lewis High, all Y Community Schools located in Baltimore City.
“Next Gen helped me with career readiness and with getting a job over summer. Mr. Salter was one of my references before I had any actual job experience! The program also taught me about the importance of mindfulness and physical and mental health. The program even supported me in getting my driver’s license!” shares Ahmya.
Next Gen Scholars is part of a continuum of Y youth development programs that keep students engaged and supported along their journey into adulthood. No matter how or where they enter into the Y community, our goal is to keep them positively engaged and supported for success in school and in life.
For Ahmya, part of her Y experience included being invited to join other teens to take part in the Y Freedom Riders program in 2022.
This uniquely curated tour mimics the original Freedom Ride bus trips that took place through the American South in 1961 to protest segregation of bus terminals. Each summer, Y youth visit ten southern states, touring places that were seminal in the civil rights movement. The goal is to give the students a first-hand understanding of the civil rights movement and its profound influence on society and culture today.
“The people I met throughout my Freedom Ride experience were amazing. I learned so much about my own history and now understand more about how things have changed and evolved. I’m so thankful to the Y for giving me that opportunity.”
This year’s cohort of Freedom Riders are in route. They sent us these (and many more) pictures from their trip:
As for Ahmya, she is on her way to Delaware State University and could not be happier! “Right now I’m in a summer academy acceleration program at Delaware. This would not have been possible without the support of the Y. Honestly; I was not even on the college path when I entered high school. I was so excited when Ms. Nadeen from the Y handed me my college pack! I’m so thankful.”
Ahmya is just one of the thousands of young people the Y supports every day. The amazing Kevin Salter, and his many colleagues, are the real heroes, as he and they act as “that one special adult” helping impressionable young people realize their potential.
If you would like to know more about Y Youth Development programs, please take a few minutes to listen to a recent interview conducted by Jayne Miller of WBAL radio with our very own Charmayne Turner, Vice President of Operations for Youth Development.
All the best,
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland