It’s that time again… time to wish a hearty and slightly tearful congratulations to all of our girls who graduated from the Girls Write Now program this June! This year’s class of mentees, our biggest yet at 75, graced the stage at Scholastic to throw their metaphorical caps in the air.
We’re incredibly proud of all of our graduating mentees, and while some will be back with us in the fall, our seniors are moving on to even bigger and brighter futures. 100% of them graduate from high school, with acceptances to colleges such as New York University, The New School University, Hunter College, Manhattanville College, New York City College of Technology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Bard College, University of Bridgeport, Mercy College and more!
Our girls also earned an astonishing number of scholarships, including the Albert Shanka Scholarship, Xavier Scholarship, NYU College of Nursing Scholarship, the Peter Jay Sharp Scholarship, the Lang Dean’s Scholarship, the Manhattanville Presidential Scholarship, the Performance Award Scholarship, a Girls Inc. Award, the Kaad Scholarship, and a Challenge Grant.
Meet some of the departing seniors!
Mentee Ireen is moving on up to SUNY Plattsburgh in the fall. Of her mentor Nancy, Ireen says: “When we laid eyes on each other I knew she was the one!” while Nancy says “It was my destiny to work with Ireen Hossain.” In May, Ireen got up on stage in front of a crowd of 200+ and told us how riding the subway shows her the world beyond and previews her dreams for the future.
We’re also bidding adieu to Andreina, who will be starting a new chapter at New York City College of Technology this fall. Andreina and Heather have worked together for two years, and Andreina says “I will truly miss our time together, but I know we will still keep in touch!” Don’t miss Andreina and Heather’s hilarious and painfully true piece about what it’s like to have a crush.
Finally, after three years with Girls Write Now, Kristasiah is moving on to the University of Bridgeport and saying goodbye to weekly meetings with her mentor Jodi. But we know they won’t be strangers — this year, Jodi says, “I realized I had earned a place in her life as more than her mentor: as her friend.” Watch as Kristasiah thrilled and chilled us earlier this year with her murder mystery fiction:
Once more with feeling, congratulations to all of our girls! Enjoy your new adventures and stay in touch — we know you’ll be doing amazing things and can’t wait to see how you’ll wow the world next.