The Holidays at Yerwood
The Yerwood Center celebrated the holidays in the spirit of cooperation. Thanksgiving was a collaborative celebration with the Yerwood Scholars and the YMCA’s Lead and School’s out programs. A feast was served for all the children in the Yerwood Center gymnasium and each child participated by telling what they were thankful for.
Christmas for the Scholars included a visit from Santa and many donated gifts.
The Yerwood Center and the YMCA celebrated Kwanzaa as part of Stamford’s citywide observance of the holiday. The LEAD, Scholars and Schools Out students and their families participated in the observance of Ujamaa, the fourth day of Kwanza, dedicated to the principle of “Cooperative Economics”.
Yerwood Scholars had a new experience this holiday season. They learned about the Jewish celebration of Chanukah from their teachers. They had a Chanukah party where they ate latkes and played the draydel game.
Yerwood Scholars Program has started!
Yerwood Scholars is our after school program for children in grades K-5 that focuses on improving the academic performance of students by identifying their individual needs and works closely with students’ parents and the Stamford Public Schools. The Yerwood Scholars program has started its fourth year with over 50 students currently enrolled. Each day children come together at the Yerwood Center from eight elementary schools throughout Stamford. Each afternoon the children have snack, work on homework, participate in recreational activities, and receive academic support. The strong educational component of the after school program includes enrichment activities, academic reinforcement, daily progress reports, and computer training. Educational programs are also offered to children enrolled in Yerwood Scholars which include: the Saturday Academy for children in K-2 and a tutoring program- either Achievement Tech or KnowledgePoints for children in grades 3-5.
Halloween at Yerwood
A group of volunteers from Greenwich Academy visited our center and had a party with the Yerwood Scholars
Summer Reading Programs Celebrate Success
Students in the Yerwood Educational Summer (YES) Camp enjoyed two reading programs this summer. Students in grades K-2 participated in Pitney Bowes program, and those in grades 3-5 were in a program sponsored by the Workplace Council.
Pitney Bowes Lunch Celebration
Pitney Bowes sponsored reading programs for approximately 175 students at several summer programs around Stamford. Each week employees came to the center and read to the students. On August 5th they served a lunch for students from all the camps at Scalzi park which was enjoyed by all!
Workplace Volunteer Council Celebrates Completion of Summer Reading Program
Employees from eight Stamford companies spent an hour each week during the YES Camp with 3rd-5th grade students reading and discussing books. The Workplace Volunteer Council, run by the Volunteer Center of Southwestern Fairfield County (www.ucanhelp.org), organized the summer program. On August 5th, following their last tutoring session, a lunch celebration was held in the Yerwood Center gymnasium. We thank the Volunteer Center and all the volunteers from
EagleVision
GE
Hyperion
Kelley Drye
Lee Hecht Harrison
The Sheraton Stamford
Thomson
US Trust
Click Here to see all the Photographs!
Students Complete Entrepreneurship Training
The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (www.NFTE.com) teamed up with the Yerwood Center and Stamford YMCA to sponsor a month long summer training program for ninth and tenth grade students. NFTE's mission is to teach entrepreneurship to young people, ages 11 through 18, so they can become economically productive members of society by improving their academic, business, technology and life skills. Students learned the fundamentals of setting up a business, and then had the opportunity to develop their own business strategies. On Friday, August 1st, they competed with each other by presenting their business plans to a review panel of judges from local businesses at the UCONN Stamford campus. A great time was had by everyone!
Front Row: Nicolete King,
Shaddia Johnson, Ashley Smith
Second Row: Marc Fields, Joshua Smith, Terrell Dais
Third Row: Kennisha Coker, Xiomary Fonseca, Ryan Blackman
Standing: Teacher Paulette Penn
Winner Ashley Smith presents her Business Plan
Judges Review Business Plans
Lucy Baney President & CEO Access Technologies Group
Peter Crumbine Vice President Sempra Energy Trading
Jere C. Eaton Sales Executive Coca-Cola North America
Archie Elam* Office of the CEO GE Equiptment Management
Ab Ingram Principal Onaway Partners, LLC
Jackie Joseph-Silverstein* Director UCONN/Stamford
Kevin Mitchell Private Banking Citigroup
Rob Rosati VP of Finance Thomson Corporation
Rori Sagal Branch Manager Union State Bank
Mia E. Schipani Vice President Business Develop. Lee Hecht Harrison
Bart Stanco Chief Information Officer Gartner, Inc.
Mike Weinstein* President New Ventures Cadbury Schweppes
Keith Wimbush* Senior Client Partner Korn Ferry
*NFTE Board Members
UBS Warburg Hosts Event for Yerwood Educational Summer Camp
Eighty-five K-4th grade students from the Yerwood Educational Summer (YES) camp program were welcomed by UBS employees for a carnival like event held on UBS's front lawn. The event was reported in July 17th Stamford Advocate - "Children frolicked on the lawn, playing sports and games, such as the water-balloon toss and egg race. They snacked on hot dogs, chicken nugets, cookies, fruit, popcorn and ice cream. Thirty-eight employees of the UBS operations department volunteered for the event." The full article can be read here.
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CMT Preparation Classes Begun
Stamford's Community Center Collaboration, working in conjunction the the Stamford Partnership, has started a 7 week long series of classes for 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th grade students to help them prepare for this fall's Connecticut Mastery Tests. Certified teachers have been hired to teach Saturday sessions at the Yerwood Center (working with the YMCA), Chester Addison Community Center, Lathon Wider Community Center (at CTE), and Domus. Approximately 100 students are actively participating in the program.
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1st Annual Award
and Recognition Dinner
to be Held on April 22
Reception Begins at 5PM, Dinner Served at 7PM
The Yerwood Center’s 1st Annual Awards and Recognition Dinner will honor Bob King for his long term contributions to both the Center and the City of Stamford. The dinner and fundraising event will be held on April 22nd at the Holiday Inn Select from 6:00-9:00 PM and will include a silent auction. Mayor Malloy will be speaking at the dinner. Dinner will begin at 7:00 PM.
In addition, students from two programs are being recognized as “Student of the Year” - Chadquan Pennix, a seventh grader from Cloonan Middle School who is in the YMCA LEAD program at Yerwood, and Ciera Armstrong a second grader from Hart School who is in the Yerwood Scholars Program.
Individual tickets are available for $40. Corporate and group tables for 10 people are available as follows:
Gold $1,500
Silver $1,000
Bronze $ 500
To purchase tickets and tables -
By Phone: Contact Cecelia Crichlow at 1-(877)-430-9604
Online: Email your name, address, number of tickets or tables, and credit card information (VISA and MasterCard only) to Gordon Myers at YerwoodTickets@aol.com. Tickets will be mailed to you.
In Person: Tickets can be purchased at the Yerwood Center main desk.
By Mail: Mail your request to the address below stating the number of tickets or tables you desire. Include either a check made payable to "Yerwood Center Annual Dinner" or provide VISA or MasterCard information (number, expiration date, name on card and your signature).
Cecelia Crichlow
c/o GE Equipment Management
120 Long Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06927
Ordering an Advertisement in the Event Program: If you are interested in running an advertisement in the Event Program, click here
March Saturday Programs
Program activity has made Saturdays a busy day of the week at Yerwood this year! On March 22, the LINKS organization began its tutoring program for young women from Stamford; the program has grown significantly, and this year 70 girls are participating.
Computer literacy programs continues to expand at the Center. Weekend computer basics classes are being taught in Spanish by Omar Garro, and the laboratory is filled with individuals actively using the system.
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Joyce Yerwood's Life Highlighted in Stamford Advocate Article
Joyce Yerwood's life and contributions to the City of Stamford were the focus of an article in February 28th's Stamford Advocate. Much of the story was based on a fascinating letter she wrote her sister, Connie, in July, 1977. The letter describes many aspects of both of their lives and provides an vivid image of her close family relationships. The opening paragraph reflects her joy of life -
"I don’t know where the years have gone! They’ve melted away as the snow does when the warm sun kisses it’s gleaming white coat. It seems just yesterday, doesn’t it? – that we played in the mud or you sat, reading to me (I LOVED that!), or I climbed trees while you sat below sewing doll’s clothes and telling me that I would fall. You’ve always been wise. I offtimes did just that!"
The article and the full text of her letter are available below. To download to your computer, right click and select "Save Target As..."
Joyce Yerwood's Letter to Her Sister Stamford Advocate Article About Joyce Yerwood
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GE Capital - YMCA LEAD Mentoring Program at Yerwood Described in Stamford Advocate Article
Elisee Sezan, a GE Capital employee originally from West Africa, was highlighted for her volunteer work mentoring students as part of the YMCA LEAD program at the Yerwood Center. Over 100 middle and high school students participate in this academically focused program which works with students and helps them achieve their goal of attending college after high school. GE Capital's eight week mentoring program allows the students to work closely with GE employees. Its intent is to change the mind-set of many youths growing up in disadvantaged backgrounds. "We want them to feel like they are on a road to success; that they don't have to feel like they have to live it one day at a time; that they can set goals and achieve them," said Karen Charles, LEAD program coordinator.
To see the entire article, click here
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Hispanic Computer Programs Expand at Yerwood
Omar Garro, Yerwood's Technology Coordinator and Hispanic Program Outreach manager, reports major success with both the ESL training and Hispanic Internet courses being taught. Twenty-nine students have completed the computer fundamentals course. In addition, 128 individuals from 13 different countries are actively using the computer laboratory.
