Four rising seniors at New Rochelle High School have been chosen to participate in the highly selective My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Fellows program offered through the New York State Education Department. During the rigorous, year-long commitment, the students will develop leadership skills, network with adults and peers across the state, make a difference in their school and community, receive mentorship, build a college resume, and have the potential to access grants and scholarships for higher education.
Fifteen students from New Rochelle High School were nominated for the MBK Fellows program, and seven completed the formal application. The four students selected are Ezekiel Ankrah, Juan M. Barajas, Stephen Philippeau, and Hector Jesus Suarez. They will be inducted, along with peers from dozens of high schools across the state, in a virtual symposium scheduled for next month.
Activities will begin in September, said Interim Assistant Principal Rachel Cornelius, who serves as coordinator of the high school’s MBK Fellows program. Students will participate in statewide meetings called Mastermind calls, where they will discuss books they have been assigned and share ideas and experiences. The four also will meet regularly with their mentors at the high school, Zachary Crisp, Tyquan Franks, Alprentice McCutchen, and Ramon Rosado.
“We’re very proud of the four young men who were chosen to take advantage of this remarkable opportunity,” said Cornelius. “I know these students will learn so much from this experience, and that they will use it to develop not only personally and academically, but also to benefit our school and community.”
The MBK Fellows program was established by the state in 2018 to provide rising seniors, especially boys and young men of color, with opportunities to gain authentic leadership experiences and to develop service projects beneficial to the schools they attend and the communities they live in.