Our 2018 Graduate A BETTER CHANCE OF WESTPORT
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A BETTER CHANCE OF WESTPORT
SUMMER 2018 NEWSLETTER
www.abetterchanceofwestport.org
Our 2018 Graduate
Jarod Ferguson
When I was first accepted to A Better Chance of Westport, I was in 8th grade, and I did
not know what to expect. I had never been away from Philadelphia for more than a
month at that point, and I did not know if I was ready to live on my own. I knew the
values that my parents instilled in me would serve me well, but how well would having
good manners be when you’re too homesick to even talk to anyone? The farthest north I
had ever been was my aunt’s house in Harlem. I had never even heard of Westport,
Connecticut. But little did I know that that little town in Fairfield County would change
my life in ways that I could never imagine.
Growing up in West Philadelphia had its challenges. And my mom knew that high school
in Philly would be a different animal, one that even she couldn’t handle alone. That’s
where ABC Westport comes in. The program has given me a safe haven where I can
grow up without any of those fears that I had in Philly. Fears such as, “What is going to go on on this bus today?” And “Will I
be able to go out with my friends, without cops profiling me?” Because I am in this program, these are things I don’t have to
think about, and I want to thank the program for giving my family and me that peace of mind.
Sports has been a big part of my life. Whether it has been watching my favorite team, the Eagles, with my dad or playing
basketball at the park with my friends, sports and I are like peanut butter and jelly: they just go well with each other. Little did
I know that sports would help me adjust to Staples as well as I did. I remember at lunch during the first week of school, I
overheard some guys talking about the upcoming NFL season, and I was appalled. They obviously did not have the football
acumen that I did, and I sat down to correct them and gave my opinion. Mind you, I did not even know these guys, but since I
knew football so well, I felt comfortable to sit with these strangers and talk about football for a half an hour. Those strangers
are now my best friends and because of that day I gained enough confidence to branch out and find more friends. And the
rest is history. I’ve been able to connect with so many different types of people from all parts of the country and even parts of
the world, and I think that all stems from that August day freshmen year when I gathered enough courage to talk about how
the Giants are not better than the Philadelphia Eagles. A statement that is still true to this day.
Furthermore, before I was an ABC scholar, I thought that getting help from others was not manly and showed weakness. Oh,
how wrong I was. I would not be here if I did not receive help from the many kind and patient people that are involved with
ABC. I’d especially like to thank my host families, the Wolfes and the Greenbergs. I have to admit I was a little skeptical about
the whole host family program but I was blessed by not one, but two great host families. You all are a very big reason why I
am the happy, accomplished and confident person I am today. I will miss you both and the Sundays and weekends we spent
together. Latisha and Rodney, our resident directors, thank you for creating a home for me where I could grow and be
comfortable in my own skin and for being the best role models I could ask for. Finally, to my family– Mom, Dad, and
Imani—thank you for all of your support in getting me here.
When people ask me what will graduating as an ABC scholar feel like, I’ll say it’s like climbing Everest. Something that is hard
to do and something that not everyone can do. Like climbing Everest, it will be a long journey and at times it will seem like it’s
a never ending journey. Not everyone who tries to climb Everest makes it all the way up. It takes special people to accomplish
such a feat. But like doing any big task, like climbing Everest, it takes a team. But I know that I have a great team with me here
at ABC. I know that reaching the summit of Everest will be my greatest accomplishment so far, but I have many more
mountains to climb. Luckily, I’ll have my team to help me climb them.
Meet our Scholars
Darby Aurelien
SHS Class of 2019
I am a junior from Teaneck, New Jersey. I enjoy swimming, playing basketball, and I play rugby for
Staples during the spring season. My hobbies include drawing, fishing, listening to music, and playing
instruments. My favorite school courses are math and science. I am so fortunate and grateful for the
constant support and motivation I receive every day. Following the rest of my time here, I hope to
grow individually and further broaden my presence to give back to such a wonderful and generous
community. I would like to thank our resident directors, Rodney and Latisha, our marvelous tutors,
Kristina and Kevin, and my amazing host families, the Suggs and the Foxes, for making me feel at
home.
David Li
SHS Class of 2019
I am a junior from Queens, New York. My hobbies include playing basketball, listening to music, and
creating art. I have played basketball, rugby and run outdoor track and field for Staples and have
played rec basketball. In school, I enjoy my science and math classes. ABC of Westport has helped
me grow as a person and allowed me to learn how to open up to a completely new environment.
There are so many different resources that I can look to for help and having the Morellis as my host
family helps a great deal. I hope to take hold of all the opportunities I can and to achieve success.
Diego De Léon
SHS Class of 2020
I am from Santa Ana, CA and am a sophomore at Staples High School. My passions include cross
country/track and field and playing the alto saxophone. I am also a part of the Staples Teen
Awareness Group (TAG) where we raise awareness about drunk driving, substance abuse, and overall
wellness. That being said, doing these activities on top of academics can be stressful, and the program
does an excellent job in helping me. The RDs, Latisha and Rodney, set a warm atmosphere in the
house, and I appreciate the board members and my host families, the Cerritos and the Hinojos, who
spend time with me, being my friends and resources of knowledge, skills, and advice. I am very
blessed to have these people in my life. After a tough transition, the decision to join A Better Chance
of Westport is one of the best ones I have ever made. I have unveiled my potential to myself and the
community, and I shall not fear the hardships to come, for I know I have plenty of support from
great people.
Yoel Hooper-Antunez
SHS Class of 2020
I'm a sophomore from Tustin, California. My favorite course is history class and I play the tenor
saxophone in band. I'm also in Yearbook and Debate Club year-round, and I wrestle during the
winter. I am thankful for academic support from the board, and I value the guidance I receive from
my generous host families, the Withingtons and the Portmans, and my resident directors, Rodney and
Latisha Williams. The board and our tutors, Kevin and Kristina, help to keep me on track and reach
my goals while my resident directors and host families guide me on my journey in Westport with their
constant support. Nasir Wynruit
SHS Class of 2021
I am currently a freshman from Lexington, SC. I was born and raised in Jersey City until I was 7, which is
when I moved down to SC. My experience of Westport has been wonderful. I receive a warm welcome
from everyone I meet, and I see genuinely happy expressions from all members of ABC. I have begun to
create memories when participating in Staples Players, as well as the Math Team and Latin Club. I would
like to sincerely thank my amazing resident directors, Rodney and Latisha, and my host families, the
Lynches and the Ziskins, for creating a friendly environment where I can feel safe. I would also like to
thank everyone on the ABC board for building such a fantastic program. With their support, I have
worked through and will continue to work through challenges to find great success.
Introducing our New Scholars
Samir Mott
Samir hails from East Orange, New Jersey, where he lives with his mother, a high school
guidance counselor, and attends the Hudson School, an independent day school in Hoboken,
NJ. Samir commutes to school by train each day. Although happy in his present school, Samir
sought out the ABC program to expand his horizons, and take on new challenges. Samir has
especially enjoyed Chess Club, Boy Scouts, and a class in entrepreneurship during his middle
school years. Like many students his age, Samir is learning to juggle all of his interests and
academic demands. Samir’s teachers have described him as an “engaging young man of
character and integrity, who exercises strong and accurate logical thinking.” He is also
described as “expansive, creative and often commanding.” During our interview process, Samir shared his
enthusiasm and open spirit with our entire committee and the current scholars. We are all looking forward to
welcoming Samir as he enters the Staples class of 2022 as an ABC Westport Scholar.
Jalen St. Fort
Jalen comes to us from South Orange, New Jersey, where he attends public school and lives
with his mother, Nekia Lewis, and his younger brother, Cameron. Jalen is a committed and
passionate mid-distance runner, who participates in AAU and USAT meets across the country.
When not running, Jalen is involved with Model United Nations and Debate Team. All of his
extra curricular activities have enabled Jalen to travel across the country and meet people from
various walks of life. He is thrilled to be joining ABC Westport and looks forward to attending
Staples High School as a member of the class of 2022.
Thank you to our Scholar Selection Committee for their
hard work and dedication:
Bill Blank. Lee Bollert, Eric Fischman, Maggie Gomez, Jill Greenberg,
Zulma Heidelberg, Joanne Heller, Martha Mintzer, Michele Mitnick, Eric Seidman,
David Sochol, and Latisha and Rodney Williams.
Year in Review 2017-2018
It has been another great year for our program. We were thrilled that our scholars participated in many varied activities
throughout the year – in sports, extra-curricular, or cultural activities. Our goal is to broaden the scholars’ experiences and
help them find their passions. And by the way, doing well academically is pretty
important too!
The year kicked off by attending the Anti-Defamation League’s Voices concert. The
scholars enjoyed the concert, but they also appreciated speaking with Assistant
Director Andy Friedland about the important work the League does, specifically
concerning race and bullying. Andy is the son of Lisa Friedland, one of our program
founders, so it was nice for him to return to Glendarcy House and meet our current
scholars.
The Fall Gathering is a tradition everyone looks forward to just as the weather starts
2017-18 ABC Scholars
to cool off. Organized by our resident director, Latisha Williams, who started this
tradition three years ago, we welcome the other local ABC Programs in Connecticut to join in a fun afternoon of good food,
hanging out and a few competitive relay races. This year nearly 70 people joined in the fun fall activity. Naturally our
Westport scholars won this year’s trophy in the races. We look forward to another event this fall.
Our scholars had a career day at Modern Bank in New York City thanks to Curt Lueker. They learned about the banking
industry and heard about a client relationship with a clothing company. They asked great questions and gained a better
understanding of the finance world. Additionally, they ate lunch in a NYC boardroom, which was a new and fun experience.
As always, our scholars have taken their academics seriously and have done very
nicely in their classes. Our scholars have repeatedly earned first and second
honors throughout the year. They take high-level classes, and in fact, this year as
a group they were scheduled for no less than 17 honors-level/AP classes! That is
pretty impressive.
An overnight trip to New York City was organized at the end of January. They
visited several museums and had a fun time on the Intrepid. They also saw
STOMP and had a chance to meet the cast after the show.
Visiting the Intrepid in NYC
Our ABC scholars are involved in all sorts of extracurricular activities! Jose joined
the freshman football team, having never played football before. Diego runs all
three seasons of track and is a member of TAG. Yoel is on the wrestling team, and is also involved with the Debate Club and
Yearbook. Darby is a member of Builders Beyond Borders and traveled on a service trip to the Dominican Republic over
spring break. He also plays rugby. David takes art and piano lessons, plays basketball and runs track. Nasir is involved with
Math Club, Latin Club and joined Staples Players on their tech crew. Jarod, our senior, is involved with the Staples Radio
where he broadcasts many of the sporting events, including football and basketball.
Music is important at ABC as well. You can often hear someone practicing an instrument in
the afternoons or early evenings. Several of the guys play piano, while two play saxophone in
the band. We are thankful to Chris Coogan, host parent and local musician, for donating an
electronic keyboard to the ABC house. The guys love practicing and working on new beats
and electronic sounds.
We strongly encourage our scholars to give back to the
community. This year they once again volunteered their time to Darby and Nasir play the piano
help the Rotary Club with LobsterFest. Yoel and Jose have also
tutored throughout the year with the After School Academic Program, through Homes with
Hope. In the spring, we worked alongside the SLOBS on Spring Clean-up Day to make the
Glendarcy House property look its best. Thank you to the SLOBs for all of your help.
Of course, all this hard work and fun happens with the support of a very dedicated board of
directors, volunteers and an extremely supportive community. Whether it’s driving, donating,
helping with pre-college support, medical care, house maintenance, or volunteering as host
Diego and Nasir plant flowers for families, we couldn’t do it without all of you. You inspire us to keep the program strong and
Spring Clean-up Day
moving forward.
Dream Event 2018
The Dream Event found a new home this year- Rolling Hills Country Club. It was held on March 17th and was a very
memorable evening. Adding to the excitement of a new location were our new chairmen, Joanne DiNapoli, head chair, and
Merideth Haas, her co-chair. Their ideas and spin on the event including the wish list, the silent auction - put together
beautifully by Stacey Henske - and the addition of a professional auctioneer gave it a fresh look. Other committee members
who were instrumental in the evening’s success were Jackie Breeden, the advertising chair, and Lori Sochol, the technical
chair. We were fortunate to see a lot of new faces in the crowd and hopefully they learned something about our program.
This was our 15th Dream Event and our 16th year as an organization, and it is always a good feeling to be able to educate
people on what opportunities we offer to our ABC scholars and hear from them about their time spent in Westport.
The evening was opened by our master of ceremonies, Savion Agard, one of our 2007 ABC
graduates. His humor and effervescent nature had the crowd laughing and crying, often at the same
time. It was apparent we were in for a joyful and celebratory evening. In addition to Savion, we were
joined by eight other alumni: Charles Winslow (’09), Ruben Guardado (’14), Khaliq Sanda (’14), Luis
Cruz (’15), Adrian Belvitt (’16), Thomas Jones (’16), Christopher Morales (’16), and Mannasses
Ogutu (’17). It is always a treat to have them return and catch us up on their lives since leaving
Westport.
MC Savion Agard Next, we premiered our “This is ABC” video, created by Dan Woog and
Susan Woog Wagner. It is a project which tells “the ABC story.” Dan talked with scholars and their
parents, host families, resident directors, tutors, drivers, founders, board members, the chef and others
and Susan took their pictures. The video is a snapshot of “the story behind the story of an important,
enduring institution – one that impacts Westport, and the world far beyond our borders.” Dan also
featured full profiles in his blog and highlighted our group leading up to the evening. Thanks to Dan,
Susan and everyone involved in this impactful project.
Ruben Guardado
Following the video, we were fortunate enough to have two
college graduates regale us with brilliant
speeches. Khaliq (Duke ’18) reminded us
that we all deal with metaphoric barriers and
walls in our lives every day but that “the
means in which we overcome our barrier is
the most important part of the journey.”
And Ruben (University of Southern
California ’18) reminisced about how the
entire Westport community embraced him
during his time here – “My relationships Chairs Merideth Haas and Joanne DiNapoli with
Merrill Boehmer, Marjorie Almansi, John Dumke, Rodney
fostered in Westport transformed me into a VP of Fundraising, Michele Mitnick
Williams, Kristina Harvey, Latisha Williams and Kevin different young man by the end of my high school career…most importantly I
Green enjoying the event
found a community that I can always call a second home.” We thank them both
for being a part of our program and for returning to Westport to once again be part of our family, if only for a short time.
Along with Ruben, Khaliq and Jarod’s speeches, there was a lot of fundraising. The Dream Event is our major fundraiser for
the year and our live auction, blitz and silent auction raised the necessary funds to keep our program strong and in good
shape financially. Thanks to the many volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes soliciting sponsors, ads and auction
items. We are looking forward to next year’s event and hope to see you there!
Save the date for
next year’s event!
March 30, 2019
Current scholars and alumni strike a pose
The Scholars’ Summer Plans
With a school year packed with hard work behind them, the scholars are looking forward to a variety of interesting summer
experiences.
Jarod, our graduate, will be focused on preparing for his freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh. Yoel and Diego, our
rising juniors, hope to gain some memorable experiences – and some extra spending money - by taking on summer jobs.
Yoel has lined up a spot at Disneyland, where he also worked last summer and during the holidays, while Diego is still on
the hunt for something that works for him. Diego will also be fitting in a week at Gettysburg College’s Camp Psych, where
he’ll explore his interest in psychology, learning about cutting edge issues and research in the field and engaging in research
himself. For Nasir, our rising sophomore, the focus will be on his family after his first year away from home.
Generous assistance from ABC National, The Experiment in International Living (“The Experiment”), and Adventures
Cross Country (“ARCC”) is making it possible for us to send our rising seniors on exciting summer trips. David, an
accomplished artist, will be exploring his interest in anime and manga through a program sponsored by The Experiment in
Japan. He’ll work with professional artists and student animators in Tokyo. And he’ll have the opportunity to immerse
himself in the Japanese culture both there and during a homestay on Hokkaido, Japan’s second-largest island – visiting sites
like temples and museums, and participating in experiences like a cooking class and a tea ceremony. Darby, who participated
in a Builders Beyond Borders trip over April break, will be further developing his interest in community service on an
ARCC trip to Hawaii. He’ll assist with farm-to-school and sustainable gardening projects, as well as mentoring at a boys and
girls club. The program will give him the opportunity to learn about – and contribute to – a beautiful locale most people see
only as tourists.We’ll be looking forward to reports from all the guys about summers well spent.
Updates from our Alumni
Our alumni are scattered all over the USA … California, Illinois, Florida,
Washington, D.C., New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Minnesota and North & South Carolina. We had nine undergrad students of
which three have since graduated. Ruben Guardado with a BS from University
of Southern California, Stephan Patterson with a BA at University of
Pittsburgh and Khaliq Sanda with a BS from Duke University. Emerson
Lovell and Chukwuma Onyebuenyi are both pursuing advanced degrees.
Emerson just finished his second year at Howard University School of Law,
and Chukwuma has completed his second year at the University of North
Carolina School of Medicine. Ruben’s family with Nancy Yates and Bob Andrews (host
family) and Lori and David Sochol
The career paths of many of our older alumni
are diverse, creative and challenging. Felix Mayes is the Associate Education Director at
Mudlark Theater Company in Chicago. Jay Dodd is a writer and will be teaching creative
writing in communities along the East Coast. Stephan has a fellowship position at an urban
leadership organization called Pulse in
Pittsburgh. Charles Winslow is the co-
founder of WellTraveled, LLC, a project and
challenge-based, travel education company.
Stephan and his family on graduation day Savion Agard is a senior technical recruiter
in Newport, CA.
There is no question that keeping up with our expanding roster of alumni,
soon to be 23 alums, is a very difficult task. They continue to pursue
challenging career opportunities across the country. For more information
about our alumni, please visit the alumni page on our website:
www.abetterchanceofwestport.org/alumni. Khaliq’s family with Lori and David Sochol
GET INVOLVED!
www.abetterchanceofwestport.org
BECOME A HOST FAMILY!
A Better Chance of Westport offers so many opportunities to get involved with our program...but perhaps none are more
deeply personal than becoming a host family to one of our scholars.
The process is simple: two host families are assigned to each incoming scholar,
who spends each Sunday and one weekend per month sharing time in their
homes. Host families provide comfort and support outside of the ABC house and
a connection to the kind of family life the boys have left behind in their
hometowns.
Our scholars speak vividly about the experience, and the bonds that develop
between them and their host families (which often last well beyond their years in
Westport).
Nasir with his family and host family, the Lynches
We're looking for families interested in hosting beginning this fall!
Contact us today at abchostfamilies@gmail.com to learn more.
Darby and his host family, Pat
Diego and his host dad, Adrian Hinojos and Anne Marie Fox
BECOME A VOLUNTEER DRIVER!
Have you ever wondered how our scholars get from A to B to C? The answer is a team of dedicated drivers who
volunteer to drive to and from the usual after school activities - sports practices, music lessons, the Y, haircuts,
and sessions at “F&B.”
Driving is a great introduction to A Better Chance and a fun way to get to know the scholars. You can drive as
often as your availability allows.
A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO THIS YEAR’S VOLUNTEER DRIVERS!
Volunteer Coordinator Chairs: Daphne Lewis & Rhonda Payne
Marjorie Almansi Joanne Heller Karen Kleine Jodi Reiner
Nancy Barrer Katie Heller Sheryl Lawrence Eric Seidman
Anne Marie Fox Sarah Hickson Wendy Melnick Lori Sochol
Lisa Friedland Shira Honigstein Arthur Mintzer Nancy Yates
Mary Ellen Gallagher Karen Howes Martha Mintzer The Clarke Family
Edward Gerber Kim Hunter Michele Mitnick The Lynch Family
Liz Greenberg Peggy Kamins Andrea Pecoriello The Vosper Family
Although affiliated with the national A Better Chance program, A Better Chance of Westport is
self-supporting and managed by volunteers from the community. To find out how you can get involved by joining a
committee or serving on the Board of Directors, email us at
info@abetterchanceofwestport.org.
P.O. Box 2153
Westport, CT 06880
THANK YOU TO: 2018-2019 BOARD OF A Better Chance thanks the
DIRECTORS
Bolton Valley
Cheryl Sugel, Millie Rae's Joanne Heller, Co-President entire Westport community for
Chris Coogan Michele Mitnick, Co-President
Sally Judd, VP Admin
its
Deirdre Doran
Earl Capuano - HFA Assemblers
Michael Wolfe, VP Fundraising continued support!
Debbie Katz, Scholar Services
Eileen Ogintz, TakingtheKids.com Rhonda Payne, Recording Secretary
First Impressions Orthodontics, Cass Burrell, DMD Pam Troy-Kopack, Co-Treasurer Find us on Facebook at
Freudigman & Billings Lisa Lesher, Co-Treasurer Facebook.com/ABCofWestport
Janice Gilland Lee Saveliff, Academic Liaison
Jessica Sochol Dana Langham, Compliance to get the latest news!
James Marpe Liz Greenberg, Corr. Sec./Database
Lisa Lewin, Facebook Andrea Pecoriello, Database
Lori Sochol, Website Joanne DiNapoli, Dream Event
Nancy Ruzow Graphics Denise Zack, Dream Event Visit our website
Pamela Einarsen Photography Mary Ellen Gallagher, Facilities www.abetterchanceofwestport.org
Rob Sylvan, Keys John Withington, Facilities to learn more about our program.
Roe Halper Donisha Diagne, Grant Writing
Scott Rochlin General Contractors, LLC Laura Nissim, Health Services
Staples High School Debra Poulley, Health Services
Maggie Gomez, Staples Liaison Gretchen Johanns, Host Families
Service League of Boys (SLOBs) Suzanne Propp, Host Families
Marjorie Almansi, Personnel
Susie and Scott Klau
Nancy Portman, PR/Marketing
Village Pediatrics
The Westport Inn
Curt Lueker, PR/Marketing Newsletter Team:
Jill Greenberg, Scholar Selection
Westport Parks and Rec David Sochol, Scholar Selection Designer: Sarah Mitnick
Westport Senior Center Nancy Yates, Summer Programming Editors: Sarah Mitnick, Michele Mitnick, Nancy
Westport Weston Family YMCA Beverly Stenson, Travel Portman, Bev Stenson
WM Evans Painting, LLC Yvonne Senturia, Travel
Willows Pediatrics Daphne Lewis, Volunteer Coordinator Contributors: Jill Greenberg, Martha Mintzer,
Dan Woog Jodi Reiner, Volunteer Coordinator Michele Mitnick, Lori Sochol, Michael Wolfe,
Susan Woog Wagner Photography Martha Mintzer, Past President/Advisor Nancy Yates
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