Yonkers Partners In Education
Wendy R. Nadel, Executive Director
(914) 377-4882

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: September 24, 2008
For More Information Contact: Wendy Nadel
Email: wrnadel@ypie.org

Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation Donates $50,000 to YPIE

High School Students Will Receive Free SAT Prep Course

Thanks to the Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation, 150 low-income high school students in Yonkers will significantly improve their chances of attending college by participating in a free SAT prep course. The twelve-week program, sponsored by Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE) and administered by industry leader Kaplan SAT Prep, provides Yonkers students with the same opportunities for SAT preparation as their peers in wealthy Westchester communities. In a district where only 66% of students graduate from high school and only half of those graduates go on to attend college, resources such as the YPIE SAT Prep Program have measurable impact on students’ future opportunities.

Yonkers Partners in Education teams with Yonkers educators and local organizations to offer a range of educational and community-based services to the over 25,000 public school students in Yonkers, the fourth largest city in New York State. In the 2007/2008 academic year, 300 Yonkers juniors and seniors received full scholarships for the YPIE SAT Prep Program. The results were impressive: students’ scores increased by an average of 152 points, and 80 students increased their scores by 200 to 500 points.

"The outcome of the program during the last school year was clear— SAT prep makes a huge difference for students,” said YPIE Executive Director Wendy Nadel. “It is great to provide this opportunity and build a college-bound culture in Yonkers schools.”

The $50,000 grant from the Carvel Foundation will support expanded programming in 2008/2009, in six Yonkers high schools and for twice as many students. "We are pleased to support Yonkers Partners in Education’s work to increase college access for all students. Programs like SAT Prep are critical to helping students achieve their dreams," said Bill Griffin, Chairman of the Board of the Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation.

Yonkers Partners in Education is an education fund that works in partnership with the public and private sectors to ensure that all students attending public school in Yonkers receive a high quality education that prepares them for work, college, and success in life.

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