In honor of Foster Care Awareness Month, News 12’s Zhane Caldwell spoke with one Brooklyn college student who is prepping to cross the graduation stage in days about her upbringing and how the College Choice program (part of our Fostering College Success Initiative) provided what was needed to succeed.
In a new op-ed published by The 74, Melanie Hartzog (The Foundling’s President & CEO) and Jessica Nauiokas (Haven Academy Co-Founder & Head of School) write about the unique model employed by Mott Haven Academy Charter School – our Pre-K-8th grade school in the Bronx. With a rare focus on serving children and families impacted by the child welfare system, the school features robust staffing, social services, structure — & the flexibility to cater to students’ needs.
The Imprint reports on Haven Academy, our pre-K – 8th grade charter school in Mott Haven.
“Mott Haven Academy Charter School is believed to be the first school in the country created specifically for children in foster care, and likely one of the few in existence. Its foundational goals can be found inside and outside the classroom, where the children’s emotional needs are as important as their academics,” author Madison Hunt writes.
Young people in the foster care system have historically been failed by public schools – in New York, studies show that 1 in 5 kids that have foster care involvement in high school do not graduate, and 80% are not proficient in reading or math. At The Foundling, our education programs continually provide targeted support to help students beat these odds.
When we opened Mott Haven Academy Charter School – a school dedicated exclusively to this work – in 2008, we took on a mission no one had ever attempted before. Located in Mott Haven, one of the lowest-income neighborhoods in the nation, the school was explicitly designed for families in the child welfare system and the surrounding South Bronx community – aiming to remove the barriers to academic success that these children often experience.
As the first school in the nation specifically targeting the child welfare population, we were tasked with building a first-of-its-kind model from the ground up. And over the past 14 years, we have achieved remarkable growth and success. Haven Academy has grown from two classrooms into a full-scale Pre-K – 8th grade charter school, educating 500 students per year. We have instituted a trauma-informed approach that supports children and families both in the classroom and at home, created a social-emotional curriculum that teaches life skills, and have seen our students academically outperform other public schools on the district, city, and state levels.
It’s now time to share what we’ve learned. Last year, we conducted an in-depth research project – including interviews with staff and experts, reviews of Haven documents and materials, analysis of Haven data and data from other schools and government sources – to codify what makes Haven Academy work and how other schools and organizations can apply this model to their own communities.
Through this research, we’ve determined a number of data points, defined key characteristics, and documented how to replicate the model in additional communities.
Want to learn more? Download the full report here. Please contact development@havenacademy.org with any questions.
Camp Felix, our overnight summer camp, is a magical place. For the children in our programs, the streets of New York City are often all they know – there often isn’t the opportunity to experience nature, much less spend a week in the woods at camp. Many are growing up in difficult circumstances – and lack the chance to just relax and be a kid.
Camp Felix, which we’ve operated in partnership with the Felix Organization since 2006, provides children and adolescents in the child welfare system with a rewarding overnight camp experience. Running in August for one-week sessions, our participants have the chance to attend a summer camp with their peers, make memories, learn new skills, explore new surroundings, and build self-confidence. Our current location – located in Sandyston, NJ – features swimming, boating, fishing, a ropes course, and more!
Like all of The Foundling’s programs and services, Camp Felix seeks to build community and forge support systems for those we serve. Campers and counselors form strong bonds that are reinforced through camp reunions and repeat visits – providing the children we serve with the confidence to reach for their dreams.
Meet our Camp Felix Campers
Meet Kenneth, a former Camp Felix counselor
Your support is essential to this work. Your gift this holiday season will allow us to continue bringing camp experiences and other essential programs to New York children and families.
Reïna Batrony, our Vice President of Community-Based and Education Strategies, was honored in City & State’s 2022 Responsible 100! This list recognizes New York business, government, nonprofit and advocacy leaders who embody the values of social responsibility in their work.
As Reïna states, “Social responsibility means long-term viability and sustainability that benefits society. It guides individuals’ and organizations’ responsibility to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to build toward independence.”
CBS reporter Hannah Kliger recently reported on ACS’s new College Choice program, which builds upon the work of The Foundling’s Fostering College Success Initiative to provide added support for students in foster care. The new program provides young people in foster care with additional funding that is applicable to any college or university in the nation – allowing them to pursue their college dreams – while continuing to provide access to tutors and career counselors from The Foundling.
In the report, she speaks to Sanjida Afruz, a current FCSI student, and Reïna Batrony, our VP of Community-Based & Education Strategies, about the benefits of this new program.
Watch the video below:
Represent Magazine recently featured ACS’ College Choice program, a new initiative operating in partnership with The Foundling. Reporter Faith Ornstein, a high school senior in foster care, spoke with Bonnie Loughner, Assistant Vice President of our Fostering College Success Initiative program, and others on how this new program will help young people in foster care achieve their college dreams without being saddled with large amounts of debt.
Since 2006, Camp Felix – our overnight summer camp – has provided a safe space for those in our programs to explore, grow, and learn. As our experts have stated, camp provides an invaluable opportunity for children and teenagers to navigate social interactions, learn to problem solve, get physical exercise, and have new experiences. For young people in the child welfare system, camp also provides an opportunity to get away from the pressures of their daily lives – and to simply be a kid.
Even during the height of the pandemic, we never stopped providing camp magic for the young people we serve: we created the virtual Camp Felix @ Home in 2020, and hosted a limited half-capacity season in 2021. These were wonderful experiences that allowed our campers to enjoy activities and camaraderie while staying safe and healthy – yet nothing can compare to the experience of staying in a cabin away from home, participating in a variety of activities, and bonding with fellow campers.
This year, we’re proud to share that Camp Felix has returned to its former glory, with a full camp season serving 140 campers!
Because camp was held at a new location this year – Camp Linwood MacDonald in New Jersey – Camp Felix campers were able to enjoy the amenities and perks of a larger campsite. Campers used their journalism skills to publish a newsletter for the first time, and had the opportunity to try new on-site activities, such as lake swimming, kayaking, ziplining, fishing, archery, rock climbing, and more!
Camp Felix’s annual Open House – where Foundling staff and stakeholders tour the grounds, enjoy a meal, and watch a talent show created by the campers – returned this year, allowing campers to show off their singing, dancing, and poetry skills.
Both staff and campers enjoyed the experience. “I loved seeing the kids have fun this summer,” said one camp counselor. “It was a great experience to be around kids that [may have not had] a positive role model in their life, and be that person that they look up to.” As one parent shared, “[My daughter] enjoyed every part of [camp], and talked about it for days after coming home.”
Additionally, we launched a new specialty camp this year – Camp Felix Pride! Designed to be an inclusive and enriching experience for LGBTQ+ youth, 22 campers attended the 1-week session in Connecticut. Special activities included karaoke, biking, yoga, and a dress-up drag night.
We have high hopes for the future, and are excited to provide even more Camp Felix programming in the months ahead. This year, we will be hosting year-round recreational activities, field trips, holiday celebrations, a Youth Council, and other events to provide meaningful opportunities for our young people to connect with each other throughout the school year.
Camp Felix is made possible with the support of our partners at The Felix Organization, with special thanks to the American Foundation of Savoy Orders.
Mott Haven Herald highlighted our Haven Kids Rock performing arts program in a recent feature, which features interviews with co-founder Nef Jones and two of the Haven Academy scholars currently in the program. “What I love about it is it helps me communicate with people. I can express how I feel with just singing or acting or dancing,” says one of the students. “It really connects to you in life, which sometimes can help you feel good about yourself.”
Read more at Mott Haven Herald
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