TIONAL Y I have had the good fortune to work with the Feerick Center and LEEAP Ed. for almost a decade and have seen them grow to assume a key leadership role in efforts to address the inequities inherent in the New York City public high school application process through the HSAAC. This work is essential,
as students and parents in underserved communities do not have the necessary support to help their children through this extremely complex process. This is especially true for non-English-speaking parents, who are being asked to learn a whole new vocabulary of terminology just to give their children a chance to participate meaningfully in the process. These students struggle to gain admission to more selective schools, or to get matched with a school or program that can meet the student’s academic needs and personal interests. With intensive training and supervision, which LEEAP Ed. and its nonprofit partners are well-positioned to provide and with more support from the DOE, volunteers can change a young student’s future, by helping them gain admission to a high school they actually want to attend. Jolie Kapelus Program Associate Director, Goddard Riverside Community Center/ Star Learning Center, New York City
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