One of Harlem Academy’s community pillars is initiative, and our alumni continue to live this principle long after graduation. They also strive to make the most of each day, which is part of our School Creed. During summer breaks, you’ll find many of our graduates pursuing their interests, learning new skills, and preparing for the future through internships and summer programs. We caught up with a few alumni to hear how they spent this summer.

 

Making a Mark with Math

Brandon Davis ’15, a rising junior at Cornell University majoring in math, interned with global investment firm TPG where Harlem Academy trustee Avi Banyasz is a partner. “I was looking for a summer internship and Harlem Academy connected me with TPG,” says Brandon. “It’s incredible to have a school that supports its alumni in this way.” Brandon spent his days conducting and analyzing research to help determine if potential real estate deals were good investments for the firm. “I’ve always had an interest in finance, and the people who work in these roles are like financial detectives seeking out information. I really enjoyed this internship.”

 

A Head Start on College

Arielle Benjamin ’17 participated in the Community Scholars Program at Georgetown University, where she will be a freshman this fall. The program offers credited classes and workshops over the summer to help incoming freshmen acclimate to college life. Mentoring, study groups, and ongoing support continue every semester for the next four years. “It’s been fun being at Georgetown early and getting to know the campus, the professors, and other students,” says Arielle. “The coursework was challenging, but I’m happy I had the experience of working through it before taking on a full course load in September.”

 

Lessons for a Leader

Ariana Phillips ’17, who will be attending Tufts University this fall, participated in The City School’s summer leadership program. “We’re all concerned about injustices,” says Ariana. “But what can we do as young people to create social change?” She found answers through the program’s presentations, activities, and discussions. “It taught me about identifying social justice issues, understanding how they intersect, creating an action plan, and building community,” says Ariana. “The program helped me to develop my leadership skills and gave me the platform to find my voice.”

 

Alberto Zamora ’18, a rising senior at Beacon High School, took a College Now course in criminal justice at John Jay College. “I want to study criminal justice, so taking this course was a way to see if I liked it — and I did,” says Alberto, who dreams of one day working for the FBI. Because College Now courses include lectures, readings, papers, quizzes, and a midterm, participants experience the workload of an actual college class. “This program helped me to develop better discussion skills, study skills, and time management,” says Alberto. “Plus, I earned three college credits."