Alvarez Symonette

Alvarez Symonette's Fundraiser

7 in 10 teens are struggling with mental health image

7 in 10 teens are struggling with mental health

Join me to support our students during this crisis

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$6,250 towards $6,000

Support South Bronx Community Charter High School During These Difficult Times

The first class of students from South Bronx Community ("SBC") graduated this past June! This milestone day allowed us to realize goals we set four years ago when our students first arrived. Despite a pandemic, 85% of SBC students successfully graduated on time with 96% of them receiving college acceptances.

Getting to that stage was not easy. The South Bronx is the nation's poorest Congressional district (median household income of $26,150) known for its high drop-out rates and "school-to-prison" pipeline. Our students live in "high-risk" households and this pandemic is taking a severe toll on their mental health. A recent 4-H Council / Harris Poll summed it up best:

  • 7 in 10 teens have experienced struggles with mental health
  • 61% of teens now have increased feelings of loneliness and many lack coping skills
  • 55% have experienced anxiety, 45% excessive stress, and 43% daily depression

SBC has been working on building a support network to help our young people navigate these challenges. In addition to academics, we are focused on understanding individualized mental health needs and responding in swift and coordinated ways to rebuild their sense of belonging and foster bonding. Strategies may include:

  • Care packages for students in need (possibly even groceries for jobless families)
  • Virtual fieldtrips connect them to people and cultures around the world
  • COVID-safe group bike rides promoting socially-distant exercise
  • Online alumni and professional mentoring

While this is a difficult time, our students, staff, mentors, community members as well as our proud new alumni have taken these challenges head-on. These opportunities seek to mitigate angst and depression, allow our students to build more personal connections, and ultimately provide hopeful pathways that help them navigate their future amidst so much difficulty.

To do all this we need your help. With a contribution to SBC you can help us make a difference and have a huge impact on the life of our students.

Please support me in this effort.