NATIVITY SCHOOL DREAMS

In January, sixth & seventh graders in Mr. Desmarais’ guidance classes studied The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and his “I Have a Dream” speech. Excerpts from their speeches appear throughout this issue. Since 2001, Nativity School has not only been helping inner-city boys realize their dreams, it has also been helping them know that it’s okay to dream. Nativity School has helped our boys to realize that they have bright futures ahead of them for which they should be planning and preparing. For too many inner-city youth, there is no dream of college and beyond, only living and surviving in the moment or fantasizing about unearned wealth & fame. In their “I Have a Dream” speeches, Nativity students have expressed a wide variety of hopes and aspirations. Nativity School has dreams of its own—dreams of a permanent school facility large enough to enable us to add another grade—Fifth—and within a few years, more than triple the number of youth we are able to serve by enrolling two classes each in Grades 5, 6, 7 & 8. The way that Nativity School hopes to achieve its dream is through The Capital Campaign for Building Permanence. We still need all of our faithful and generous donors to continue their ongoing support for the school, but we are also seeking one time or limited multi-year capital gifts for the specific purpose of buying or building a permanent school facility. For more information about the Capital Campaign, please contact Executive Director Jairee Counterman at 717.379.8145 or JaireeC@aol.com.

Mr. Jonathan Desmarais and his students who volunteered to read their “I Have a Dream” speeches for Friday Chapel—Kneeling, L-R, Ryland Nelson, Trevell

Towles. Standing, L-R, Christian Queen-Jackson, Braxton Singleton, DeVaun Randolph, Queshawn Jenkins Barksdale & Rahim Henderson

Inside this Issue . . . Page 2—Holiday Celebrations Page 3—Basketball Page 4—Group Volunteers Page 5—2nd Annual Reciprocal Immersion Week Page 6—Support the School Page 7—Enhancement & School Data Page 8—High Expectations

I have a dream that one day we will become one of the best schools in the world.

Queshawn Jenkins-

Barksdale, 7th Grade

March 2010

Mark Your Calendar . . . March 26-27—Annual MaBaCh Tournament (MA) March 27—10:30-12:30—Guide Right Saturday Program April 6—7:00 a.m.—Board of Directors Meeting May 8—Community Walk Fund Raiser with Piscioneri Foundation May 26—6:00 p.m.—Academic Honors Banquet June 1—5:30 p.m.—Board of Directors Meeting June 3—6:00 p.m.—8th Grade Graduation, last day of school year for graduating 8th graders June 7-18—Summer Leadership Camp for all returning students June 16—Prospective Student Visit/Placement Exam Day at June Camp June 18—last day of school year for returning students August 3—5:30—Board of Directors Meeting August 11—first day of August camp for returning students August 16—first day of August camp for new students

Halloween

Christmas

Thanksgiving

Election Day

Fall Holiday Celebrations As much as Nativity School focuses on academics, we also celebrate holidays. For Halloween, at top left, 7th graders Queshawn Jenkins Barksdale, Michael Mills, and Marcell Lawson enjoy caramel apples with their Kids’ Café dinner. Students also carved pumpkins, made two kinds of toasted pumpkin seeds, and watched scary movies during their Enhancement class. On Election Day, we held our first ever Bake Sale. Students, including 8th graders Joshua Smith and Milik Gantz, left, parents, and staff donated baked goods and volunteered their time. The Paxton Street Starbucks also donated coffee. Thanksgiving saw our first big meal in our new facility. All in all, over 120 people, including Ms. Tiffany Carter, her son 7th grader Jzaquan Carter, and her grandmother Ms. Henrietta Carter enjoyed a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Thank you to everyone who donated a covered dish, to Aegis for again donating the turkeys, and to Highmark for providing an amazing crew of kitchen volunteers. Finally, on December 23, Nativity celebrated Christmas. The day started with a hot pancake breakfast prepared by board member Luke Jacobs and his wife, Waad. Next, the students rotated through crafts, family gift shop, and holiday movies. We are grateful to Ms. Patsy Goodall for coordinating the Christmas Shoppe and to Highmark for providing volunteers to help the boys select and wrap gifts for their families. After the morning activities, the boys were treated to a Christmas luncheon with all the trimmings, prepared and served by board member Takia Colston, and her mom, Mrs. Josie Colston. After lunch it was time for the boys to change into their costumes and get ready to present their original Christmas program, “A Nativity Carol.” We are grateful to board member Susan Ewing for filming, editing and linking the program to our website. After the program, all enjoyed a dessert reception, set up by volunteers from Bishop McDevitt High School. The students received gifts from: Aegis Security Insurance, Anonymous, McNees Wallace Nurick, PA Bureau of Finance & Revenue, Piscioneri Century 21, Prelude Services, and the Social Security Administration. Board members Susan Ewing, Schaun Henry, Luke Jacobs, Sharon Minnich, Stephen Proctor and program volunteer Allan Hone helped drive students and their Christmas goodies home.

I have a dream of Harrisburg schools. It is my dream to help school districts that don’t have that much and help kids in math, reading,

writing and social studies.

I have a dream to go to a good high school and college and go to MLB and get lots of money and donate to Harrisburg schools.

I have a dream that kids in Harrisburg will respect teachers and adults.

Also that kids take the PSSA seriously.

I have a dream to donate half of all my money to Harrisburg Schools so they can have lots of things.

I have a dream that the kids I help will help others.

I have a dream.

Jajuan Johnson, 6th Grade

Mission: The Nativity School of Harrisburg is a private, independent, faith-based,

nondenominational preparatory middle school

that exists to break the cycle of poverty for low income, inner-city boys by providing

a comprehensive middle school education and by continuing to provide educational and support

services throughout high school and college.

project as a program volunteer. For several summers, he worked as a cabin counselor for Nativity’s Summer Leadership Camps. In the 2008-2009 school year, he was our assistant basketball coach. This year, Mr. Steele, a student at Harrisburg Area Community College, is working for Nativity as an assistant teacher and as our head basketball coach. Despite his youth, he brings a mature and even coaching style to the School, building up all players on the team while encouraging sportsmanship, scholarship and character. Mr. Demond Bates, also a member of Nativity School’s staff, serves as team manager/assistant coach. In regular season play, the Nativity Alchemists are 4-2. On March 26-27, the basketball team will again travel to New Bedford, MA, to participate in the annual MaBaCh (Math Basketball Chess) Tournament with other member schools of the national NativityMiguel Network. Students who made the 2009-2010 basketball team:

Jonathan Cordero, 8th Milik Gantz, 8th Rashad Lawson, 8th Kenny Littles, 8th Kani Moore Singleton, 8th Bry’Drick Wright, 8th Jzaquan Carter, 7th Chance Headen. 7th Tyler Hunter, 7th Sekou Johnson, 7th Marcell Lawson, 7th Rahim Henderson, 6th Marlon Holmes, 6th Jaqui Jenkins, 6th Nassir Johnson, 6th Christian Queen-Jackson, 6th James Williams, 6th

Nativity Alchemist Basketball For the past few years, Mr. Alexander Steele (pictured right) has been both a volunteer and an employee of Nativity School. As a senior at Harrisburg High School, he completed his senior

Above, Nativity hosts Harrisburg Academy at home, the Camp Curtin YMCA Gym. We are grateful to Camp Curtin and Coach Cam (Mr. Greg Campbell) for working in Nativity home games around the YMCA’s busy basketball program.

I have a dream to go to Sci Tech High School and play basketball for Harrisburg City Schools.

James Williams V, 6th grade

Above, in an away game at Lancaster Country Day School, Coach DJ and Coach Steele work to inspire Nativity players to return to their trademark fast and supportive style of play.

I have a dream that when people walk around the City of Harrisburg, they will not get shot for drug money. I have a dream that there is no violence in Harrisburg and we have less of a crime record. I have a dream that little girls and boys will not get snatched up, raped, or killed. I have a dream that the people in Harrisburg will reassemble and work together, for the law and rights. I have a dream that when people vote, they go in with any skin color. And most certainly the best dream of all is that blacks are free at last.

De’Vaun Randolph, 6th Grade

Thank You, Nativity Group Volunteers! Bishop McDevitt High School Honors English Class; Harrisburg Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi; Harrisburg

Young Professionals (HYP), Highmark Blue Shield; Milton Hershey School Springboard Academy; Nativity School of Harrisburg Board of Directors; The University of Scranton; West Shore Evangelical Free Church

Since January 2006, the alumni members of Kappa Alpha Psi have planned, staffed, and implemented their national “Guide Right Leadership Academy” for current and prospective Nativity students on the last Saturday of each month during the school year. Above, students from Penn State Harrisburg lead their annual favorite session, “Dress 4 Success.”

Nativity School is blessed with many caring people who volunteer their time and energy to work with our young men. Some volunteer every day, some once a week, some once a month. Many of our most faithful volunteers first got to know Nativity as part of a group volunteer experience. On this page, we thank some of the groups who are helping Nativity fulfill its mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through education. For the 2009-2010 School Year, we thank: Bishop McDevitt High School Senior Honors English Class, for help with the Christmas dessert reception and gift distribution Kappa Alpha Psi—for continuing its commitment to the school with 4 years of Guide Right HYP—for the more than 25 busy young professionals who make time to tutor each week and to provide program support for the summer camps Highmark Blue Shield - for building on its gift of service on United Way’s Day of Caring to also volunteer for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Clean Up Milton Hershey School Springboard Academy—for the first ever Martin Luther King Day of Service at Nativity School Nativity School Board of Directors—for being a hands-on board and donating their time and energy beyond preparing for and attending board meetings The University of Scranton—for Reciprocal Immersion Week (see article on next page) West Shore Evangelical Free Church—for both the Youth Group Service and the annual Service Day, and especially for tutors Joe Hollen and Lyn Shiery and board member Steve Proctor

Highmark volunteers after helping with Nativity’s Christmas festivities on December 23, 2009

Schaun Henry, Vice President of Nativity’s Board of Directors, delivers a chapel message on the

importance of keeping one’s word.

The University of Scranton & The Nativity School of Harrisburg

2nd Annual Reciprocal Immersion Week

Ms. Anna Fusco, left, and Ms. Julianne Butterfield, Right, pose with some of Nativity’s 6th graders after helping to distribute blankets collected for the

students by volunteers from Highmark Blue Shield. The University of Scranton guest teachers observed classes, planned and taught a full 8-period day of classes,

served all regular teacher duties, met in the evenings to reflect on their experience, returned to Nativity to cheer on the basketball team, and while

still in the area, toured the Milton Hershey School.

Many college juniors probably spend their last week of Christmas break resting up for the upcoming semester, working to earn some income, or for a lucky few, enjoying a vacation someplace warm. For six students at the University of Scranton, their professor, and a returning senior assistant, the last week of winter break meant an early start to the semester, paying their own housing and meal costs for a week in chilly Harrisburg, PA, and volunteering to work 15+ hour days, all for the practical experience of teaching inner-city middle school boys. For the second year in a row, The University of Scranton and The Nativity School of Harrisburg have collaborated on “Reciprocal Immersion Week.”

“Reciprocal Immersion Week” evolved from the NativityMiguel Network’s National Summit on Underserved Youth in Philadelphia in July 2008, which brought university officials and Nativity School staffers together to find ways to collaborate and better serve youth. University of Scranton Education Dean Debra Pellegrino encouraged education professor Kathleen Wasserman to meet with Nativity School’s Jairee Counterman. The two met and planned “Reciprocal Immersion Week” to benefit University of Scranton students with a diverse, hands-on teaching experience and the Nativity School faculty with the latest in educational theory and teaching techniques. Initially, Reciprocal Immersion Week also facilitated the Nativity teachers’ attendance at their national conference by providing a day of class coverage. The third annual Reciprocal Immersion Week between the University of Scranton and Nativity-Harrisburg is planned for the last week of January, 2011, and will return to one of its original goals, providing class coverage so that Nativity’s faculty can attend the NativityMiguel Network’s annual teachers’ conference. Reciprocal Immersion Week has proven to be a “win-win-win” event - for the guest teachers from the University, for the full-time faculty of Nativity-Harrisburg, and most important of all, for the students of Nativity School.

I have a dream that one day countries will join together and become one from the United States to the European Nation. I have a dream, that wars will come to an end, murders and suicides will come to an end, blacks and whites will come together and sing, “We will be together and become one nation.” I have a dream that one day we will become one of the best schools in the world. I have a dream that this place will make everyone go to school and get an education and do something with their life. I have a dream for my family and the families of the world to be healthy and smart. That is my dream, to bring everyone together as one. I have a dream.

Queshawn Jenkins Barksdale. 7th Grade

Ways to Help Nativity School: Something for Everyone

Not everyone can spare even an hour a week to tutor a child, and not everyone can write a check. But there are many ways for people to support Nativity School. The newest is to make a purchase from Susan’s Fusion, board member Susan Ewing’s new online e-Bay fashion auction.

Ms. Ewing has been a Nativity School volunteer since 2006, when she herself was a student, earning her bachelor’s degree at Central Pennsylvania College (Executive Director Jairee Counterman was her professor). From camp volunteer to tutor to board member, Ms. Ewing has always been generous with her time and energy. Now, as Director of Social Media for the Hershey-Harrisburg Visitors Bureau, she is also being generous with her professional expertise.

Susan is the sole creator and manager of SUSAN’S FUSION: Fashion Funds Charity. Susan’s Fusion eBay store is partnered with eBay Giving Works in which a por-tion of the proceeds from all of her auctions benefits one international charity and one local charity. Nativity School is one of the local charities that will benefit from Susan’s Fusion, www.stores.ebay.com/Susans-Fusion-Clothing-

Board member Susan Ewing, left, with Nativity students and Executive Director Jairee Counterman at the 2009 Central Penn Business Journal Nonprofit

Innovation awards. Ms. Ewing wrote the nomination that resulted in Counterman’s being named a finalist in the Nonprofit Management Excellence category.

Please—save your Campbell’s product labels for Nativity

And save your General Mills Boxtops for Education

And register your Giant

Bonus Card, #00995

And finally, consider leading a wishlist collection drive or volunteer effort

Wishlist Top Ten

10. High quality #2 pencils with erasers 9. Ink pens—black, blue, green, purple 8. Toner cartridges (please call) & printer paper 7. Kleenex 6. Thumb drives/zip drives/ data storage devices 5. Graphing calculators 4. Gasoline gift cards 3. Craft kits 2. Divided Styrofoam dinner plates 1. Breakfast cereal, bowls & spoons

Volunteer Needs

Groups or individuals to provide, prepare & serve a meal during the school year or at one of the two summer camps. Office and building volunteers, especially morning (7:00-9:00 a.m.) and afternoon (3:30-5:30 p.m.)

I have a dream that in the City of Harrisburg there will be no writing on the walls.

Rahim Henderson, 6th Grade

Second Annual Piscioneri Foundation Community Walk Saturday, May 8, 2010—City Island—11:00 a.m.

Register online at www.c21.pish.com

If you check “Nativity School,” 100 percent of your donation or sponsorship will go to Nativity!

Walk—or sponsor a walker

I have a dream that I’m going to keep the city clean and help people get along with each other. No more littering. No more shooting. No more fighting. I also will stop people from using drugs and make them healthy. I will help the poor. I will give them a lot of food to eat and some new shirts and new pants. I have a dream that I will give a lot of money to moms or dads whose sons or daughters are sick and they don’t have the money to help make them feel better. I will help find missing kids and return them to their moms and dads.

Ryland Nelson, 6th Grade

Nativity School Basic Information Established in 2001, the Nativity School of Harrisburg is licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a non-public school. Currently we enroll students in grades 6 through 8 and provide support services to our graduates in high school and college. Future plans include adding Grade 5, increasing enrollments, and expanding services to the families of our current students and to our ever increasing corps of graduates. Currently, our maximum enrollment is 12 students per grade. Nativity School is not a charter school—we receive no direct public or government funding. We are not a parochial school—we are faith-based but non-denominational. And we are not a behavior-alternative school—we are an independent preparatory middle school working with underserved boys who otherwise would not have the opportunity for a private school education. Key parts of a Nativity School education include an extended school day, almost 10 hours; three meals a day; an extended school year, almost 11 months; small classes, required school uniform and service to the community; and a covenant with the family. Nativity School is a licensed 501(c)(3) charitable organization, EIN 25-1886666. We are an approved Scholarship Organization with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) program. We are eligible to receive donations through SECA (State Employee Combined Appeal) and through United Way. We save Campbell’s Product Labels and General Mills Boxtops for Education. We benefit when Giant and Karns shoppers name us to benefit from their bonus and reward cards. For the 2008-2009 school year, our middle school students made average progress of 1.6 grade levels for each year they were enrolled with us. Even though many of our students start 6th grade performing 4 to 5 grade levels behind, by the time they graduate from 8th grade, they are at or above grade level. The social and character skills they gain along with their academic accomplishments make them well prepared for high school. Nativity School graduates maintain an 82 percent high school retention/graduation rate, more than triple their peers from urban public schools.

Extended Day aka Enhancement aka “Afterschool” Each day from 3:45-4:30 p.m., Nativity students attend their 8th period “Enhancement” class. Two days a week, that enhancement is “Study Hall by Advisory Group,” a focused study sessions with no more than 6 students with each adult. The other two days, students select from a variety of options. So far this school year, students have been able to choose: Drama, Nativity Leaders, Spanish, Civics, Smart Art, Youth in Government, Kitchen Math, Chess and Junior Achievement. At 4:30 p.m., students have their afternoon Kids Café meal. And although the Nativity day technically ends at 5:00 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays many students stay until 6:00 p.m., most voluntarily for study hall and some involuntarily for Afterschool Detention. Over 25 individual tutors volunteer each week to work with students in the 5:00-6:00 Tuesday/Thursday sessions.

Students in Kitchen Math, one of the enhancement offerings for the third marking period, work together to make strawberry shortcake.

Alumnus Jamel LeCato, (white shirt) visiting on a day off from Harrisburg Christian School, assists math teacher Meredith Scheiner

2135 N. 6th Street P.O. Box 5500 Harrisburg, PA 17110 PH: 717.236.5602 FX: 717.236.8604 EM: info@nativityharrisburg.org www.nativityharrisburg.org Faculty & Staff, Full-Time Jairee Counterman, Exec Dir/Principal Jeffrey Mack, Assistant Director Andrew Hermeling, Teacher Kari Dyrli, Teacher Meredith Scheiner, Teacher Jonathan Desmarais, Teacher Benjamin Simcox, Teacher Faculty & Staff, Part-Time, Contract & Volunteer Arlen S. Zerbe, Bookkeeper Pamela Gladfelter, Secretary Alexander Steele, Assistant Teacher Maureen Hallett, Webmaster Demond “DJ” Bates, Mentor Board of Directors, Officers President, Sheri Phillips Vice President, Schaun Henry, Esq. Secretary, Luke Jacobs Treasurer, Stephen Proctor Assistant Treasurer, Dyan McAlister Trustees Takia Colston Susan Ewing Sharon Minnich Shari O’Connell Advisory Committee Darleen Fritz William Greenlee William Kirchhoff Robert Mumma Tim Nicholson Fr. Jack Podsiadlo Rick Reynolds Susan Schiano Tony Schiano Frank Sourbeer All prepress work for the newsletter is completed in-house by staff and volunteers. Printing is by Kurzenknabe Press. Volunteer photographers for this issue include: Jairee Counterman, Kari Dyrli, Susan Ewing, Randy King, Jeffrey Mack, Stephen Proctor, and Alexander Steele. Important Account Numbers: FEIN: #25-1886666 SECA: #4401-0090 UWCR: #175552 Giant Bonus Card: #00995

I have a dream that people would stay in school and not drop out.

Marlon Holmes, 6th Grade

High Expectations There’s a momentous date on Nativity School’s horizon: September 11, 2011—the tenth anniversary of the School, which opened its doors to one class of 6th grade boys on September 4, 2001. Central Pennsylvania had never seen anything like it, a private, independent, tuition--free middle school for low income inner-city boys—a school that provided nearly double the number of instructional hours required by the state and then continued to provide academic, social and financial support to its graduates throughout high school and college. There was nothing else like it in 2001, and in 2010, Nativity School is still unique. It is the only private, faith-based, independent preparatory tuition-free middle school in Central Pennsylvania—but instead of one small class of 6th graders, there are 30 students in the day program and 50 young men who have graduated on to high school and college. In the 2011-2012 school year, Nativity will begin offering 5th grade to become a Grade 5 through Grade 8 middle school. Each year after that, we will start increasing enrollments until we have two classes in each of Grades 5 through 8. To accommodate all those students—our goal is to enroll over 100 students in the day program by the 2015-2016 school year, we’ll need more space. That’s why we’re embarking on The Nativity School of Harrisburg Capital Campaign for Building Permanence. Instead of letting the size of our leased classroom space dictate the number of students we can serve or the length of our school day, we seek a permanent school facility where we determine the number of students we can serve effectively and control the environment in which we work with them to fulfill our mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through education. We have high expectations for our students. We expect them to work hard, act right, and do what they need to do to develop or refine their academic and social skills. We have high expectations for our staff, both our paid staff and our many wonderful volunteers. We expect them to work hard, act right, and do what they need to do to help our students overcome their challenges and develop the skills and attitudes they need to succeed. There are a lot of separate elements of Nativity School that combine to make us successful—the longer school day, the longer school year, the covenant relationship with our families, the hard work and generous support of hundreds of faithful volunteers and donors, the continued social, academic and financial support for our graduates throughout high school and college, and the belief and practice that breaking the cycle of poverty requires an intensive and long-term approach. Starting Nativity School required vision, hard work, and resources—but we opened. Sustaining Nativity School through its first nine years required vision, hard work and resources—but it survives. Increasing the capacity of Nativity School to serve even more students will require vision, hard work, and resources. We have the vision, we know how to work hard, and with high expectations, a viable mission, proven success, and more hard work, the resources will come. The sooner we make it happen, the sooner we will be able to provide even more young people with the academic and social skills they need to break the cycle of poverty.