Fordham RETC and Operation Prom Give Bronx-area Teens a Reason to Smile

The average high school prom is no longer held at the school gym, which means a typical dress for the event has also stepped up in style and price. A survey conducted by the Hearst Company in 2009 found that teens spent an average of $220 on a dress and nearly $900 on the total prom experience.

It can’t be easy for teens from economically depressed communities. But thanks to staff from Fordham University’s 21st Century Community Learning Center, Bronx-area high school seniors had some help finding the perfect dress for next to nothing.

Staff and volunteers from Fordham’s RETC – Center for Professional Center, which operates the 21st Century Community Learning Center, took 23 of their students (some pictured above) to Operation Prom, an event that gave young women access used prom gowns, cosmetics and accessories. The event, held at Brooklyn’s Borough Hall on April 17, was organized by the New York City chapter of the WGIRLS, a national nonprofit organization in cooperation with Operation Fairy Dust.

High-end designers, such as Oscar de la Renta, donated hundreds of dresses. Even reality show star Kim Kardashian gave a dress to the cause. The event drew more than 2,200 teens.

“It was really a wonderful way to end the school year for our students,” said Holly Lemanowicz, a rising junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, who volunteers at the RETC. “It was special because both the girls and us chaperones were able to talk about how amazing going to the prom is and how it serves as a last hurrah to end senior year."

And since the cost for attending prom is expensive, Lemanowicz added, receiving a prom gown at no cost surely provided the teens with relief.

“Every student from our program walked away with a beautiful dress and I can honestly say that I have never seen any of them happier.”

Theresa R. Lupo, senior professional developer for Fordham’s RETC, agreed.

“They were ecstatic,” she said. “It was an amazing experience for us all.”

Established through a $2.4 million grant from the New York State Department of Education in 2008, the 21st Century Community Learning Center allows middle and high school students to recover school credits while training their parents and other area adults in technology skills needed in the workforce.

-Gina Vergel

RETC Partners with Charter School to 'Kindle' Children’s Interest in Reading

Children today have an affinity for techno-gadgets that adults simply can’t match.

Youngsters surf the Internet faster, send text messages more often and create videos and blogs on just about anything. Now, a partnership between Fordham and a local charter school is set to find out if technology can make students more interested in reading.

The Amazon Kindle—a popular electronic book reader from online media retailer Amazon.com—is at the heart of the program. Amazon recently told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that it is selling 48 Kindles for every 100 physical books.

So why shouldn’t it be used in schools?

That was the question that prompted the partnership between Fordham’s RETC—Center for Professional Development and the Carl C. Icahn Charter School. Using a $670,000 federal Department of Energy grant awarded to Fordham last year, Amazon Kindles were purchased for use by students at the South Bronx school.

“We started thinking about the educational applications of this device and wondering if it would have some noticeable affect on the students’ reading habits, comprehension, or motivation to read,” said Steven D’Agustino, Ph.D., director of the RETC.

“So far, they’ve turned out to be a perfect fit for the Icahn School, which already had a longstanding emphasis on the integration of technology,” D’Agustino said.

The sleek electronic tablets are being used to foster reading among seventh and eighth graders in English language arts (ELA), one of the classes offered during the school’s special-interest period. Other special-interest courses include foreign language, algebra, history, and robotics.

Principal Daniel Garcia admits that robotics and ELA are the popular classes right now because of the technology.

“We’re looking at making the other areas equally exciting,” he said.

Icahn, which opened in 2001, saw 99 percent of its third- through eighth-graders ace this year’s state math exams, and 94 percent do the same in reading. It’s something to be proud of at a school where 90 percent of children come from low-income households.

“There was a successful formula already in place when I came here some years ago. I didn’t need to fix anything,” Garcia said of Icahn’s recipe for success—class sizes that are capped at 18 students and an enriched curriculum known as Core Knowledge.

“To continue the good results, we had to offer students something different. We need to keep pushing the envelope all the time,” he said.

Technology works, Garcia added, because, in most cases, it fosters immediate student engagement.

“If each kid at this school had a Kindle, they would all be engaged,” he said. “I can’t say that would happen if they all had a book in front of them.”

The Kindle uses a display technology called electronic ink, meant to mimic the experience of reading a book. It is easier to read in bright light and uses less electricity than displays on laptop computers and cell phones. It also has a built-in dictionary that defines words on command, as well as a highlighting feature.

“They can even flip back and forth between two books if they are comparing two pieces of literature,” Garcia said. “It’s wonderful.”

Eleven-year-old Isani Castro agrees.

“It’s cool,” said the seventh-grader, who, along with a small group, chose to read a Shakespeare comedy.

Eighth-grader Joshua Irizarry, 13, also reading Shakespeare, initially didn’t know what to make of the Kindle.

“I thought it was a mini-laptop. I didn’t know it was actually something you can read,” he said. “It’s really good and holds a lot of books and is very high-tech.”

ELA teacher Dana Halber said the trick was in the technology.

“They say, ‘I’m so much more interested. It’s so exciting,’” Halber said. “Their level of engagement is up because they are part of a much more technological generation. They go home and play video games and hop on the computer to use the Internet. So this is another piece of technology that fits into their lifestyle.”

The grant that helped fund this project was obtained with the help of Congressman José E. Serrano, D-NY, said Leslie Massiah, assistant vice president for government relations at Fordham.

“The purpose of the grant is to provide science and mathematics expansion not only at the University, but within area middle and high schools,” Massiah said of the grant, which has helped to fund robotics programs at other area schools.

“We wanted to expose students and teachers to new technology and be able to bring students up academically and to help them in terms of developing pedagogy.”

-Gina Vergel

Fordham Receives $670k Federal Grant for Robotics Research

Fordham University has received a $670,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop robotics research and education in The Bronx. The grant, which became effective on Sept. 30, was secured by U.S. Rep. Jose E. Serrano, D-N.Y.

The money will be used to purchase equipment for the University’s Robotics and Computer Vision Laboratory (in the Department of Computer and Information Science), the RETC—Center for Professional Development, and the Science and Technology Entry Program/Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP/C-STEP).

“I am very pleased to support the great work that Fordham is doing both in the classroom and the community,” said Rep. Serrano. “This grant is an investment in scientific education which will have short and long term results. I look forward to watching as it exposes students to new areas of study and challenges them to reach for new achievements. I also look forward to continuing to partner with Fordham in new ways to serve our community.”

“We are deeply grateful for Rep. Serrano’s help in securing this grant,” said Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham. “His leadership in this is an example of what Jesuits mean when they say ‘men and women for others.’ By securing these funds, Representative Serrano ensures Fordham can continue to support critically important science and mathematics education in Bronx high schools.”

Local high school students and their teachers will be introduced to new technologies that will support them in teaching and learning the New York State Regents’ standard STEM disciplines. In particular, the teachers will be trained in using robotics technology to help their students get a ‘hands-on’ feel for STEM topics.

“Each program seeks to enhance its education and research capabilities, providing opportunities for teachers and students in Bronx area high schools to become involved with the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math),” said Damian M. Lyons, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science and director of the Robotics and Computer Vision Laboratory.

The proposal came about as Fordham sought federal funding for programs that would further the University’s mission of service. Fordham’s intention to expand its existing science community on campus to the surrounding communities coincided with the Congressman’s desire to address the educational needs of local students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Two months into the contract, Lyons has used $119,000 to buy the first set of robots and control computers for the program. Lyons has already organized a preview of the program for the RETC’s Annual Bronx Technology Collaborative for Bronx parents, students and teachers.

Eventually, the University hopes to build a state-of-the-art science facility, of which computer and information science will be a vital component.

“Fordham’s commitment to addressing teaching, research and student learning allows the University to demonstrate academic ingenuity that currently exists on campus,” said Lesley Massiah, assistant vice president for government relations, who developed the proposal for the grant.