AT&T grants $240,000 to YMCA at Williamsburg Prep

September 14, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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AT&T awarded an Aspire Grant of $240,000 to the YMCA of Greater New York on Thursday, Sept. 13 at Williamsburg Prep to help the organization prepare students for college and the workforce.

The funding will support the expansion of “Y Scholars,” an after school academic support and college readiness program to 60 additional Williamsburg Prep 9th and 10th graders.

“AT&T understands the importance of better preparing our students to succeed in a global economy and we’re committed to supporting organizations that can give students the skills they need,” said Marissa Shorenstein, president, AT&T New York. “The Y Scholars is such a program, and AT&T is proud that it can help expand its efforts to provide high school students with the opportunity to thrive in their futures.”

“The award from AT&T will help 60 children see a brighter future – making high school graduation a reality and college admission a tangible goal,” said Marty Forth, senior director of teen programs for the YMCA of Greater New York.

Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol called the grant a “wonderful example of how students can benefit from the collaborative work of public schools, non-profits and corporations.”

The Y Scholars program has seen tremendous success: 92.8 percent of Y Scholars high school seniors have graduated, and 84.2 percent are entering college in the fall. Y Scholars maintain an average GPA of 86 percent.

In March, AT&T announced an eye-popping $250 million commitment to Aspire, a corporate educational initiative which aims to help more students graduate from high school ready for careers and college. Aspire is one of the largest corporate educational initiatives in the United States.