Students attend Smart Scholars Program to prepare for high school and beyond

Dozens of students have decided to dedicate a large chunk of their summer vacation to take part in the Smart Scholars Program at Mount Vernon High School. This program helps them improve their academic standing as they plan for college as well as prepares them for their first year of university.

The voluntary program, which runs from July 7 to July 31, requires the ambitious students to attend three sessions a day, four days a week, in immersive math, English and social studies classes, but also venture on trips to expand their minds.

“The goal of the program is to prepare the students with skills they need to be successful in their high school years,” said social studies teacher and IB history teacher Anisha Applewhite, who led a class on Monday, July 14, at the high school.

She said the program comprises three sections starting with academics, which provide the students with the necessary skills and knowledge to tackle the challenging International Baccalaureate program later in high school.

The other component is socio-emotional, which addresses the students’ needs by providing counseling and increasing their maturity to prepare them for their eventual college experience during the summer bridge program, Ms. Applewhite said.

Finally, the students embark on field trips that are planned to coincide with the specific skills sets that they are expected to acquire during the summer doldrums, when many of their brethren are busy with part-time jobs and enjoying the beach.

“To be successful in IB, you have to have the specific traits to deal with stress and pressure,” said Ms. Applewhite, who stressed that many students also end up taking IB classes without the benefit of the Smart Scholars Program, which she acknowledged is “pretty intense.”

Not everything is serious, she added, citing a scavenger hunt and an UNO competition as part of the experience, though they also serve important purposes such as allowing the participants to learn about the intricacies of the school building and engage in activities that promote critical thinking.

“It’s kind of ice-breaking, too,” said the teacher, whose morning session included nine incoming freshmen and one sophomore.

In another classroom, math teacher Rebecca Gonzalez was busy playing a math-inspired game of Battleship with a student to combine fun with algebra for the incoming ninth-graders, who all played each other.

“They’re going to be taking algebra I when they come in in September so we’re doing some skills building – to make it fun for them – so it’s easier for them to pick up what the teachers are doing,” Ms. Gonzalez said. “It’s an enrichment program that makes the transition to high school easier.”

The program is conducted in partnership with Mercy University in Dobbs Ferry, which provides college readiness workshops for the students.

Incoming ninth-grader Mali Cerease said she was inspired to take part in Smart Scholars because she plans to take IB courses.

“I feel this program will help you prepare by getting to know the building and the people. You won’t be afraid of the teachers,” she said, adding that she already has her sights set on a career in law, which she hopes to study at Stanford University.