By Eva Trieger
ATLANTA, Georgia — From the Talmud, we learn that a father is commanded to teach his children to swim. That seems a little random at first glance, but in fact, the message is that a parent must teach his children to survive independently when the time arises. A program outside of Atlanta, Georgia is doing just that and has been since 2001. Reach for Excellence has been providing a supplemental education to underserved middle school-aged children and their families. However, Reach is no ordinary program.
The school motto is “commit to the climb,” and commitment is something they take very seriously. Each year approximately 36 fifth-grade students and their families apply for this rigorous three-year academic course that will prepare them for high school and college, and in many cases, graduate school. This tuition-free experience is funded by donations and grants, at no cost to the participants. Small class sizes ensure that highly skilled teachers can reinforce math, writing, and language arts skills in their twelve students. To be eligible, students and families commit to approximately sixteen Saturdays throughout the school year and six weeks of courses each summer between sixth and ninth grades.
In addition to the focus on academics, students also participate in community activities, and field trips that take them out of their neighborhoods and comfort zones, with time for recreational aspects built in. While the students who apply need not be identified as Gifted and Talented, they must possess an interest in learning and growing as scholars.
This program has a ninety percent graduation rate for former Reach for Excellence students and boasts acceptances to 187 universities. This is no mean feat for children who come from economically challenged backgrounds. The majority of students accepted by Reach For Excellence are people of color. Without the benefit of this program many of them may not have had the role models in their neighborhoods or environments to see themselves as achievers or academic successes. The passionate faculty, staff, and board of directors provided a window into a world of unlimited possibility. Director of Development, Matt McGee and Executive Director, Karen Dessables head up an incredible team of mentors and educators.
I had the good fortune to speak with two Reach graduates and the mother of a former Reach student by phone and was beyond impressed with their poise, accomplishments, and praise for how this donor-funded program has launched them and informed their lives.
Jharionne Anderson graduated from Reach for Excellence in 2014. She was aware of the extremely high level of commitment on her family’s part, prioritizing school over soccer, baseball, and other activities. The successful entrepreneur fondly recalled the influential figures in her educational life, including Miss Karen and Mr. Owens. Both of these teachers gave Jharionne the tools to see herself as a leader, improve her journalism skills and hone her raison d’ệtre, promoting racial equality and wage equality. Today, Ms. Anderson sits on the Alumni Advisory Council for Reach and shares her passion for education by giving back to her community. Not only does she teach a course at a local high school, she also uses her e-commerce skills to sell athletic wear online, reinvesting some of her profits into programs like Reach for Excellence. JHA and Co is intent on “promoting fitness while cultivating education.”
Jared Alexander, a graduate of the 2007 cohort, spoke with me by phone to share his experiences. He attended a local public school in Dekalb County. When asked about his best academic moment at Reach, Jared told me that the school “stimulated my interest in different topics” including religion, debating “hot button topics.” He learned how to research a topic to find facts to point to a conclusion. In short, he learned the reasoning behind things to understand how they interconnect. Equally important, Jared told me that he learned a valuable lesson from a community service trip to a senior care facility. Through completing puzzles or talking baseball with an elderly gentleman, Jared learned that one hour of his time each week could change someone’s day. While he admitted that sometimes he would have rather watched cartoons on a Saturday morning, he found that with the support and encouragement of Mr. Quinn and Ms. Bradley, he could push himself to excel. He later returned to intern at Reach for Excellence. Mr. Alexander graduated from his MBA program at Goizueta School for Business at Emory University and is currently a Senior Strategy Consultant at Accenture. He told me that he is eternally grateful to Reach for Excellence and to Karen Dessalbes whom he described as “selfless.” Another of his biggest takeaways was the opportunity to create friendships with a diverse group of people.
Brandon Fountain may never have been in the 2015 cohort, had his mom, Miriam Fountain, not asked his public-school teacher if she knew of a summer program. The teacher recalled that she’d just thrown a flier in the trash. They went through the wastebasket and found the Reach for Excellence notice and the rest is history. Miriam acknowledged that it was a struggle and a big sacrifice to get Brandon to the Marist school where Reach is housed. She committed to the three years of driving an hour every morning in the Atlanta Metro area. This is quite a challenge for a working parent. Fortunately, during the summer session, a bus was provided. Brandon had attended a small private school prior to Reach for Excellence and being a motivated guy, thrived in the environment of educational field trips and debate training. The experiences at Reach opened up a lot of doors and Brandon went on to do exceedingly well in high school. When he applied to college, he was accepted into all of his schools, including Vanderbilt, Columbia, Georgia Tech, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, and MIT. Today, Brandon works for Google as a product manager. Miriam credits Reach for Excellence with broadening Brandon’s horizons. She stated that most African Americans don’t even consider applying to Ivy League schools, but this incredible opportunity debunked this notion.
These three students are but a tiny sampling of the great impact that Reach for Excellence has had on so many lives. Each year, through the programming and commitment of the faculty, participants, and their families, so many lives are improved through opportunity, sacrifice, and love. The lucky children that enter Reach are at an impressionable age, and when given the support, encouragement, and structure they flourish. Speaking with these young adults and hearing of their desire to give back to the program and the community is nothing short of inspirational. This organization is not only a wellspring promoting academic excellence but in modeling menschlickeit. I’d say Reach for Excellence has done swimmingly!
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Eva Trieger is a freelance writer based in San Diego County. She may be contacted via eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com