Success and Opportunity

A Year of Dedication, Collaboration, and Expansion  …And a chance to double your contribution In fiscal 2022 SGHY expanded services by 150%, increasing the number of school partnerships from two to five as well as greatly expanding the curriculums we can offer.  Thanks to generous contributions from our individual, corporate, and union supporters we have, so far, been able to provide a wide variety of programs in 1,180 sessions in fiscal 2023(Fall 2022); but there… Continue reading

We’ve Added More Enrichment

More Enrichment_Camp Zeke

This year…and next, SGHY has added more enrichment Implementing Sophie Gerson’s vision, SGHY’s unique, effective program model is identifying more enrichment with the best program providers and camps to our schools. This effort brings teachers from the schools alongside the coaches and instructors to assure complete for each student’s needs. Over the past two years SGHY has supported or brought to our schools sports programs in the form of tennis, badminton, volleyball, basketball, running, field… Continue reading

Reaching Higher in Sports and Academics

Reaching Higher in Sports and Academics with the Help of Our Friends In Summer 2017 SGHY had their most expansive summer camp program, ever.  More middle-school children and a greater variety of camps, thanks to the generosity of our benefactor Dr. David Milch and to Board Member Ayo Harrington who coordinated the logistics. This Fall SGHY also put in place their most exciting school year program, reaching higher in sports and academics.  More students in… Continue reading

Where S.T.E.M Works

SGHY Students get a chance to see how S.T.E.M really works

New York City Center for Space Science Education (“NYCCSSE”), is a facility where S.T.E.M works. SGHY is incredibly fortunate to have partnered with the Airline Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) in cooperation with the Fund for Public Schools to offer a program where  S.T.E.M works. Last February, 32 middle school students from  very low income communities experienced, over the course of their school’s winter  break, the challenges and joys of air flight as they learned… Continue reading

National Dance Institute Summer Recital

National Dance Institute Scholars - a summer event

This year’s National Dance Institute Summer recital was even more amazing than the last. There are spring after-school classes for our students at MS302 in the Bronx and then this very special National Dance Institute Summer Recital at Jacques D’Amboise’ famed institution.  SGHY offers a scholarship to two deserving students for an intensive month of dance training every year.  This year’s scholars were Jayda McCoy and Jett Torres. Each piece in this year’s recital was new… Continue reading

Third Annual Tennis Tournament – UPDATE

third-annual-tennis-tournament_Hadavi

The Third Annual Tennis Tournament for the Sophie Gerson Cup was held June 3rd, 2016… at Columbia University’s Dick Savitt Tennis Center,  (Map). We never tire of the energy and enthusiasm our Middle School students bring to this tournament every year.  With the continued hospitality of Columbia University’s Varsity Tennis Coach Howie Edelman and Varsity Team Champs, Richard Pham, Burt Vancour and Shawn Hadavi  with the steady and experienced guidance of NY Junior Tennis and Learning NYJTL , and… Continue reading

Sophie’s Stars

Sophie's Stars 2016 team was young but fierce.

They didn’t win the playoffs in March, but Sophie’s Stars gave the Greenwich House-Malakoff Girls Basketball League lots of heart and a ton of enthusiasm. This year’s team was possibly the youngest in the league, though it would be hard to say they weren’t familiar with the game or lacked enthusiasm to master all the right plays.  What was most remarkable, however, is how well they understood the concept of team play.  Their offense was… Continue reading

The Sierra Club and Croton Gorge Park

Sierra-club_Croton-Group

Very early on a nippy Saturday morning 20+ Middle School Students from MS 126 boarded a bus for an outdoor adventure with Sierra Club volunteers.  The destination was Croton Gorge Park, a wilderness experience for these Lower East Side/Chinatown adolescents. Through a special arrangement with Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth the Sierra Club New York Chapter has arranged to conduct a series of outdoor adventures with our students at MS 126 and MS 302 (Bronx) on… Continue reading

NYC Center for Space Science Education Welcomes Our Students

NYC-center-for-space-science-education_flight

The NYC Center for Space Science Education at 220 Henry Street will introduce our students from MS 126 and MS 302 to STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) this year.  Their program is a leader in this subject. Their lab consists of the Challenger Space Center (40 in the U.S.), and the NASA Aerospace Education Lab (28 centers in U.S.). And this is all made possible by the NASA Space Act Agreement which allows partnering with the community… Continue reading

Sophie’s Stars at the 2015 Playoff

It was a very exciting day for Sophie’s Stars at the Greenwich House/Malakoff Girls Basketball League Playoff.   Though they didn’t win the playoff on Saturday, March 14th, everybody recognized their powerful back court skills and shining team spirit, right down to the purple and yellow face paint! And the award luncheon, where everybody is a winner, was a pretty impressive event, too. The team:  Top Row from left to right: Coach Ashley Contreras, Annie… Continue reading

National Dance Institute and Bronx MS 302 Students

Middle School students from MS 302 – The Luisa Dessus Cruz School rehearsed for 12 weeks with National Dance Institute instructors Bianca Johnson, Dufftin Garcia and Jerry Korman toward an inspiring recital on Feb. 11th. Each week MS 302 teacher, Barbara Palmer, brought 14 aspiring dancers to NDI’s studios at 217 West 147 St. from the South Bronx for the opportunity. Continue reading

Girls Basketball: Sophie’s Stars…The Real Deal

In Girls Basketball, Sophie’s Stars are the real deal We had the chance to watch 11 young women, ages 10 to 12 play some serious basketball on January 17.  They are Sophie’s Stars for the 2015 season and come from all five Boroughs of New York to play in the Greenwich House/Malakoff Girls Basketball League.  Their coaches Ashley Contreras and Dana Brown are justifiably proud of them, as you can see from our slideshow. [cincopa… Continue reading

SGHY Will Include Space Science Education

This year SGHY will include Space Science Education for classes in MS 302 and MS 126 to attend the New York City Center for Space Science Education (NYCCSSE) a science-rich educational experience operated by the Department of Education.  Our students will utilize a NASA Aerospace Laboratory and Mission Control and Space Shuttle simulators as well as a robotics Lab NYCCSSE provides students with hands-on science learning. Under the brilliant leadership of its Director, Katherine Brown and its… Continue reading

After School Tennis at MS 126

  After school tennis at MS 126 played at the East River Tennis Courts. Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth (SGHY) brought New York Junior Tennis and Learning (NYJTL),  their coaches and full program to the South Bronx and to Lower East Side this year. Working with teachers, NYJTL conducted an after school tennis program during the Spring semester. The program gave the students tennis rackets and three days a week of instruction with professional tennis players. The… Continue reading

After School Tennis at MS 302

after school tennis_ms302

  The After school tennis program for MS 302, uses the new Bronx Crotona Park Tennis Center Sophie always said, “Tennis is my racket.”  SGHY brought New York Junior Tennis and Learning (NYJTL),  the NYJTL coaches and their program to the South Bronx as well as the Lower East Side, this year. Working with these Middle School’s teachers, NYJTL conducted after school tennis programs during the Spring semester. What did the students have to say?… Continue reading

Summer Dance Institute

Partners - National-Dance-Institute

  The Irene Diamond Summer Dance Institute at the Renown National Dance Institute Is a Great Success.   For the past two summers SGHY has provided stipends to enable two students to attend NDI’s summer institute. This year SGHY will also sponsor after-school dance programs by NDI for MS 302 and MS 126 students. Here’s what our students have to say about it:  You learn a lot about jazz, ballet, tap and music that definitely… Continue reading

Sophie’s Stars Join Girls Basketball League

Sophie’s Stars Win  The Greenwich House Malakoff Girls Basketball League Championship SGHY provided an opportunity for more girls to play basketball by reviving the Sophie’s Stars team.  Sophie’s Stars won the league championship!  But, as Sophie would say, all girls won just by participating. “Sophie was one of the very first sponsors of the Greenwich Village Girls Basketball League twenty years ago, recalls Harry Malakoff, Commissioner and founder of the League. “She was, and her foundation… Continue reading

Girls Volley Ball at MS 302 in the Bronx.

Girls Volley Ball- MS302

If it’s Saturday, its girls volley ball at MS 302 in the Bronx. SGHY funding opened the school’s gym for the girls volleyball team to practice and play – and enjoy comraderie in a safe place with teacher supervision.  No wonder the MS 302 team won their division’s championship. This year SGHY will sponsor Summer Volley Ball for the students of MS 302. And here’s what the students had to say: Thank you for helping… Continue reading