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

Thank You for Summer Camp 2022

You Made It Happen! Six days of summer camp can be a big deal for any kid. For children whose families can’t afford activities like camps or vacation, experiencing a week full of firsts can be life-changing: swimming in a lake, holding a frog, or seeing a nighttime sky filled with stars. Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth (SGHY) coordinates and funds two yearly summer camps – Camp Zeke sleepaway the Kids of Summer day camp. This… 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

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

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

Spring Benefit Delivers on Summer Camp

This Year’s Spring Benefit Tops Its Goal  A trendy restaurant lounge on the far West Side in the 30s actually sports a mini-basketball court. When it’s Walt “Clyde” Frazier’s place — Clyde Frazier’s Wine and Dine — that’s what you get, and it was an appropriate venue for the 2015 spring benefit for Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth….Tequila Minsky, The Villager, May 28th, 2015 Honored at the event were Walt Frazier; Steve Ashkinazy – an L.G.B.T.rights pioneer; Pastor… Continue reading

SGHY Spring Benefit Date Set

The SGHY Spring Benefit will be held on Tuesday, May 12th, 2015, at Clyde Frazier’s Wine and Dine, 485 Tenth Avenue, from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. This year’s awardees include basketball legend Walt Clyde Frazier; Steve Ashkinazy, Former CB#2 Manhattan Youth Committee Chair and long-time advocate for LGBT youth; Pedro Cardi, founder of the Latino College Scholarship Fund and International Brotherhood of Teamsters advocate; Michael Fortenbaugh, Commodore of the Manhattan Yacht Club and Sailing School (which teaches young people sailing skills every… 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

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

Tennis and Basketball Day-Camp in Riverside Park

Kids of Summer Day Camp

Sixteen of our Bronx students this summer were enrolled at Tennis and Basketball Day-Camp in Riverside Park where they had intense basketball or tennis instruction, on the Hudson.  The Kids of Summer, one of the City’s top-quality day camps in connection with the Riverside Park Conservancy provided the instruction and facilities, and also generously discounted the cost.  SGHY arranged for transportation and remaining tuition.  Our kids came away with new skills, new confidence, new friends… Continue reading

Basketball Sleepaway Camp with Team First at Knox Boarding School

Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth - Ty Grant

 SGHY sponsored eight campers, four from each of our schools (MS 302 and MS 126), for a basketball sleepaway camp.  Retired NBA and St. Johns basketball star Tyrone Grant and his Team First coaches provided intense basketball training.  In addition, our inner-city kids —  many for the first time – experienced boating, swimming, and interacted with nature at Knox Boarding School on Long Island’s North Shore, as well as making a bunch of new friends.… Continue reading

Summer at Julian Krinsky Tennis Camp

Julian Krinsky Tennis Camp-Lunch

For the past two years SGHY has allowed two students from each school (MS 302 and MS 126) to attend a one-week session at the Julian Krinsky Tennis Camp, one of the nation’s premier tennis programs for young people.  The Krinsky organization generously accommodated two campers for the tuition of one.  In addition to new tennis skills, new friends, and lots of fun, these middle-school campers also derive inspiration from living on the Haverford College… Continue reading

Sophie Gerson Tennis Cup

  The First Annual Sophie Gerson Cup between MS 302 from The Bronx and MS 126 from the Lower East Side/Chinatown in Manhattan – unbelievable ! This years tennis training culminated in a tennis tournament at Columbia University’s Dick Savitt Tennis Center at Baker’s Field. At the first annual Sophie Gerson Tennis Cup, our middle school tennis players were thrilled to play on the home courts of Columbia’s Ivy League Champion Men’s and Women’s Tennis… 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

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