On Saturday, June 20, E.L. Haynes graduated our very first class of students, celebrating our Class of 2015 with love, pride, humor, and all the pomp and circumstance they deserve. With co-valedictorians, a Gates Millennium Scholar, a National Science Foundation Scholar, a 100% college acceptance rate, and $3.5 million in merit scholarships, we had much to celebrate!

In her inspiring keynote address, BB Otero, former Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and the founder of CentroNia, urged graduates to take a moment to articulate their core values and never let anyone else define them. She encouraged them to seek inspiration, stretch beyond their comfort zones, and find inspiration in the most humble people around us. She charged: “Each of you is a global citizen . . . You are among the world’s most privileged, and you have the power to make a positive impact.”

Provoking cheers from the audience, Co-Valedictorian Katy Reyes thanked her teachers and shared a heartfelt story of one teacher who intervened at just the right time. She reflected: “To my teachers, thanks for making me the person I’ve grown to be and for accompanying me on my journey.” She also thanked her parents for channeling her motivation and helping her to honor her responsibilities. Lastly, she thanked her friends for their support, concluding, “I wouldn’t be standing here without all of you.” Reyes was offered more than $100K in college scholarships and will attend Mulenberg College.

Patricia Salvador, Co-Valedictorian, offered a special thanks “to the pioneers and leaders of E.L. Haynes for providing us with the space to create such a supportive community and allowing us to grow and prosper.” She added: “In times of sorrow, confusion, and even excitement, Haynes has been a safe haven for many of us. You’ve always made an impact on my life and made me the person I am today.” Salvador was accepted to eight colleges, received

We Did It! Congratulations to the Class of 2015!

BE KIND WORK HARD GET SMART

summer 2015 issueIn this issue...

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We Did It! Congratulations to the Class of 2015!

E.L. Haynes Launches College Support Fund

Class of 2015 College Acceptances

Meet Our New High School Principal, Elizabeth Simpson

Students Travel the Globe to Serve and Learn

My Life, My E.L. Haynes

Albright CollegeAllegheny College*Acadia UniversityBarry University*Benedict CollegeBennett CollegeBethune-Cookman University*Claflin UniversityColumbia College ChicagoFayetteville State UniversityFlorida Institute of TechnologyFlorida Memorial UniversityFranklin University - SwitzerlandGeorge Mason University*Goucher College*Hampton-Sydney CollegeHampton University*Hofstra UniversityHollands CollegeHoward University*Ithaca CollegeJohn Cabot University – ItalyJohn Carroll UniversityJohnson and Wales University*Kalamazoo College*Langston UniversityLincoln University*Lynn UniversityMarymount University*McDaniel CollegeMichigan State UniversityMontgomery College*Morehouse CollegeMorgan State UniversityMount St. Mary’s UniversityMuhlenberg College*North Carolina A&T University*North Carolina Central UniversityNorthern Virginia Community College*Old Dominion UniversityOlivet Nazarene UniversityPace UniversityRadford UniversityRandolph CollegeRandolph-Macon CollegeRegent UniversityRochester Institute of Technology*Rutgers UniversitySalisbury UniversitySanta Monica College*Southern Adventist University*St. John’s UniversitySt. Joseph’s UniversityState University of New York at Oswego*Temple UniversityTowson UniversityTrinity College*Trinity Washington UniversityUniversity of Advancing TechnologyUniversity of ArizonaUniversity of HartfordUniversity of KansasUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore CountyUniversity of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of RedlandsUniversity of San Francisco*University of ScrantonUniversity of the District of ColumbiaUniversity of the PacificUnited States Navy*Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia State University*Virginia Tech UniversityVirginia Union University*West Virginia State University*Wiley CollegeXavier UniversityYork College

* Colleges attending

Class of 2015 College Acceptances

offers of nearly $300K in competitive scholarships, and will attend Goucher College.

Kai Lin Shi, a 2015 Gates Millennium Scholar, joined his peers in thanking his teachers, friends, and family for their support. He also recognized E.L. Haynes’ college counseling team and CDI (Collegiate Directions, Inc.) for everything from driving him to AP testing locations and a summer program in Baltimore, to helping him with his college and scholarship applications, to buying him snacks on occasion. “I wouldn’t be here today without you treating me like one of your children,” he said. As a Gates Millennium Scholar, Shi will receive full financial support through graduate school and will attend Kalamazoo College.

With few dry eyes in the audience, E.L. Haynes Founder Jennifer Niles, now DC Deputy Mayor for Education, sent the students off with a powerful message: “We love you. We will always be here for you. We will always believe in you. We will always take pride in you. And we will always remember you.”

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E.L. Haynes Launches College Support FundCollege, here we come! E.L. Haynes is so proud of our graduates and excited for this next stage in their lives. But we know that our alumni will have many hurdles to overcome to receive their college diplomas. Most of our students are the first in their families to attend college. Research shows that statistically, only 11% of low income or first generation students in the U.S. graduate from a four year college or university. For too many students, lack of money for books, food, and travel is a significant barrier to success.

With this in mind, E.L. Haynes launched the College Support Fund in 2015 to provide emergency funding to students so that financial setbacks won’t derail our students’ journey through college. Through our alumni support services, E.L. Haynes staff will check in on students’ studies, sanity, and life experiences while in college, directing emergency funds as needed. Please keep the excitement and enthusiasm of our first graduation alive by giving to this critical fund to ensure our graduates’ success. Your support will have exponential impact as our students continue to excel at colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad.

To give, visit www.elhaynes.org and click Donate Now. In the notes section of the donation page, please write “College Support Fund” so we know how to allocate your gift. We thank you for your support, guidance, and commitment to the bright futures of our alumni.

What brought you to E.L. Haynes?My parents live just outside DC, and my partner got his dream job in DC last year. I was attracted to Haynes’ mission and vision as I looked for a new school home in DC that strove for academic excellence, nurtured the whole child, and was not only inclusive of – but also took pride in – being a school for everyone regardless of situation, disability, race, home language, or economic status. I love the PK-12 model that can educate students from toddlerhood to college. And the people at Haynes are some of the most devoted, positive, and wonderful people I’ve met.

How do you feel your background prepared you for your new role?I’m an education lifer and became a principal at age 27. From teaching high school special education, to teaching middle school math and writing, to writing a charter and founding a school, I’m aware of all elements of running a school. I have experience with district and charter schools, cleaning the grease trap, building relationships in our community, overseeing a multi-million school budget, creating a positive culture that values academic success, designing an academic program that put my school in the top 5% of all public schools in the state of Tennessee, and recruiting teachers and families. As my first group of students in Memphis, TN, enters high school, I feel as if I’m picking up where I left off as I transition to high school at E.L. Haynes. I’m excited and energized by the responsibility of ensuring that all our students are ready for college.

What do you hope to accomplish as our new High School Principal?E.L. Haynes has an amazing community of teachers, students, and families. As principal, I hope to build upon our strengths and take us to the next level of academic excellence by regaining Tier 1 status, outpace the district and nation with our percentage of students who are college-ready according to the SAT, strengthen our Haynes pride by ensuring that every student is involved in at least one extracurricular school sponsored activity, and grow our involvement as community leaders.

What inspires you most about coming to work each day?Hands down, our kids inspire me. Greeting each student at the door is one of my favorite times of each day and one of the

Meet Our New High School Principal, Elizabeth Simpson

things I look forward to most. I also love being in classrooms and being so involved in the lesson that I have to stop myself from participating as a student!

What are your hopes and dreams for our students and the school?That every student – regardless of race, economic situation, or home language – excels academically and personally. High school should be challenging, inspiring, and motivating. I want to provide guidance so that students can each fulfill their personal goals, hopes, and dreams. We must ensure that each student has a clear vision for his or her next steps to and through college. I can’t wait for the day when our students graduate from college and come back to work at Haynes as adults! I’ve loved seeing so many of our alums this summer as they prepare to begin the next chapter of their lives in college. Haynes should be a model and leader in educational excellence in our city and country. My goal is to take us there.

What else would you like to share with our readers?If you are reading this, you are an integral part of our village – a community that supports, nurtures, and challenges each of our students. We are all responsible for the success of our kids. Talk to our students about what they’re reading, what colleges they’re interested in, what they hope to study, where they are in the college application process, what staff members they’re thinking of asking for recommendation letters, and where they are in relation to the 100 hours of community service needed. I encourage you to be involved and to contribute your ideas, skills, experiences, and talents. I’m excited to learn about each of you as we create the best possible learning experiences for our kids.

My name is Katy Reyes.

This morning for breakfast I had McDonald’s.

A perfect day is when I’m able to go home to my family from the career that I love.

The book that inspires me the most is The Bible.

I dream of having lunch with my family.

My greatest impact will be giving back to my community.

My Life, My E.L. Haynes

E.L. Haynes Public Charter School | 3600 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20010 | info@elhaynes.org | www.elhaynes.org | (202) 667-4446

Katy Reyes, Co-Valedictorian, Class of 2015

Students Travel the Globe to Serve and LearnThis summer, E.L. Haynes High School students opened their minds and hearts through service learning and social entrepreneurship programs in Paraguay, Jamaica, Guatemala, Japan, China, and Brazil. Through partnerships with LearnServe, Hoops Sagrado, Tomodachi U.S.-Japan Exchange Program, AFS Global Prep China, and World Learning Brazil, students learned firsthand about life, service, and social change through traveling and living abroad. They met inspiring youth leaders and tutored primary school students in Jamaica, coached basketball in Guatemala, lived with host families in Japan and China, and learned about human rights and social justice in Brazil.

According to Kristy LiPuma, E.L. Haynes Pre-College and College Success Coordinator, these overseas experiences transform students’ worldviews and social perspectives, develop their trust and social ties with new people and communities, and build their confidence in navigating a new place as independent young people away from home. As a result of their experiences, students passionately and proudly describe a new sense of belonging and responsibility as global citizens and have shifted their personal and academic goals.

For example, Khalii Wright, Class of 2016, plans to support students in Jamaica with school supplies; Brendan Epton, Class of 2016, will collaborate with businesses in DC to provide footwear to young athletes in Jamaica. All students are making plans to connect to the communities they engaged with abroad, and to find ways to collaboratively support their needs.

Shares Angeles Garcia (pictured), Class of 2015, working with teens in Paraguay was a profound experience: “The most powerful part of my experience was seeing that there are teens in Paraguay who have read all the books in their library, and they really wish that they could have many more. Here, we have lots of libraries, but people don’t even use them. I learned that we need to treasure what is given to us.”

LiPuma reflects: “These programs are life-changing for students and invaluable in preparing them for college. In one summer, these 15 students learned to surmount many of the stumbling blocks that first generation students encounter when they go off to post-secondary education.”