Harlem Children's Zone

Build promising futures and your career – join our HCZ Promise Academy Charter Schools for the fall academic year! We are seeking talented and tenacious educators to advance our mission to get our scholars to and through college. We offer highly competitive salaries with annual performance bonuses, tuition reimbursement, signing/relocation bonuses, and no-cost health insurance. Apply today! https://lnkd.in/eHY3xGUd

Meet Rowland Boateng, our Director of Social Services! He has played a key role in fostering the emotional well-being of our scholars. Thank you, Rowland, for your decades of making a positive impact on our young people! Want to make an impact, too? Explore career opportunities with HCZ here: https://hcz.social/careers

Many of our scholars want to start their own businesses — and they got a firsthand look at what it takes to achieve that goal at our Run The Future Pitch Competition! Over the last month, our scholar-entrepreneurs learned how to develop, test, and promote their business ideas, which they then pitched to a panel of professionals at the competition. The winners were awarded $1,000 to invest in their venture. Shout out to our Wealth Builds team and Formation Ventures for hosting, and bravo to all of our future business leaders!

Our College Success Office scholars visited the NBA headquarters this summer for their NBA career trek! Through this experience, scholars heard from NBA staff and interns, gaining an insider’s look at professional opportunities in the league. They also toured the NBA offices and viewed memorabilia and artifacts. Shout out to NBA for hosting us and to our Wealth Builds team for organizing the trip! Our scholars left inspired to chase their dreams both on and off the court!

HCZ scholars, parents, and staff members united for the 30th Annual Rasuli Lewis Children’s March for Peace! Together, we raised our voices and called for an end to gun violence in our communities. The event featured powerful remarks from our CEO Kwame Owusu-Kesse and President and Founder Geoffrey Canada, along with inspiring performances by our scholars, who demonstrated the meaning of peace and unity through poetry, song, and dance. #HCZMarchforPeace

Our rising college freshmen spent the summer getting a first-hand look at life in college at Advance to Start (ATS). Through this program hosted by our College Success Office, our scholars tackled math, writing, and other critical subjects in classes taught by industry leaders at a real-life college campus, The City College of New York. This program is part of our commitment to prepare our scholars to succeed in college and beyond. On the final day of ATS, our CEO Kwame Owusu-Kesse made a surprise visit to offer his wisdom and encouragement. We are incredibly proud of our scholars and will be cheering them on as they head to college this fall!

The late Rasuli Lewis, a legendary figure at Harlem Children’s Zone, fought for peace in our neighborhood — and everywhere — throughout his storied career. In 1994, he organized the first Children’s March for Peace. Held annually, the event brings thousands of HCZ scholars, participants, and staff members together to march through the streets of Harlem to demand an end to gun violence. Thirty years later, we continue his legacy, marching for a peaceful and safe Harlem.

Performing a needs assessment is a vital piece of Maryland’s ENOUGH initiative that allows communities to assess where they are and what they need for support and resources. Join our William Julius Wilson Institute team Thursday, August 1 at 10 AM as they explore this topic at a webinar, Engaging Community in Needs Assessment and Asset Mapping, hosted by the Maryland Governor's Office for Children. Register: https://lnkd.in/es7T_Eei

We were honored to celebrate our scholarship recipients at our annual luncheon! HCZ scholars are awarded the scholarships to help cover the cost of college. A big shoutout to our College Success Office team for hosting the event, and congratulations to all our HCZ scholars – you make us so proud!

Maryland’s ENOUGH initiative aims to unlock the potential in every child through early care and education from cradle to career. Join our William Julius Wilson Institute team tomorrow at 1 PM as they explore this topic at a webinar, Place-Based Support for Cradle-to-Career Education, hosted by the Maryland Governor's Office for Children. Register: https://lnkd.in/es7T_Eei #PowerOfPlace