June 2021 Quarterly Newsletter

You'll remember in the last edition of our Newsletter I promised you we'd be launching our Annual Report. Well, after months of anticipation, it's finally here! I'm incredibly excited to be sharing this with you, and believe that you'll thoroughly enjoy reading what we've been up to here at Liberty's Promise, thanks to your continued support!

The Annual Report is filled with great highlights and stories. In particular, on page 10 of the report, you'll hear from two of our amazing students, Laila and Renia. On page 12, you'll note a fantastic fireside chat we had with two of our dearest supporters, Barbara Harman and Tom Mutryn.

In other news, we're busy preparing to be back in person this fall and are so excited about being back in the classroom with our wonderful youth, including establishing our new middle school program in Baltimore County (more to come on this later)!

I'd like to leave you with a quote from Barbara, a stalwart leader in philanthropy for more than 20 years.

"My grandparents were immigrants. My mother never attended college. I have a BA, an MA, and a PhD. That’s the story – and there are many versions of this story – that American families can tell. There will continue to be stories of accomplishment and success for today’s immigrants, who should not be demonized but rather celebrated for their courage and endurance in the face of great odds."

-Barbara Harman, Founder & Chair at Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington


Best wishes,

Robert M. Ponichtera, Ph.D.

Executive Director

 

Youth Spotlight: Stacey, Ghana

This quarter's Youth Spotlight shines bright on Stacey, a current student of our West Potomac High School program in Fairfax County, VA.


We recently sat down with Stacey to find out more about her and her journey.

I was born in Ghana and I came to the United States when I was 9. I'm currently in 12th Grade at West Potomac High School and I have been a part of Liberty's Promise since 2018.

LP really helped me learn about different careers, as well as helping me academically by informing me about college and scholarships; I was a Questbridge College Prep Scholar and a Questbridge Finalist.

Through LP, I got to get out of my house and explore. The program helped introduce me to some of the friends I have today.


I'm still not sure what I want to do career-wise. However, after I graduate, I'll be attending Washington University in St Louis as an undecided student, and I hope to figure out my purpose and learn new skills.



When asked about her favorite LP memory, Stacey said:

One of my favorite memories in LP was when we had a little donut-eating contest. It was very fun and I got to spend time with my friends.

We asked Stacey if she had any words of encouragement for her peers and newly arrived young immigrants.

I would absolutely introduce LP to other students. I'll tell them about my incredible experiences with the program such as volunteering at an LP event, interning with a partnered program, visiting colleges, and exploring DC.

What's New

 
 
 
01 | See Our Services

01 | Annual Report

We're thrilled to be sharing our first-ever Annual Report with you!

2020 was a year filled with many challenges and obstacles, however, thanks to the generous support of our community, LP remained strong, continuing to support those most in need.

To find out what 2020 looked like for our youth, check out Renia's and Laila's interviews on p10.

 
01 | See Our Services

02 | Scholarship Highlights

This spring, in partnership with the Fairfax County Consolidated Community Funding Pool, we were able to award 13 scholarships to our youth from across the county.

Ayman, Miguel, and Rachel were some of those recipients, click the link to hear their stories.

 
01 | See Our Services

03 | Summer at the Mall

After almost a year and a half of living in the virtual world, we're so excited to be holding our first in-person event this summer on the National Mall, July 17th at 2 pm.

Join us at Hains Point, the National Mall for a day filled with games, food, and fun!

Support Us

 
 
 

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Questions?

Contact us at info@libertyspromise.org