ccsa today inaurgural issue

SPRING 2016

Teaching To The Best

Building Literacy Through Design

Denyce Graves In Concert

Johnae grade 1

Spring 2016 | 1

Dear Friends of The Chester Fund

am thrilled to be writing to you just four months into my tenure as Executive Director at The Chester Fund and I hope that you will enjoy this first edition of our new magazine

CCSA Today is a biannual publication through which we will share news and updates about The Chester Charter School for the Arts In this edition you will read about exciting curriculum devel-opments such as ldquoScholastic Reading Countsrdquo and ldquoFood for Thoughtrdquo new after-school programs including ldquo24 Clubrdquo and the growth of our sports programs in ldquoLeading Ladiesrdquo and ldquoFailing Forwardrdquo We will also spotlight faculty and staff members and volunteers in each editionmdashyou will find familiar faces here

As you will read there are many developments in pro-cess at CCSA as we continue to expand to include a full high school You may also have heard that we will soon be undertaking construction on a new school building to accommodate this growthmdashwe have not covered these developments in this magazine but rest assured you will hear more about these plans in the coming months

We will get to know each other in the coming months and years but I will share just a little to introduce myself here I am originally from the UK born and raised in Kent and moved to Delaware County 12 years ago to marry my husband Jared Reed who is Artistic Director at Hedgerow Theatre Since graduating from the University of Oxford with a degree in archaeology and anthropology I have spent almost 15 years working with and consulting for arts and education nonprofits of various shapes and sizes including a number of theaters in this region the Pacific Northwest Ballet the University of Pennsylvania and The Haverford School Irsquom also mother to two boys aged six and nine and enjoy being around children constantly at work and at home

This is an amazing community and I am still learning every day just how engaged and deeply committed you all are to our mission in Chester Incredible things have been accomplished here in the past few years and Irsquom excited and grateful for the opportunity to be involved in what is to come Thank you for all that you do for The Chester Fund and CCSA and please donrsquot hesitate to be in touch with me directly at any time

Warmest regards

Keren White

You can contact Keren atkwhitethechesterfundorg(610) 859-2988

1 Letter from the Executive Director Meet Keren White

2 From the Head of SchoolCEO Akosua Watts

4 CCSA Today Building Literacy Through Design

6 Curriculum in Focus Food for Thought

8 After School Highlight 24 Club

9 Faculty Profile Brian Holm

10 Celebrating Our History Marching for MartinSinging for Maya

1 2 Class Notes by Dr John Alston 21st Century Perspectives

1 3 Mid-Year Makings

14 Athletic Highlights

16 Denyce Graves in Concert

18 Volunteer Profile Abbie and Dave Rowley

20 Giving Update

21 Milestones amp News

This is an amazing

community to be

coming into and I am

still learning every day

just how engaged and

deeply committed you

all are to our mission in

Chester

rsaquo Letter from the Executive Directorrsaquo In This Issue

THE CHESTER FUND

KEREN WHITEExecutive Director

HILLARY SORINDirector of Development

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJames J McEntee III ChairEric Del Viscio MBA Vice ChairJohn Alston DM FounderPresidentWendy Emrich SecretaryTreasurerBen Brake MBARobert N Speare EsqJeffrey R Wolters EsqCordelia Delson ex-officioDonald W Delson JDMBA ex-officioMaurice Eldridge ex-officioChair Emeritus

THE CHESTER CHARTER SCHOOL FOR THE ARTSAKOSUA WATTSHead of School CEO

BOARD OF TRUSTEESDonald W Delson JDMBA PresidentMaurice G Eldridge Vice President SecretaryBarbara Klock MD Vice PresidentScott Beaumont MBA TreasurerBenjamin Berger PhDRamona JonesMarcine Pickron-Davis PhDSteve Piltch EdDJoel Zarrow PhD

The mission of The Chester Fund for

Education and the Arts is to support

The Chester Charter School for the

Arts (CCSA) an arts-integrated

academically rigorous public charter

school in the Chester Upland School

District CCSA serves educationally

underserved children in kindergarten

through 9th grade and will expand

to 12th grade by 2018

13

8

Meet Keren White

The Chester Fund Magazine Spring 2016 | Volume 1 Number 1PUBLISHER The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts EDITOR Hillary Sorin ART DIRECTOR Lynne Smyers Smyers Design

PHOTOGRAPHERS Audrey Amaro Peter Murphy Martin Froger-Silva Hillary Sorin

The Chester Fund Magazine will be published bi-annually The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts 200 Commerce Drive Aston PA 19014

Main Phone (610) 859-2988 wwwthechesterfundorg Email tcfthechesterfundorg

ou

r m

issi

on

2

Keren White with Calvin Steven Anyah and TyrsquoTianna grade 3

Trey grade 1Drama class with Beverly Rigby

Mahoganee grade 4

2 | The Chester Fund Magazine Spring 2016 | 3

rsaquo From The Head of School

want to celebrate The Chester Fund and thank you for your sup-port The Chester Fund supports CCSA in so many ways finan-cially and programmatically and it is this extra inputmdashwhich most public schools never receivemdashthat helps us not only to prepare

children for tests but to also teach to the best

From my years as a financial analyst on Wall Street I understand that data and analysis provide vital feedback and are necessary measures of success But tests are not the only way to measure success in the school context We also take note of other crucial factors that can be quantifiedmdashincluding attendance (96 this year) levels of extracurricular participation and faculty and student retention rates And we pay attention to important elements of school culture that are less easy to quantify happy faces confident children deep friendships warm hugs and kindness between classmates

ldquoTeaching to the bestrdquo is different from ldquoteaching to the testrdquo It means find-ing a way to engage our scholarsrsquo genuine interest enthusiasm and curios-ity for learning It means taking the time to be creative and have fun every day It means teaching our scholars to be their very best selves not only academically but as citizens and members of a community

So how do we do balance these elements to come out with a happy healthy community of children who enjoy learning and also do well on state tests We teach through arts integration We talk daily about our four school pillars scholarship character craftsmanship and purpose And with the support of The Chester Fund we have the privilege and freedom to respond nimbly to data by deploying human and financial resources to meet our studentsrsquo particular needs

In 2015 our PSSA scores (the required state testing in Pennsylvania in third fifth and eight grades) revealed weaknesses in math particularly in certain classes In response to this data we created a new program called Math

Lab to help struggling students in math Math Lab is an arts-integrated approach to teaching conceptual math skills

The program emphasizes depth over breadth and interdisciplinary studies in geometry and algebra that combine conceptual understanding with the strengthening of founda-tional skills The students develop a strong fundamental sense of numer-acy through construction painting design andmdashyesmdashmath problems This is just one example of how our arts-integrated curriculum allows us

to both ldquoteach to the bestrdquo and prepare our children for the tests they need to take

In the next three years as we add three more high school grades our cur-riculum will continue to develop and we will continue to adjust responsively to what the data tells us about our studentsrsquo needs I will keep you informed as we enter this exciting new phase as a K-12 school And I hope that you will keep The Chester Fund in your giving plans The Chester Fund helps keep CCSA free to innovate and empowered to ldquoteach to the bestrdquo

lsquoTeaching to the

bestrsquo is different from

lsquoteaching to the testrsquo

It means finding a way

to engage our scholarsrsquo

genuine interest

enthusiasm and

curiosity for learning

By Akosua WattsHead of SchoolCEO

mdashAkosua Watts Head of SchoolCEO

Teaching to the Best

Grade 6 tessellation projects Below Head of SchoolCEO Akosua Watts with kindergarten students from left to right Nathan Makhi Malyan and Michyla

Standing Jahbree Jiyyir and Walter Seated Alie

Daily Attendance

96A figure more commonly asso-ciated with elite suburban school districts and statistically correlated with higher graduation rates


rsaquo CCSA Today

Building Literacy Through DesignStudent Profile

FOUR DAYS A WEEK nearly 25 students sprawl out for an hour in Kelly Nagle and Lisa Wilsonrsquos comfy classrooms to lose them-selves in a good book Kelly and Lisa are members of CCSArsquos five-person Reading Intervention team They play a pivotal role in creating an encouraging envi-ronment in which our students choose to read Students are motivated by prizes reading level moving-up ceremonies visual displays But students are also drawn in by the simple joy of a quiet space to do what they love bestmdashread

After school reader Nasir grade 2

After school reader Noelle grade 2

SRC CLUB

Shakespeare and Hip Hop Shakespeare and Hip Hop

By Beverly Rigby Drama Teacher

THIS YEAR I introduced our CCSA eighth and ninth grade drama majors to The Bard William Shakespeare It was not an easy taskmdashstudents found initial attempts to read Romeo and Juliet tedious at best I knew I had to put Shakespeare in context but I did not want to dictate that context

After a couple of false starts I decided to let students select a filmmaker author or playwright (they chose Tyler Perry) and to use Shakespeare as a point of com-parison that would hold some relevance for my class

We then analyzed Tyler Perry as a means to understanding Shakespearersquos work and contemporary significance Using this approach students ultimate-ly fell in love with Shakespeare referring to him as the Master of Ceremonies (MC) of his generation By the end of the trimester we had read Romeo and Juliet as well as sections of Macbeth and Othello

Fun Facts About The Little Mermaid

Deja grade 7

Shakespeare was

the MC of the

Elizabethan era

ndashDionna grade 9

MC refers to Master of Ceremonies or master wordsmith in hip-hop

and rap music

JOIN US Disneyrsquos The Little Mermaid

THURSDAYMay 12th at 630 pm

andFRIDAY

May 13th at 200 pm

Starring CCSA Scholars

You donrsquot want to miss CCSArsquos annual musical production

To RSVP and reserve seats please contact Hillary Sorin at hsorin

thechesterfundorg

3000000 Words and CountingBy Tara Park Seventh grade EnglishSocial Studies Teacher

Scholastic the nationrsquos largest chil-drenrsquos book publisher has an online application for schools called Scholastic Reading Counts (SRC) Through SRC children can log into a personal account and track their own reading progress The child enters the name of the book and the program tells the student how many words each book contains The student then takes an online test to measure reading compre-hension and prove that she read the text If a student scores 70 or above on the test the number of words in the book is added to the studentrsquos personal word count

CCSA scholars are passionate about reading and the SRC pro-gram spurs them on providing tangible goals continuous feed-back and an exciting competitive element to this quiet individual activity Last year as a school we read over 60 million words Ms Watts had promised to complete various amusing tasks if this goal was reached and so she did She sang the theme song from Frozen dressed like a clown for the day and participated in the ice bucket challenge for charity This year the school-wide goal is 90 million words What will Ms Watts do next Stay tunedhellip

Interview with Deja

Deja a seventh grader at CCSA and my student has read 3000000 words since September

Tara How many chapter books is that Deja Roughly 78

Tara WhyDeja I want to be the best reader in the school

Tara How do you feel about the SRC competition Deja Itrsquos so fun I love winning but others are gaining so I am staying focused

Tara Is it just about winning Deja Yes and no I am reading some really awesome booksmdashI love reading generally I like winning too

Tara What have you read Deja I love serials Twilight (read) Sharon G Flake books (Irsquove read every one) Bluford High (amazing) Harry Potter (halfway done) Hunger Games (not yet but soon)

Tara Favorite Author Deja This onersquos easy Sharon G Flake She came to CCSA

Tara Favorite Word Deja Undefeated (she laughs)

Tara Favorite Subject Deja Theater

Tara Favorite Project Deja I am writing a play about Rosa Parks

CCSA assesses student reading growth using the Fountas

and Pinnell Benchmark System which measures grade

level proficiency across an A-Z gradient with Z being the

highest level in the curriculum system

Students work hard to reach the Z level and every stu-

dentrsquos accomplishments in reading are publicly celebrat-

ed throughout the school year CCSA has a large display

wall dedicated to reading achievement

TarsquoVionne grade 2 celebrates his advancement along the

reading gradient in our reading program

rsaquorsaquo

rsaquo 40+ students in second through ninth grade are participating Students are creating all aspects of the show from choreographing dance numbers to designing lighting and sets to conceptualizing mar-keting and publicity

rsaquo Little Mermaid is a community-wide production Six faculty mem-bersmdashmusic arts theater and dance teachersmdashare coaching and mentoring students throughout the production

rsaquo Students petitioned for more rehearsal time Last year students rehearsed two days a week after school for CCSArsquos production of Disneyrsquos The Lion King Participants felt that they would do better this year with more rehearsal time and petitioned to expand rehearsals from two to four days a week


rsaquo Curriculum In Focus

Food for Thoughtor the last two generations Chester residents have lacked ready access to healthy food and fresh produce Until 2013 Chester had been without a supermarket for 12 years and the single supermarket in the city at this time is a non-profit store run by

Philabundance Chester has high incidences of obesity and related chronic illnesses including Type-2 Diabetes

CCSA takes health and nutrition seriously The context in which our students live in Chester brings personal relevance to our curriculum focus on healthy eating the science of food and the importance of environmental protec-tion Over 30 of our scholars live below the federal poverty level and 89 qualify for free school meals To meet this need and other needs that may go unidentified we provide 100 of our CCSA scholars with free lunch and breakfast and all teachers have a ldquoshare tablerdquomdashallowing students to have a healthy snack when they are hungry

Teaching the second grade together at CCSA for the past four years we have learned that many of our students take on considerable

By Nicole DeRitis and Nicola Robinson Second Grade Faculty Team

responsibility for feeding themselvesThis reality has highlighted for us the importance of studying food and nutrition from the earliest grades After changing our own eating and exercise habits we made the deci-sion to add an integrated year-long unit for our second grade students covering biology environmental sci-ence nutrition and personal health

In science we read about the food chain and learn about how food affects life energy and health We learn about photosynthesis and we create beautiful technical drawings of the process of pollination

In English we write persuasive essays about the importance of environ-mental preservation In music Dr John Alston is composing an opera for our students about the life cycle In social studies we learn about envi-ronmental history

We always try to make the program as hands-on and interactive as pos-sible We will be taking field trips to support the unit and hope to visit Longwood Gardens in the spring to learn about bees and pollination firsthand

This spring we also hope to part-ner with volunteers to build raised beds and plant and tend vege-tables In the late spring we aim to host a Friendrsquos Farm Stand (we call each other ldquoFriendsrdquo in second

Scholars Living Below the Federal Poverty Line

Scholars Qualifying for Free School Meals

Below Nicole DeRitis and her class of second grade Friends Right DersquoAndre grade 2

Clockwise from top Ms Robinson and second graders dancing in class together Neah Lilianna NyrsquoAnah and ZahrsquoMyah

grade) selling produce and serv-ing soup made from produce we have grown This will allow our students to apply their skills and think about the economics of food If you can spend some time sup-porting and tending to our raised beds please contact Hillary Sorin at hsorinthechesterfundorg or (610) 859-2988


rsaquo After School Highlights rsaquo Faculty Profile

Zachary grade 5 I love that itrsquos interactive

Bruce grade 7 Math is my favorite subject but probability and fractions are really difficult My teachers said it would get eas-ier if I worked on my math facts This game has helped

TaShawna grade 9 I want to be a brain surgeon and you have to be really good at math and sci-ence You have to be really quick 24 Club makes me think fast and it requires accuracy

What Club Members Think

Answer 63 = 18 18-2=16 16+8= 24

Right Bruce grade 7 Below Clifton Zachary and Jabryl grades 5 with Danielle Harrington

fter graduating from Temple University last spring Danielle Harrington knew

she wanted to work in urban educa-tion and that she wanted to teach math ldquoI am a serious math nerd but I also love theater I never felt that math was something that you had to do sitting down Math is an experi-ence Math is everywhere CCSArsquos arts-integrated approach to learning was compelling Math and theater can be taught together CCSA has enabled me to do bothrdquo

As a seventh grade teaching appren-tice Danielle works under the

guidance of two mentor teachers ldquoItrsquos no secret that teaching is chal-lenging and itrsquos especially hard the first year but I have been able to learn and experiment with my peda-gogyrdquo At CCSA new teachers receive constant coaching and support from school leaders

Danielle was particularly inspired this year by CCSArsquos successful gamification of reading through the Scholastic Reading Counts program Gamification is the application of game-playing elements to something that does not usually involve such elementsmdashfor example point scoring levelling up competition and rules of play After seeing faculty success with the gamification of literacy Danielle determined to apply the same princi-ples of gamification to math educa-tion at CCSA

Not one to let the grass grow under her feet she has already successfully gamified some elements of middle school math through ldquo24 Clubrdquo

What is 24 Club 24 Club uses the 24 card game to build math and critical thinking skills The club members play a math game using four num-bers and any operation to reach the targeted answer 24

Who can participate Students in grades fifth through ninth The club runs twice weekly for an hour

Whatrsquos the object of the game Make the number 24 from the four numbers on a game card You can add subtract multiply and divide You must use all four numbers on the card but use each number only once

Can you answer the card below

eaching Math at CCSA is a dream job for me I pre-viously worked with young

men and women who were return-ing to school after dropping out for various reasons My focus was to prepare young people for careers by helping them achieve a high school diploma or GED As the High School Coordinator and Math Teacher for eighth and ninth grades at CCSA I have a unique opportunity to be involved with designing a high school program that will meet the particular needs and aspirations of our stu-dents Itrsquos a wonderful thing to be building something from the ground up rather than fixing something on the back end

Itrsquos a wonderful

thing to be building

something from the

ground up rather than

fixing something on the

back end mdashBrian Holm

This Is A Dream JobBy Brian Holm High School Coordinator Eighth and Ninth Grade Math Teacher

24 ClubBy Michelle Robinson K-7 Principal

TaShawna grade 9

Brian Holm at work teaching data probability and statistics to eighth grade mathematicians

Above Example of an arts-integrated geometry unit


rsaquo Celebrating Our History

t CCSA we study African American history all year long not just in February

In September our first graders began the school year by sharing their hopes in preparation for their study of Faith Ringgoldrsquos My Dream Of Martin Luther King In response to that story the children shared the following

bull I hope I read booksbull I hope we share crayonsbull I hope we learn about dinosaursbull I hope I will have a friend bull I hope nobody gets hurtbull I hope we donrsquot fight bull I wish we can all be friends

There are many more hopes all as honest elegant and important as those mentioned above Consider the many ideas the children thought about in this lesson generosity

Kenny grade 1

Just like moons and like suns

With the certainty of tides

Just like hopes springing high

Still Irsquoll rise mdashMaya Angelou

Above Skyy and DairsquoOmi grade 6

How is it in heaven

Are you changing the

laws up there tooDear Dr King Did your feet hurt ndashSaniyah pictured with her friend Razhae ndashReaganrsquos piece above

Singing With MayaBy Frank Hosking Music Teacher

Marching With MartinBy Hillary Sorin Director of Development

curiosity and friendship Since then the students have dug deeper into the life and significance of Dr King

They were particularly interested in learning about Dr Kingrsquos time as a seminary student at Crozer Theological Seminary It was at Crozer in Chester that Dr King strengthened his commitment to social good and developed his interest in Gandhian ideas about nonviolence as a method of social reform If not for his time in Chester America might be a very different place

In response to their studies our first graders were determined to thank Dr King for his help improving th e lives of all Americans

When the children wrote letters to Dr King they were thinking about history justice and peacemdashan extraordinary lesson

For more letters visit wwwchestercharterschoolfortheartsorgMarchingwithMartin

his trimester for 12 of my middle school music majors it wasnrsquot enough

just singing and learning the music of gospel singer Kirk Franklin for a winter chorus performance They wanted to compose their own music As a class they selected Maya Angeloursquos ldquoStill I Riserdquo to see if they could translate a poem to song They succeeded To hear CCSArsquos music majors sing their version of ldquoStill I Riserdquo visit www facebookcomthechesterfund

I asked the students this question ldquoYou had to learn several new songs for your winter performancemdasha lot of workmdashwhy did you decide to create additional work for yourselves by fashioning this projectrdquo Here are their answers

ldquoMaya is a beautiful person and pow-erful poet We wanted to honor her during Black History Monthrdquo mdashJayda grade 7

ldquoShersquos a hero to me I think we all wanted to honor her sing her words and give them new meaning through musicrdquo mdashDaiOmi grade 6

ldquoIt was really interesting learning about the music the chords the style of the song It was challengingrdquo mdashRaelyn grade 7

ldquoWe learned that Maya used her poetry and art to talk about what she experienced and what she saw Her writing was her voice and she used it to change the worldrdquo mdashSkyy grade 6

My response was simple ldquoAs artists and writers you can change the world toordquo

Yari grade 7 with fellow music majors


This is what great 21st

century education looks

like CCSA is pioneering

interdisciplinary integrated

multimedia learningmdashthe

future of education CCSA

is giving Chester children

multiple opportunities to

learn and discover

rsaquo Class Notes rsaquo Mid-Year Makings

Highlights From Our Visual Arts Program21st Century Perspectives Dr John Alston Founder and President The Chester Fund

Amari grade 1

Khadijah grade 6

Above Markell grade 7 with Dr John Alston Right Markell in Visual Arts class with Alison Maddex

Jean-Pierre grade 1

Chania grade 4

Nathan grade 6 and Daveigh grade 6

Markell grade 8 with Alison Maddex

Rahmee grade 1 Peyton grade 2 Akeem grade 8

or much of the spring semester Markell an eighth grade boy has been

thinking deeply about the Chester Crozer Library He and the other CCSA Visual Arts majors were each assigned a Chester landmark to represent artistically and were asked to learn about its historical and social significance

In his artistic statement Markell writes ldquoI really like the mural and honestly I thought it would be the easiest to representsbquo at first I have walked past Chester Crozer public library many times but I donrsquot fre-quently gomdashI donrsquot need to because I have so many books at school that

I can read and take home whenever I want What surprised me though is that the public library is now only open three days a week and the hours are short If you go to another school in Chester you donrsquot have the same access to books and if yoursquore a kid you canrsquot go to the library without a parent and if your parent is working you donrsquot have any access to books at all Whatrsquos the point of a library if children canrsquot access itrdquo

Markellrsquos observations exemplify the impact of critical exposure to new perspectives that CCSArsquos program provides through arts integration and project-based learning In visual arts

this year eighth and ninth grades are studying the history and preservation of Chesterrsquos historical architecture Through this project the children are developing craftsmanship through the creation of personal renderings of Chester landmarks that they have identified and selected to research Students are also required to devel-op artist statements that reflect on their chosen landmark its original purpose environmental and histor-ical context and present day use relevance and meaning

This project is just one example of how CCSArsquos program not only builds academic competency and artistic craftsmanship but also leads stu-dents like Markell to see their role in society in a new light One day Markell and students like him will be our leaders increasing library access addressing issues of educational in-equality and filling their city and the world with beautiful art

mdash Steve Piltch Head of School The Shipley School Board Trustee The Chester Charter School for the Arts


rsaquo Athletic Highlights

Leading Ladies By Dorothy Dill School Nurse Girls Assistant Basketball Coach and Mom (Dionna and Donovan)

Failing Forward By Gary Hines Boys Basketball Coach and School Safety Coordinator

Basketball is a way to get

away from the bad things in

the community it helps us

get off the streethellipWersquore not

involved in the stupid stuff

mdashSierra grade 9

Above Nurse Dill (in her day job as CCSArsquos full time nurse) gives Riniyah grade 4 an eye exam Below Left to right Rahnaezah Alexis and Sierra

Pictured Left to Right Kabree Coach Gary Hines Jaymon and team captain Devante

INTERVIEW WITH TEAM CAPTAIN DEVANTE GRADE 9

FAVORITE SUBJECT Math and

Visual Arts

ROLE MODEL Mr Read (Math

Lab Instructor Visual Arts

Teacher) and Mrs Watts (Head of

School)

HOW MANY YEARS AT CCSA

Three

HIGHLIGHT THIS YEAR Playing

Episcopal (and winning)

SPRING SPORT Lacrosse

have often said to young athletes ldquoFailure is not a bad thing if you fail forwardrdquo

Failing forward is when you take a loss face something difficult reflect on it and apply the lessons learned This winter the CCSA Sabers failed forward

After 20-plus years of coaching experience I promised myself ldquonever againrdquo I was hired in the fall to sup-port CCSArsquos growth by coordinating safety functions including drop-off pick-up and facility oversight Serving more students every single year CCSA had a need for this new role and I was thrilled to join the school Not long after I started I was asked to coach the boysrsquo basketball team I see the boys come off the bus welcome them to school and check in on them during the day so ldquonever againrdquo became ldquosure Irsquoll coachrdquo

Eighteen kids signed on many of whom had never played on a team In the process of becoming a team we discovered that there is more to

playing than winning The players showed spirit camaraderie courage in the face of defeat collaboration (no ball hogging for us) and eventual-ly discipline It was a tough seasonmdashone of our boys lost a brothermdashbut the team learned to establish goals together and demonstrate sports-manship integrity and character

I will never forget bringing the boys to play against Episcopal Academy When we walked into the athletic facilities we saw a pool and four bas-ketball courts It was a lot for our boys to take in but they played well and won the game

After the season we reflected on what we learned together Jaymon grade 9 said ldquoI learned how to play it was my first time playing on a sports teamrdquo Devante added ldquoI came to like you Coach You wanted the best from us I didnrsquot always see that at firstrdquo

I like you too Devante and I look forward to seeing you on the court again next year

ashtag () Like a Girl is trending on social media as part of a national campaign

to reclaim what it means to do things ldquolike a girlrdquo In sports the phrase is often used as an insult and results in both boys and girls internalizing the message that girls are less capable and powerful than boys CCSA is working to disrupt that message

I am a Chester native basketball fan and mom of two CCSA scholars I am also CCSArsquos school nurse and the girlsrsquo assitant basketball coach Our new bas-ketball team of fifteen seventh eighth and ninth graders is proving that doing things Like a CCSA Girl is amazing

Despite limited practice space our team ran laps drilled and conditioned for two hours a day four days a week The team worked hard not only on the court but also in their classes Every player made distinguished hon-or roll or honor roll ldquoWe really wanted to learn to play and we wanted to be with each otherrdquo explained ninth grader Rahnaezah ldquoIf our grades dipped at all we couldnrsquot playrdquo

For Sierra grade 9 playing basketball is also about safety ldquoEvery trimester I sign up for as many after-school activities as I can Basketball is a way to get away from the bad things in the community it helps us get off the street Wersquore not involved in the stupid stuffrdquo And for Alexis grade 8 basketball is about team spirit and collaboration ldquoWere so com-fortable with each other Wersquore best friendsrdquo

For nearly all of the girls it was their first time playing basketball They finished the season with a 110 record but new skills and healthy habits made the season So what does it mean to do things Like a CCSA Girl means strength pride dedication perseverance friendship community responsibility and so much more


rsaquo Denyce Graves in Concert

Sometimes An Experience Goes Beyond All ExpectationsBy Eric Del Viscio Benefit Co-Chair Vice President The Chester Fund Board of Directors

A Thank You Essay for Denyce GravesBy Mindy Nguyen First Grade Teacher

Four years ago our last year at CUSA I was lucky enough to receive a class of amazing students You know those rare and wonderful years where everything is working in concert their academic ability their love for learning their willingness to work hard their enthusiastic curiosity We were able to do investigative projects Vocabulary Conversation Cafeacute and we discovered ldquoSecret Squirrelrdquo (ask me about him later) As an educator you understand that the students you get are the product of all the teachers that came before you This group was particularly fun to teach because they had been at our school since they were three years old They had already internalized the culture of learning They knew the behavioral expectations They had come to expect an arts-in-tegrated environment before they ever came to me Their learning was efficient and so student-driven that I felt like I was teaching at an independent school

That year was a gift well-rounded readers dancers mathematicians artists writers scientists athletes and singers truly a Renaissance class But even in this group of memorable children one student stood outmdashKanazja She did it all with ease joy charm grace wit and LOTS of energy One thing she was not was still If we were standing Kanazja was in her seat If we were in our seats she was on the floor If we were on the floor she was standing I tried strategy after strategy to help her keep her body calm but nothing worked

Finally we read a biography about Marian Anderson We learned that she was born in Philadelphia We learned about her singing at the Lincoln Memorial We learned about opera singers and we learned that she was the first black singer to perform at the Met And thatrsquos when I got Kanazja

One very meaningful lesson within our study of opera turned out to be ldquoOpera Singer Stancerdquo Fingers linked body tall shoulders back eyes up smile ready When I said ldquoMarian Anderson Poserdquo everyone did it even Kanazja She loved singing (she is now in the Chester Childrenrsquos Chorus) and identified with Marian Anderson so much that it became our code phrase Every time I said ldquoMarian Anderson Poserdquo Kanazja remembered to calm her body and stand up straight It was the most gratifying gift for a teacher

When I heard we were inviting selected students to the Denyce Graves Benefit Concert I made sure that Kanazja was invited I happen to teach Kanazjarsquos little sister

TyrsquoJani so she got to tag-along to the concert TyrsquoJani also loves singing and also has LOTS of energy When Denyce graciously stayed for pictures after the concert the sisters were able to meet her She picked up TyrsquoJani who said ldquoI want to be you when I grow uprdquo

So now the code phrase for this yearrsquos first grade is ldquoDenyce Graves Poserdquo (I have even resorted to asking ldquoDo you think Denyce Graves acted like that in first graderdquo That works too)

Thank you

I want to

be you when

I grow upmdashTyrsquoJani to Denyce Graves

Founding first grade teacher Mindy Nguyen and Deb Bergstrand

Honoree Maurice Eldridge Denyce Graves and Board Chair Jay McEntee

CCSA scholars and Head of SchoolCEO Akosua Watts pose with Denyce Graves

In 2008 The Chester Fund entered into a private-public partnership with the Chester Upland School District to develop and run CUSA which opened in the 2008-2009 school year In the fall of 2011 when CUSArsquos staff was significantly restructured as a result of state education funding cuts The Chester Fund opened CCSA

TyrsquoJanigrade 1 meets Denyce Graves

Kanazja grade 4

Perri Evanson and dad Ken Wright

Peggy Thompson and Julia Welbon

Event co chair Joanne Hanna and husband Bill

Akosua Watts with Dr Barbara Klock Salem Shuchman and their boys Jaiden and Isaiah

Super Volunteer Scott Jenkins welcomes guests

Joel Zarrow Helen Nadel and Susan Brake

Eric and Renee Del Viscio Pete Thompson Mona Hanford and Grant Grissom

$200000+ Raisedn December 1 2015 we hosted our first benefit star-ring opera singer Denyce

Graves and honoring Maurice Eldridge Maybe you or someone you know attended the event at Christ Church Philadelphia Our events committee chaired by Joanne Hanna ensured that the event was well-publicized and well-attended

Looking around the Church we saw a diverse group of people from all over the five county region (and New York City Washington DC Boston and even Barrington RI) catching up with friends and enjoying a world-class evening of music It occurred to me as I looked around that night that the scene in Christ Church was a vision of our future

With arts education at an all-time low nationally these opportunities are rarer than ever in our public schools With your support more than 50 CCSA scholars attended the event

The benefit concert was also CCSArsquos coming out party in Philadelphia It was an opportunity for us to make the case for the arts in education and an opportunity to engage new individu-als and groups in our work

We thank all who attended and sup-ported the Concert The event raised over $200000 for our programs We sold out Christ Church and surpassed our fundraising expectations Special thanks go to Joanne for her gracious and tireless work as co-chair to Christ Church for being a wonderful host to Denyce Graves who is an inspiration to all of us and to Maurice (Sir M) who we love so dearly


rsaquo Volunteer Profile

t CCSA we refer to our first Annual Fund Co-Chairs Abbie and Dave Rowley as our ldquoLifeguardsrdquo but Abbie likes to say ldquoWersquore just Beach Bumsrdquo Over the past 18 months the Rowleys have spent countless hours reading with our students as volunteers in CCSArsquos

weekly literacy program for kindergartners ldquoReading Beach Clubrdquo

At Reading Beach Club the children the Rowleys and other volunteersmdashmany of whom the Rowleys have introduced to the programmdashsit on towels and read in CCSArsquos kindergarten community space filled with gorgeous envi-ronmental murals installed three times a year by avid volunteers

The readers try to come every week to CCSArsquos beach which helps to build a strong rapport between these volunteer storytellers and their students Most weeks Abbie and Dave are on the beach with kindergarteners SahrsquoMia DeVaughn Anastasia and Daimir

Once a month Abbie and Dave reunite with fist graders Taeveon and Kirk from last yearrsquos program Taeveon calls Abbie his ldquosecond best friendrdquo and Kirk lights up when ldquoMr Daverdquo is mentioned

Abbie and Daversquos commitment has been critical to this program which helps provide our little scholars with a strong literacy foundation And the Rowleys arenrsquot done with us yet We are honored that they have accepted the inaugural role of Annual Fund Co-Chairs on behalf of The Chester Fund This means that you will be hearing more from them in the coming months

about our programs and ways in which volunteers and donors can continue to make a difference at CCSA

We heartily thank Abbie and Dave for bringing so much sunshine to our beach and to Chester

Become a CCSA Storyteller by email-ing Hillary Sorin at hsorintheches-terfundorg or call (610) 859-2988 See you on the beach

Giving to and fundraising for The Chester Fund are ways that Annual Fund Co-Chairs Abbie and Dave Rowley feel that they can connect with young people and help them to mature into well-educated and productive citizens

Why We GiveAbbie I love having the opportunity to be with the kids and getting to know them on a 11 level Wersquove seen first hand the impact that CCSA is having and where our gifts are put to good use

Dave CCSA scholars are enthusiastic learners well-behaved and show great respect for adults attributes which are not always seen in our school envi-ronments these days It is apparent that the teachers at CCSA are teaching and instilling a strong sense of character

Choosing The Beach Every Friday AfternoonDave I love the look on the childrenrsquos faces as they run to greet us at the start of our reading sessionsmdashexcitement anticipationmdashit is very inspirational

From Church Talk to Volunteer Abbie I first learned about CCSA through John Alstonrsquos visits to Swarthmore Presbyterian Church His presentation was powerful I began volunteering as a teacherrsquos aide to Ms Parksrsquo seventh grade EnglishSocial Studies Class I currently read weekly with students and am excited to begin leading fund-raising efforts

Watching Them GrowDave Our children are our greatest asset and it is very rewarding to see them grow into mature and responsible young people under our tutelage It is the same motivation that led me to be involved in the A Better Chance program as an academic advisor and to spend many years as a coach in the Swarthmore Recreation Association and Haven Youth Lacrosse program as well as my involvement in the McCabe Scholarship Program at Swarthmore College The opportunity to support kids at CCSA for 13 yearsmdashtaking them from K through twelfth grademdashis really exciting for me

Abbie Itrsquos what makes our marriage so specialmdashthat shared commitment to children and service Irsquove grown up with the mantra in my family of giving back to the community from working for Habitat for Humanity in Washington DC tutoring inner-city children in New Haven CT working with A Better Chance Swarthmore Recreation Association and Swarthmore Presbyterian Church and now volunteering at CCSA

A Message to New SupportersAbbie One word comes to mind when describing CCSA to friends and family mdashldquorewardingrdquo We hope the feeling is mutual When a child runs to you to throw hisher arms around you with bright eyes and a bright smile it seems so

Introducing This Yearrsquos Annual Fund Co-Chairs

Abbie with SarsquoMia and DeVaughn enjoying some CCSA sunshine and a great book

Dave on CCSArsquos Beach with his Kindergarten reader Daimir Above right Kirk Daversquos first grade reader Right Taeveon Abbiersquos first grade reader

An Interview with Abbie and Dave Rowley

Lifeguarding with The Chester FundBy Wendy Emrich Secretary Treasurer The Chester Fund Board of Directors

I love having the

opportunity to be with

the kids and getting to

know them on a 11

level mdashAbbie Rowley


rsaquo Giving Update rsaquo Milestones amp News

Help Grow The Chester Fund

DID YOU KNOW

Last year 792 students parents faculty staff and friends made an annual fund gift to The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts

$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT

$100000THE LARGEST GIFT

6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR

99 years oldOLDEST DONOR

The Caroline Alexander Buck Foundation award enables CCSA to expand its arts programs to high school students

Milestones

rsaquo In January of 2016 CCSA was named a recipient of the competi-tive 21st Century Learning Centers grant a federal grant that gives exceptional public schools $12 million over three years to support before-school after-school and summer learning

rsaquo In 2015 CCSA was named a transformational organization by The Caroline Alexander Buck Foundation receiving $200000 over two school years to support the development of CCSArsquos high school arts program

Trailblazers

rsaquo In the summer of 2015 CCSA settled litigation with the Chester Upland School District which guarantees sustainable per-pupil reimbursement rates for Charter schools for the foreseeable future In his decision in court Judge Kenney wrote ldquoChester Charter School for the Arts has reached an iconic stature in this county to the point that a blow to it would be a blow to the entire Delaware County communityrdquo

On Board

rsaquo Dr Barbara Klock MD a board certified pedi-atrician has joined CCSArsquos board Her life has always revolved around kids from

clowning at childrenrsquos birthday parties as a stu-

dent at Swarthmore College to teaching kindergarten and eighth grade to completing her residen-cy in pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine She cared for children in private practice for over fifteen years with The Childrenrsquos Hospital of Philadelphia Care Network and

recently launched her own busi-ness Dr Klock Talks to support parents and children as they grow together

rsaquo Robert Speare Esq a lifelong resident of Delaware County has joined The Chester Fund board Reb is a partner in Speare and Hughey and the Managing Trustee of the Nathan Speare Foundation He currently serves as board chair of the Crozer Chester Foundation and previously served on the board of the Delaware County Community Foundation

On the Team

rsaquo We welcome new high school faculty Brian Holm Math Tara Kane Science Lindsay Southworth History Frank Vaccaro English and Alison Maddex Visual Arts

rsaquo The Chester Fund team is grow-ing We recently welcomed Keren White as Executive Director and Amy Komarnicki as Development Manager Hillary Sorin has been promoted to the position of Director of Development

Congratulations

rsaquo 6th Grade MathScience Teacher Theresa Cummings has been selected to receive a Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Excellence in Teaching Award representing the Chester-Upland School District

rsaquorsaquo

YOUR GIFT WILL HELP OUR SCHOOL GROW

YOUR SUPPORT AT ANY LEVEL MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR CCSA SCHOLARS

$72145943 RAISED TO DATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015-2016

72FUNDED

The Chester Fund directly benefits all CCSA Scholars by providing enriching academic arts and athletic experiences

Where does my gift go The school district allocation per student does not cover the full cost of CCSArsquos exceptional educational programs Gifts to The Chester Fund allow the Schoolrsquos faculty and administration to go the extra mile and provide the ldquoCCSA differencerdquo The Chester Fundrsquos annual goal is to raise $2000 per student With almost 500 students this year our annual fund goal this school year is $1000000

When should I give To help us meet our goal please give before our fiscal year ends on June 30 2016

How can I give You can send a check payable to The Chester Fund at CCSA 200 Commerce Drive Aston PA 19014

You can give online at www thechesterfundorgdonate

Stock Gifts We accept gifts of appreciated stock

Planned Giving Make The Chester Fund part of your will or estate plans and leave a legacy

Tax-free IRA Gifts For those 70frac12 or older it is once again possible to make tax-favored charitable gifts from IRA accounts

If you have questions about giving to The Chester Fund please contact Hillary Sorin at hsorinthechester-fundorg

rsaquorsaquo

200 Commerce Drive Aston PA 19014wwwthechesterfundorg (610) 859-2988

save

th

e d

ate

21ST CENTURY PERSPECTIVES A Pop Up Art Show featuring new works

by CCSA scholar-artists

Opening Reception SUNDAY APRIL 24 2016 at 315 PM

following a recital by acclaimed organist Philippe Lefebvre of Notre Dame Cathedral Paris at 200 pm

Address The Witherspoon Parlor at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church

625 Montgomery Avenue Bryn Mawr PA 19010

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO BMPCrsquoS FINE ARTS COUNCIL

The exhibit will be open to the public April 5 ndash May 10

Mondays ndash Fridays from 9 am ndash 5 pm

For further details please contact hsorinthechesterfundorg (610) 859-2988

The Chester Charter School for the Arts is a non-profit public charter school CCSA does not discriminate in admission access to or participation in its programs on the basis of disability race color religion creed sexual orientation citizenship national or ethnic origin There are no selective academic admissions requirements to attend However priority is given to families living in the Chester Upland School District

Ashanti grade 9

This isnrsquot just great for CCSA or Chester itrsquos the type of education

everybody should be doing mdash Steve Piltch Head of School The Shipley School Board Trustee The Chester Charter School for the Arts

Spring 2016 | 1

Dear Friends of The Chester Fund

am thrilled to be writing to you just four months into my tenure as Executive Director at The Chester Fund and I hope that you will enjoy this first edition of our new magazine

CCSA Today is a biannual publication through which we will share news and updates about The Chester Charter School for the Arts In this edition you will read about exciting curriculum devel-opments such as ldquoScholastic Reading Countsrdquo and ldquoFood for Thoughtrdquo new after-school programs including ldquo24 Clubrdquo and the growth of our sports programs in ldquoLeading Ladiesrdquo and ldquoFailing Forwardrdquo We will also spotlight faculty and staff members and volunteers in each editionmdashyou will find familiar faces here

As you will read there are many developments in pro-cess at CCSA as we continue to expand to include a full high school You may also have heard that we will soon be undertaking construction on a new school building to accommodate this growthmdashwe have not covered these developments in this magazine but rest assured you will hear more about these plans in the coming months

We will get to know each other in the coming months and years but I will share just a little to introduce myself here I am originally from the UK born and raised in Kent and moved to Delaware County 12 years ago to marry my husband Jared Reed who is Artistic Director at Hedgerow Theatre Since graduating from the University of Oxford with a degree in archaeology and anthropology I have spent almost 15 years working with and consulting for arts and education nonprofits of various shapes and sizes including a number of theaters in this region the Pacific Northwest Ballet the University of Pennsylvania and The Haverford School Irsquom also mother to two boys aged six and nine and enjoy being around children constantly at work and at home

This is an amazing community and I am still learning every day just how engaged and deeply committed you all are to our mission in Chester Incredible things have been accomplished here in the past few years and Irsquom excited and grateful for the opportunity to be involved in what is to come Thank you for all that you do for The Chester Fund and CCSA and please donrsquot hesitate to be in touch with me directly at any time

Warmest regards

Keren White

You can contact Keren atkwhitethechesterfundorg(610) 859-2988

1 Letter from the Executive Director Meet Keren White

2 From the Head of SchoolCEO Akosua Watts

4 CCSA Today Building Literacy Through Design

6 Curriculum in Focus Food for Thought

8 After School Highlight 24 Club

9 Faculty Profile Brian Holm

10 Celebrating Our History Marching for MartinSinging for Maya

1 2 Class Notes by Dr John Alston 21st Century Perspectives

1 3 Mid-Year Makings

14 Athletic Highlights

16 Denyce Graves in Concert

18 Volunteer Profile Abbie and Dave Rowley

20 Giving Update

21 Milestones amp News

This is an amazing

community to be

coming into and I am

still learning every day

just how engaged and

deeply committed you

all are to our mission in

Chester

rsaquo Letter from the Executive Directorrsaquo In This Issue

THE CHESTER FUND

KEREN WHITEExecutive Director

HILLARY SORINDirector of Development

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJames J McEntee III ChairEric Del Viscio MBA Vice ChairJohn Alston DM FounderPresidentWendy Emrich SecretaryTreasurerBen Brake MBARobert N Speare EsqJeffrey R Wolters EsqCordelia Delson ex-officioDonald W Delson JDMBA ex-officioMaurice Eldridge ex-officioChair Emeritus

THE CHESTER CHARTER SCHOOL FOR THE ARTSAKOSUA WATTSHead of School CEO

BOARD OF TRUSTEESDonald W Delson JDMBA PresidentMaurice G Eldridge Vice President SecretaryBarbara Klock MD Vice PresidentScott Beaumont MBA TreasurerBenjamin Berger PhDRamona JonesMarcine Pickron-Davis PhDSteve Piltch EdDJoel Zarrow PhD

The mission of The Chester Fund for

Education and the Arts is to support

The Chester Charter School for the

Arts (CCSA) an arts-integrated

academically rigorous public charter

school in the Chester Upland School

District CCSA serves educationally

underserved children in kindergarten

through 9th grade and will expand

to 12th grade by 2018

13

8

Meet Keren White

The Chester Fund Magazine Spring 2016 | Volume 1 Number 1PUBLISHER The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts EDITOR Hillary Sorin ART DIRECTOR Lynne Smyers Smyers Design

PHOTOGRAPHERS Audrey Amaro Peter Murphy Martin Froger-Silva Hillary Sorin

The Chester Fund Magazine will be published bi-annually The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts 200 Commerce Drive Aston PA 19014

Main Phone (610) 859-2988 wwwthechesterfundorg Email tcfthechesterfundorg

ou

r m

issi

on

2

Keren White with Calvin Steven Anyah and TyrsquoTianna grade 3

Trey grade 1Drama class with Beverly Rigby

Mahoganee grade 4


















genuine interest

enthusiasm and







Daily Attendance



rsaquo CCSA Today





SRC CLUB







Deja grade 7

Shakespeare was

the MC of the

Elizabethan era

ndashDionna grade 9


and rap music



andFRIDAY

May 13th at 200 pm




thechesterfundorg




Interview with Deja





















rsaquorsaquo



























Answer 63 = 18 18-2=16 16+8= 24
















something from the






TaShawna grade 9









Kenny grade 1






How is it in heaven




























learn and discover



Amari grade 1

Khadijah grade 6


Jean-Pierre grade 1

Chania grade 4





















mdashSierra grade 9





Visual Arts




School)


Three





























Thank you

I want to

be you when







Kanazja grade 4






































I love having the



know them on a 11





DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9




















genuine interest

enthusiasm and







Daily Attendance



rsaquo CCSA Today





SRC CLUB







Deja grade 7

Shakespeare was

the MC of the

Elizabethan era

ndashDionna grade 9


and rap music



andFRIDAY

May 13th at 200 pm




thechesterfundorg




Interview with Deja





















rsaquorsaquo



























Answer 63 = 18 18-2=16 16+8= 24
















something from the






TaShawna grade 9









Kenny grade 1






How is it in heaven




























learn and discover



Amari grade 1

Khadijah grade 6


Jean-Pierre grade 1

Chania grade 4





















mdashSierra grade 9





Visual Arts




School)


Three





























Thank you

I want to

be you when







Kanazja grade 4






































I love having the



know them on a 11





DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9




rsaquo CCSA Today





SRC CLUB







Deja grade 7

Shakespeare was

the MC of the

Elizabethan era

ndashDionna grade 9


and rap music



andFRIDAY

May 13th at 200 pm




thechesterfundorg




Interview with Deja





















rsaquorsaquo



























Answer 63 = 18 18-2=16 16+8= 24
















something from the






TaShawna grade 9









Kenny grade 1






How is it in heaven




























learn and discover



Amari grade 1

Khadijah grade 6


Jean-Pierre grade 1

Chania grade 4





















mdashSierra grade 9





Visual Arts




School)


Three





























Thank you

I want to

be you when







Kanazja grade 4






































I love having the



know them on a 11





DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9


























Answer 63 = 18 18-2=16 16+8= 24
















something from the






TaShawna grade 9









Kenny grade 1






How is it in heaven




























learn and discover



Amari grade 1

Khadijah grade 6


Jean-Pierre grade 1

Chania grade 4





















mdashSierra grade 9





Visual Arts




School)


Three





























Thank you

I want to

be you when







Kanazja grade 4






































I love having the



know them on a 11





DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9









Kenny grade 1






How is it in heaven




























learn and discover



Amari grade 1

Khadijah grade 6


Jean-Pierre grade 1

Chania grade 4





















mdashSierra grade 9





Visual Arts




School)


Three





























Thank you

I want to

be you when







Kanazja grade 4






































I love having the



know them on a 11





DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9












learn and discover



Amari grade 1

Khadijah grade 6


Jean-Pierre grade 1

Chania grade 4





















mdashSierra grade 9





Visual Arts




School)


Three





























Thank you

I want to

be you when







Kanazja grade 4






































I love having the



know them on a 11





DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9












mdashSierra grade 9





Visual Arts




School)


Three





























Thank you

I want to

be you when







Kanazja grade 4






































I love having the



know them on a 11





DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9














Thank you

I want to

be you when







Kanazja grade 4






































I love having the



know them on a 11





DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9



























I love having the



know them on a 11





DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9






DID YOU KNOW


$824000TOTAL GIFTS

$104641AVERAGE GIFT

$200SMALLEST GIFT


6 years old

YOUNGEST DONOR



Milestones



Trailblazers


On Board






On the Team



Congratulations


rsaquorsaquo




72FUNDED










rsaquorsaquo


save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9




save

th

e d

ate












Ashanti grade 9



ccsa today inaurgural issue

Documents