Founded 1998 | ||
Teak fellowship admission
The TEAK Fellowship is a New York City-based non-profit dedicated to helping talented New York City students from low-income families gain admission to top high schools and colleges. Starting in 6th grade, TEAK provides their students with academic support and exposure to the arts and outdoors along with career experience and assistance with the high school and college application processes.
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Mission
The TEAK Fellowship believes that motivation and potential, not economic circumstances, should determine a student's future. TEAK unlocks access to outstanding education and transformative experiences for exceptional NYC students, who use these opportunities to change their lives and the world around them.
History
In 1998, Justine Stamen Arrillaga founded The TEAK Fellowship in honor of DeWitt White and Teak Dyer, two people close to her whose lives were tragically cut short. Wanting to provide other young people with the opportunity for a brighter future, she created a program to help aspiring students use education to overcome economic hardships and achieve their potential.
Starting with a pioneer class of 22 seventh grade students, Justine directed TEAK and managed its growth for eight years. In 2005, the Board of Directors appointed Lynn D. Sorensen to succeed Justine as TEAK’s Executive Director, and in 2015, John F. Green succeeded Lynn as TEAK's third Executive Director. During that time 16 classes of students have had 100% placement into top independent, public, and parochial high schools; 100% of Fellows (12 classes) matriculated to 4-year colleges, including 89% of whom entered top tier schools of which 26% went to the Ivy League; and 88% of the students who have completed the Fellowship (8 classes) are college graduates and leaders in multiple professions.
While continuing its core work of preparing students to apply to and succeed at top high schools and colleges, TEAK has expanded its programming over the course of its history to better achieve and expand upon these goals. In 2008, TEAK celebrated its first class of college graduates and established an Alumni Program to equip Alumni with the tools and resources necessary for college success and professional advancement. That year TEAK also began to broaden its reach by recruiting classes of 30 instead of 25. In 2012 TEAK shifted the program's entry point from 7th grade to 6th grade to increase student preparation prior to entering their rigorous high schools.
Today, TEAK remains an enduring yet innovative program, opening doors to excellent educational opportunities and preparing students to succeed and lead in their schools, professions, and communities.
Admissions
Every year, TEAK searches for the most ambitious, motivated, and hard-working 6th graders in New York City.
Although TEAK reaches out to all public schools in New York City asking guidance counselors to nominate their top students, families also learn about TEAK through academic and school fairs, various websites, and most importantly, word of mouth.
Prospective TEAK Fellows begin the application process in the first quarter of their 6th grade year and are accepted by the end of that same school year. Although families can inquire about the program and create a record in TEAK's database when students are younger, they must wait until their sixth grade year to be considered applicants. Older students who inquire about the program receive a list of other academic opportunities in NYC they might qualify for.
Once interested families have attended an information session (held in the fall and early winter of every admissions season), the admissions staff decides which families will receive a TEAK application. The application process is highly competitive and consists of two rounds which include: a written student portion, family financial documents and short answers, teacher recommendations, standardized test scores, interviews, and a group activity. Out of approximately 300 applicants, the admissions committee, which includes members of the entire TEAK staff, elects 30 students who will be part of the new TEAK class.
Program
The TEAK Fellowship offers 6 years of extensive programming, taking a holistic approach to preparing Fellows for admission and success at the nation’s most sought after high schools and colleges.
Middle school programs
TEAK Fellows must commit to spending three summers at TEAK (after 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade) for a six-week long program focused on building a strong academic foundation, sense of self, confidence, and leadership. Throughout the academic year, Fellows attend their middle schools regularly while coming in to TEAK twice a week (including all-day Saturday classes during their 7th grade year).
During their time in the Middle School Program, TEAK Fellows take a variety of different courses ranging from urban ecology to Shakespeare to human rights through arts and writing where they study global pertinent human rights topics. Furthermore, they complete rigorous, high school level coursework in all core subjects including math, English, Latin, science, and history. Many courses are taught by independent school teachers, mimicking the level of rigor Fellows should expect upon entering high school.
To balance Fellows’ well-being and their demanding academic work, TEAK's curriculum also includes yoga, dance, drama, and other art courses, ensuring that Fellows are well-rounded individuals. Additionally, leadership opportunities are provided for Fellows to express and share their interests by starting a club such as a step, screenplay, a capella and running club.
TEAK Fellows also take various trips to complement their learning inside the classroom. In recent history, Fellows have visited The Brooklyn Grange, Old Sturbridge Village, Row NY, El Museo del Barrio, New York Stock Exchange, and many others.
While TEAK guides each family through the application and financial aid process, the organization does not guarantee that Fellows will be accepted at the schools to which they apply. However, 100% of all TEAK Fellows have been accepted to highly selective independent, parochial, and specialized high schools, earning financial aid packages that cover 90% or more of their tuition cost for 4 years.
High school programs
Once Fellows are in high school, TEAK programming shifts from academic preparation to academic support, career exploration, and college guidance including academic and financial aid counseling.
Each Fellow is assigned a TEAK Dean who ensures that TEAK's high academic standards are met at the student’s new school through regular check-ins via phone, email, and school visits. If the Fellow shows sign of academic struggle, TEAK provides one-on-one tutoring to address any challenges. TEAK Deans also check-in with Fellows about their mental and physical well-being providing counseling as needed.
Because TEAK knows that the transition into a new academic and social environment can be difficult, Fellows attend meetings to share their experiences, strengthen critical thinking and study skills, and participate in leadership development activities with their strong peer network.
During the summers, Fellows can study abroad, participate in an outdoor education program, enroll in a pre-collegiate academic program, or secure an internship with partner companies in order to earn money and explore career interests. While Fellows have the option to choose from a variety of summer programs, they must also commit to completing 115 hours of community service throughout their high school years (in addition to any community service hours their high schools might require).
Throughout the last two years of high school, TEAK prepares students for their college applications through workshops, one-on-one conversations, college visits, and SAT/ACT preparation, complementing the college guidance resources available to them at their high schools. Over the years, 100% of TEAK Fellows have secured seats and financial aid at the top colleges and universities in the nation, including 27% of Fellows attending an Ivy League institution.
Alumni programs
Although Fellows are considered alumni of The TEAK Fellowship once they have graduated high school, TEAK still supports them in their transition to college and beyond. TEAK staff keeps in touch with each alum and visits them during their first two years in college to ensure their well-being and help guide them in selecting a balanced course load.
TEAK offers a multitude of resources, services, and tools for alums to make the most of their college experience and begin their career. TEAK hosts several workshops, career panels, and networking opportunities throughout the year which are open to alumni of all ages.
Mentor Program
Fellows in the 7th grade are matched with a TEAK Mentor - adult professionals who commit to serving as a positive role model, guide, listener, advocate, and friend throughout the six years that Fellows take part in TEAK programming.
The Mentor Program staff runs background checks and selects mentors after a lengthy application process including interviews to ensure that the best mentors are selected.
Student body
TEAK students identify with many different racial categories and many are members of immigrant families from over 30 countries; over 15% live in single-parent households; and they live across all five boroughs of New York City.
Alumni
As of 2015, 88% of TEAK alumni graduated from college and many have continued their education in graduate school, pursuing degrees such as: MBA, PHD, MD, MA, JD, and DO.
TEAK alumni are also pursuing their careers in a multitude of fields including education, public policy, finance, business, medicine, media, advertising, journalism, engineering, technology, law, the non-profit world, and many others.