Celebrating 20 years of empowering at-risk youth through mentoring and scholarships.

Transcription

1 Celebrating 20 years of empowering at-risk youth through mentoring and scholarships. Thursday, January 25, 2018 Union League Club of Chicago, Crystal Room Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 1

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3 A message from PEAK Board Chair, Craig Dean Dear Friends, I am delighted to welcome you this morning to Breakfast with PEAK. For 20 years, PEAK has been dedicated to serving at-risk high school students in Chicago who are often overlooked those with average academic marks, but a true desire to succeed. Our success is driven by a powerful combination of a full-tuition scholarship to the rigorous and values-based Holy Trinity High School, our education partner, and a devoted mentor to guide each scholar through these formative years. PEAK has also been investing in our scholars with high-quality experiences and opportunities. From museum visits and Chicago history tours, to college prep workshops and etiquette seminars, PEAK scholars and their mentors explore subjects not usually covered in the classroom or at home. None of this happens, of course, without a true partnership among many incredible mentors, volunteers and scholarship underwriters. We have been further challenged to expand our mission through a recent $1 million gift from a wonderful supporter of PEAK, John R. Raitt, accelerating our ability to provide additional scholarships, help break the cycle of poverty, and impact many more lives. Throughout the morning as you meet our scholars and mentors and hear from our guest speaker, you will begin to understand what those of us closest to PEAK s mission know sets us apart. Our continued tradition of investing in young people with great potential and grit that attracts dedicated and inspired supporters and creates a culture of ambition, generosity, and growth. I invite you to stay connected to PEAK after you leave this morning. You will find some great opportunities in this program to become a part of PEAK and follow the growth of our mission and continued success of our scholars! In gratitude, Craig Dean 2 Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 3

4 Welcome to Breakfast with PEAK Partnership to Educate and Advance Kids Union League Club of Chicago January 25, 2018 Registration and Coffee Begins at 7:30 am Welcome and Introductions Craig Dean, PEAK Board Chair Lavelle Brown, PEAK Scholar, Holy Trinity High School Class of 2018 Makiya Baskerville, PEAK Scholar, Holy Trinity High School Class of 2019 Guest of Honor & Featured Speaker Rajiv Vinnakota Executive Vice President of the Youth & Engagement Programs Aspen Institute PEAK Scholar Testimony Lavelle Brown PEAK Sponsor Testimony John R. Raitt Closing Remarks Craig Dean Program will conclude promptly by 9 am. 3 Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 4

5 PRESENTED BY John R. Raitt INSPIRATION SPONSORS Mary J. Cahillane CIBC PNC Bank SUCCESS SPONSORS Jeff Blackburn Deloitte Holy Trinity High School Laura M. Moran Selden Fox, Ltd. Gregory G. Simoncini 4 Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 5

6 Meet Our PEAK Scholar Hosts Breakfast with PEAK Emcee - Lavelle Brown, 18 Guided through the past four years by his PEAK mentor, Tunde Babarinsa, who currently works at Deloitte Earned Honor Roll recognition, recipient of Holy Trinity High School s Integrity Award in 2017 Captain of Holy Trinity s Regional Championship-winning boy s varsity soccer team Tutors with Chicago Lights, member of Peer Ministry and Poetry Club Received acceptance letters from Iona College, St. Edward s University, Beloit College, Marian University, UIC, and Knox College Plans to study psychology or criminology, and to continue challenging himself! Breakfast with PEAK Co-Host - Makiya Baskerville, 19 Values and appreciates the advice and friendship of her PEAK mentor, Kacie Sassano, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Holy Trinity High School Earned Honor Roll recognition, member of National Honors Society Participates in Drama Club, Kickin Tigers dance team, and the Black Student Union Challenged herself to enroll in the NFTE business class at Holy Trinity High School to develop business and presentation skills Determined to study physics or medicine at a top-notch school and make her family proud! Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 6

7 PEAK At A Glance For 20 years, PEAK has provided deserving and driven students with average academic credentials a path to success $3M 100% PEAK alumni In PEAK scholarships awarded since its inception in 1998 College acceptance rate since % Caucasian 7% Native American PEAK serves scholars from diverse backgrounds 29% Black 61% Hispanic PEAK currently serves scholars and families living in 18 different zip codes across Chicago Profile for academic school year 20 years Of supporting underserved youth through mentoring and scholarship alongside our educational partner, Holy Trinity High School 2.97 Average cumulative GPA of current PEAK scholars, who joined the program with a GPA of 2.0 or lower 1:1 Each PEAK scholar is matched with an adult mentor for one-onone guidance and support Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 7

8 Featured Speaker Rajiv Vinnakota Executive Vice President Youth & Engagement Programs Aspen Institute Rajiv Vinnakota is the Executive Vice President of the Youth & Engagement Programs division at the Aspen Institute, a new venture incubating programs to: Develop young leaders Activate youth voice and agency through civic engagement Increase effective civil discourse, and Increase youth access to social capital Prior to the Aspen Institute, he was the co-founder and CEO of The SEED Foundation, the nation s first network of public, college-preparatory boarding schools for underserved children. In addition to his role at the Aspen Institute, Raj is a board director for the Colfax Corporation (NYSE: CFX) and was recently elected to be a Director of The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation. Raj is also a founding board member of Path Forward, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to get people back to work after they ve taken time off to care for a loved one. He is a former trustee and executive committee member for Princeton University, former national chair of its annual giving committee, and former executive committee member for its Aspire capital campaign. In 2009, he received the Woodrow Wilson Award, the highest honor that Princeton bestows on an undergraduate alumnus. Raj is an Echoing Green fellow and an Ashoka fellow. He received a bachelor s degree in molecular biology and a certificate in international studies from Princeton University. Raj lives in Washington, DC with his wife and daughter. 7 Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 8

9 Board of Directors Craig S. Dean Board Chair AEG Partners, LLC. Mary J. Cahillane Retired, The Spencer Foundation Kelly Mullaney Dean BNY Mellon Family Office Group Steve Kolinski Midland Title and Escrow LTD Laura M. Moran Deloitte Tax LLP Anthony Sassano BMO Harris Bank Staff Erika C. Soria Development Director Suzie Vyletel Program Director Heather Byrd Operations Assistant Host Committe Jennifer Allen Kristina Black Mary J. Cahillane Craig S. Dean Kelly Mullaney Dean Mary Kate Fulghum Joy Johns Steve Kolinski Marissa Martin Laura M. Moran Fred O Connor Janel Palm Anthony Sassano Gregory G. Simoncini Jackson Spingler 8 Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 9

10 AEG Partners proudly supports the Partnership to Educate and Advance Kids mission of inspiring Chicago s youth to unlock their potential. John R. Raitt congratulates PEAK on 20 years and welcomes the Aspen Institute s Rajiv Vinnakota to Chicago. 9 Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 10

11 Opportunities to Support PEAK Join the Partnership to Educate and Advance Kids in our mission to support at-risk, academically average high school students with one-on-one mentoring and a full-tuition, four-year high school scholarship to our educational partner, Holy Trinity High School. Become a Sponsor Our sponsors provide the financial means to ensure the continued vitality of our program. Your donation helps fund scholar support and case management services, scholar/mentor enrichment events, mentor training, and other programs. Contact PEAK s Development Director, Erika Soria, at esoria@peakchicago.org or for more information. Donations in any amount are greatly appreciated, including the following giving options: Underwrite a scholar s tuition in full or as a partial tuition sponsor Contribute to our Annual Fund Campaign Support a mentor/scholar outing Sponsor a PEAK event like this morning s breakfast Become a Mentor PEAK mentors are paired one-on-one with scholars to provide additional support, give advice, lend a listening ear, and encourage their scholar to grow and challenge themselves. Each PEAK mentor develops a relationship with their scholar throughout all four years of high school, and often maintains a life-long friendship. PEAK is seeking enthusiastic, invested adults with a passion for helping frequently overlooked teens reach their fullest potential. Contact PEAK s Program Director, Suzie Vyletel, at svyletel@peakchicago.org or to learn more about becoming a Mentor for a Day or a full-time PEAK mentor. Host a PEAK Workshop PEAK provides educational opportunities to all scholars to equip them with the social capital needed to compete and thrive in higher education and future careers. If you are interested in facilitating a workshop to educate our PEAK scholars (i.e. business etiquette, money management, career exploration), please visit or contact PEAK s Program Director, Suzie Vyletel, at svyletel@peakchicago.org or Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 11

12 The Partnership to Educate and Advance Kids mission is to provide opportunities for underserved youth to achieve academic and personal success by combining a four-year quality, values-based high school education with the guidance and commitment of caring, adult mentors. The Partnership to Educate and Advance Kids 1443 W Division St. Chicago, IL (773) PEAKChicago peakchicago Breakfast with PEAK program booklet.indd 12