Alex-Mendez-Reyes Walking an hour in Alex Mendez Reyes’ shoes

Even after a long day at school, and sometimes dreading the commute, Alex Mendez Reyes was ultimately glad to walk two hours, round-trip, to La Casita Outreach Center in rural Delaware.

He repeated this routine several times a week last year, ultimately clocking hundreds of volunteer hours tutoring young Spanish speakers in English. It wasn’t always easy, but neither was it a chore. It wasn’t an assignment, or a resume adornment (although, to be sure, his resume is formidable).

Alex made the walk because he knows what it’s like to be a kid learning English who relies on a community center and its warm, bright tutors. He was that child:  the US-born son of parents who emigrated in 2001 from Guatemala and weren’t fluent in English. 

La Casita is where he spent five years developing a command of the language. 

Growing up, Alex got accustomed to the phrase, “No sé mijo, trata el diccionario” when he asked his parents for help with English words. But eventually they retired “el famoso diccionario” and looked, instead, for programs that would help their son gain the mastery of English he deserved to achieve.

As he grew older, Alex went looking for more opportunities to enrich himself and prepare for success after high school. That’s when he found TeenSHARP and he’s been part of our Delaware Goes to College Academy initiative for two years, which he calls a “transformational journey.” 

“Alex is one of the most thoughtful students I’ve worked with,” said Kim Lopez, our senior director of Delaware pre-college programs.

Alex waits to hear whether he’s been accepted into his top-choice school, Pitzer College.

As part of TeenSHARP, Alex learned about the opportunity to fly-in—all expenses paid— to explore various colleges. He worked on his application to Pitzer College’s Fall Diversity visitation program and was selected to fly to California to experience the campus. He was sold. He decided to apply Early Decision to Pitzer College as his top-choice school. 

“Most of my family couldn’t finish secondary education,” Alex once told a WRDE reporter. “With TeenSHARP I learned a lot about the application process and how to find the best scholarships.”

In December of 2019, Alex’s journey took a remarkable turn when he found out he’d been accepted to Pitzer with a financial aid package that covers the vast majority of $80,000 per year in tuition. At Pitzer, Alex will double major in chemistry and Chicano studies with a minor in French, on a pre-pharmacy track. 

Click here to see the emotional moment Alex heard back from Pitzer!

Over the summer, Sussex Academy recognized Alex for his remarkable demonstrations of perseverance, initiative, and leadership, awarding him not one but two prestigious and competitive scholarships. These awards were well-deserved for a student who served as president of the Math League, vice president of the Technology Student Association, sang in chorus, ran cross country, and even maintained a part-time job at a pizza shop while helping take care of his siblings.  

“Community service has opened my eyes to a completely new perspective and allowed me to clearly recognize our social responsibility to ensure that one’s country of origin or color are not determining factors in one’s future trajectory,” he said. “Our demographics should not impact our ability to attend college or even simply complete ‘la tarea.’ Very soon, I will embark on a new journey in college, and I’m confident that what I have gained from my experiences, combined with new resources, will allow me to make a bigger mark on our community.”

Alex exemplifies the spirit of TeenSHARP to a T. We will continue to support him while he is in college, and we are excited about the outstanding contributions he’ll continue to make in his community and the world at-large. 

Deborah Yanez

Parent Programs Manager

Deborah leads TeenSHARP’s parent empowerment work with love, conviction, and credibility. She grew up in one of America’s poorest cities (Camden, NJ), has served as an elected school board member, raised two sons who have accessed higher education successfully (one is a TeenSHARP alumnus and McCabe Scholar at Swarthmore) along with her husband, and has helped many more families prepare their children for college.

Zoha Fatima

Director of Operations & Special Projects

Zoha is driven by a deep passion for education and social justice. With over 8 years of experience in the development sector, she has made significant contributions to various education projects aimed at increasing access and equity. Zoha’s commitment to empowering learners stems from her belief that education is a fundamental right. She honed her expertise at Harvard University, earning a Master’s in Education and Technology, building upon her undergraduate studies in Public Policy.

Based in the Bay Area, Zoha loves exploring the diverse California landscape, especially through hiking. When she’s not championing educational equity, you can find her baking, hitting the trails, or enjoying the outdoor.

Sara Petty

Director of Pre-College Success

Sara Petty is TeenSHARP’s powerhouse Director of Pre-College Success, orchestrating a nationwide expansion to ensure that talented Black, Latino, and low-income students have a direct path to elite colleges. With a proven track record from her days scaling a college access program in Houston, Sara has a knack for turning educational challenges into triumphs. She thrives on transforming obstacles into opportunities and is known for her relentless drive and innovative solutions. When she’s not making waves in the world of education, you can find her brainstorming the next big idea over a cup of coffee or diving into a new book that sparks her curiosity. Sara’s mission? To make sure every student has the chance to unlock their full potential and claim their spot in the future’s top colleges.

Tamara Fentress

Chief of Staff

For over 18 years, Tamara has been a passionate advocate for educational equity, inclusion, and the overall improvement of support structures to build a solid foundation for the journey of learning. Driven by a desire to see all students and families thrive, she has successfully led major projects of varying budget sizes, while also co-creating and implementing innovative strategies at mission-driven organizations across various operational areas, from technology and project management to legal and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEIB) initiatives.

Her journey began in a large urban school district, where she spent a significant portion of her career leading the development of critical strategies that served over 86,000 students. This experience allowed her to work closely with a diverse team of over 10,000 employees, understanding and addressing needs across all levels of the organization. Her collaborative spirit extended beyond the school district, fostering strong partnerships with parent groups, community organizations, and government entities.

Tamara’s dedication to education stems from a deeply personal place. As a mother to two inspiring children, Harmony and Hudson, she sees firsthand the potential and power of having access to opportunities, caring adults, and belief in that which is greater than yourself.  This unwavering belief in the power of serving others, access, equity, and education to empower and transform lives fuels her commitment to continuous learning and creating equitable opportunities for all.

Tatiana Poladko

Co-Founder

Our “force of nature” founder came to New Jersey from Ukraine for graduate school over a decade ago and immediately put her hands to the work of community empowerment and expanding educational opportunity. She has experience managing youth programs for the UN in Ukraine (at the age of 19!), teaching at Temple University, building/managing nonprofit organizations, and supporting students to and through college. She is also a mother to three lovely kids (Zoryana, Nazariy, and Taras), plays guitar and piano, and makes amazing soups!

Atnre Alleyne

Co-Founder/CEO

As TeenSHARP’s resident historian, Atnre is quick to share stories of the organization’s humble church basement beginnings, its growing pains, and many milestones. With his background in research and evaluation, policy and advocacy, communications, technology, and instruction, he has the type of Swiss Army knife skills that are critical in a fast-paced social impact organization. He has three lovely children (Zoryana, Nazariy, and Taras), an amazing wife (TeenSHARP’s Co-Founder), and he plays bass guitar and blogs when he finds the time.