TeenSHARP-Flower-Wall-scaled We’re celebrating College Application Month

After winning generous innovation grant from New Castle County, TeenSHARP doubles down on
pandemic resources

Wilmington, Del.—In partnership with New Castle County, TeenSHARP is kicking off a first-of-its-kind initiative today to celebrate College Application Month and help students navigate the application process during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re grateful to New Castle County for recognizing the urgent need for college advising supports during an especially unusual, complicated time,” said Tatiana Poladko, co-founder of TeenSHARP, a leadership development and college access program founded 11 years ago to connect low-income, Black and Latino students to elite universities.

With the launch of its “New Castle County Goes to College” initiative, TeenSHARP aims to reach upward of 1,000 high school students over the next few months to ensure they have the information and support to get into college. The initiative is made possible thanks to a $245,000 CARES Act innovation grant from New Castle County, and will include: 

  • The College Knowledge Help Desk:  a free text message and email help desk resource in English and Spanish for students and parents across Delaware to get their college application questions answered by TeenSHARP’s team of trained student and parent advisors.
  • College Knowledge Nudges: High school seniors and parents who sign up will get text message “nudges” during the college admissions process with reminders about key deadlines and to dos.
  • A free digital toolkit that will be released in December with materials students can use to plan everything from personal statement essays to financial aid applications.
  • Virtual college tours to schools across the country that meet students financial need, including Wesleyan University, Princeton University, and Swarthmore College, and workshops in English and Spanish on the college admissions process.
  • A multimedia college awareness campaign to help students and their families better understand available college options during the application process.
  • College Knowledge Facebook Live series: In partnership with DETV, TeenSHARP will host a weekly show on Comcast Channel 28 and Facebook Live that walks families through the admissions process and responds to questions live.

High school juniors, seniors, and their parents/guardians are encouraged to sign up for our College Knowledge Nudge messages at the following link: teensharp.org/collegeknowledge

Students and parents can text (302) 581-8114 or email collegeknowlege@teensharp.org to have their college admissions questions answered. 

“We are resilient in crisis and will continue to work to change our present and future, even through crisis,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “We are proud to partner with TeenSHARP, and this innovative program will help students make informed decisions and build the future of their dreams.

TeenSHARP Co-founder Atnre Alleyne had this to say:

“The campaign is timely given that families are having to make important higher education decisions when the entire education system is in flux due to the pandemic. TeenSHARP has had to adapt, innovate, and do so much more to meet the increased need of students and families during these unprecedented times. It is exciting to be able to partner with New Castle County to reach thousands of students and support the work our schools are doing to help students access higher education.” 
 

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About TeenSHARP: TeenSHARP is a regional organization headquartered in Wilmington, Del., that is on a mission to prepare talented low-income, African American, and Latino students to attend and thrive at the nation’s top colleges. This mission is in service of a bold vision that one day the diversity of those occupying our nation’s highly-skilled jobs and highest leadership positions will be as rich as the diversity of our population. Founded in 2009, TeenSHARP has evolved into a leading provider of innovative, at-scale college access and success support in the Delaware Valley region (including Delaware, Philadelphia, and southern New Jersey). TeenSHARP has achieved incredible results over the last ten years: 100 percent of TeenSHARP scholars successfully pursue a 4-year college education, with 95 percent of the scholars being admitted to selective colleges and universities every year.  

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.