Pathways.
Whether it is literally on the pristine surface of The Nike Track & Field Center at the Armory in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, or proverbially in classrooms inside the cavernous building, numerous youth have been developed there into the essence of scholar-athlete.
Since its inception 25 years ago through the vision of the legendary distance runner Dr. Norbet Sander, the former president and CEO of the Armory, who passed away in 2017, and in its current model implemented in 2016, The Armory College Prep program — which operates year-round and offers paid internships during the summer months — has provided academic enrichment, college application guidance, and writing and arts instruction. The latter curricula entail personal essay writing, reading skills, and acting classes.
Diagnostic assessments, one-on-one tutoring, and PSAT-SAT prep are also key features of the program, which is composed of student-athletes from ninth through 12th grade who must actively train at The Armory to be eligible.
“We’re doing our level best to continue to his work and the spirit which he [would] be proud of,” said Rita Finkel, the Armory’s co-president and director of the College Prep program, of Dr. Sander in a phone interview with the AmNews. Finkle began her tenure at the Armory in 2006 and bears witness to the long-term value of the program.
Photos: Armory College Prep
With a staff of five full-time educators and administrators, including Alberto Aquino, the director of Youth Programming, and Mary Rose Synek, director of Writing & Arts Achievement, and an aptly named academic achievement team, The Armory takes a holistic approach to aiding the growth of its participants. They are augmented by Columbia University graduates.
“We have five postdoctoral students that work with the head of academic achievement,” said Finkel, “and they really have, almost an algorithm that helps these students find their very best self and very best fit for colleges.”
Finkel noted that 11 years ago, The Armory piloted a program named Great Minds, which now serves youth from fourth to eighth grades, “and is only open to children who live or go to school in Washington Heights, Inwood, and Harlem. … The younger program is just to develop a lifelong love of learning,” she underscored.
Both the Great Minds and College Prep programs are free and funded by various businesses and corporations. “The goal,” for the College Prep component, explained Finkel, is to get “every senior into a four-year college, which we’ve done since 2016.
“… One-hundred percent of our seniors have been accepted into four-year universities with enough funding — this is the big piece — to make a college degree a reality. … The Armory spends years, two years probably, helping the students find financial aid.”
Historically black colleges and universities are part of the College Preps calculus. It’s demonstrated by The Armory’s annual January HBCU Showcase track and field meet, headed by Zakia Haywood, the director of college track and field/special events, at which an HBCU college fair is held.