A STEP AHEAD March 2021 News and Updates for Friends of Building STEPS

SPRING BRINGS GREAT NEWS

Incentive Awards Program Congratulations to our Building STEPS seniors (8 total) who were invited to apply for the prestigious University of Maryland College Park Incentive Awards Program. The program offers a full-ride scholarship to select students who demonstrate leadership, academic success, perseverance and impact on community.

Fall Recruitment Begins March means recruitment as we begin our outreach for the fall cohort of Baltimore's bright students. Ultimately, through zoom recruiting sessions, social media and word of mouth, we will accept 125 high school students. Take a look at one spotlight from our social media campaign. See more at  Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.

CREATIVE PROGRAMMING

Virtual Speed Networking Twenty volunteers connected with students to hone their professional communication. Starting with a professional development session on interview do’s and don’ts with Northrop Grumman Talent Acquisition Specialists, our high school seniors are better prepared and polished for college and internship interactions. We're grateful to those who spent the morning with our students making a meaningful impact. Thank you to the following companies. Check out additional Volunteer Opportunities.

Peer to Peer Connections Who knew Book Club would be the link to encourage peer to peer engagement. A fun and interactive activity with eye-opening conversations, this semester's book choices were, "Piecing Me Together," "A Wrinkle in Time," and "Feed." Books were shipped via Amazon, and voila, students dived right in! Remote learning keeps students connected in more creative ways than ever!

QUOTES & NOTES

The response from the Virtual Speed Networking event was overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what just a few had to say:   “I love these kids! I so enjoy having the opportunity to work with them! Looking forward to post-pandemic so we can meet again in person.” Janet Imwold    “This was a great experience. I enjoyed speaking with the students and look forward to hearing about all of their successes in the future.” Angela Morris    “I think this exercise is really important in building the life skill of elevator speeches, and I was really impressed at the online execution.”  Deb Long      “I love this program! Want to get more involved!” Cathy Pascale    "Thank you for having me. That was my 2nd event and I love it. Please let me know if there is more that I can do." Jina Etienne “I liked it, I didn’t think I was going to learn anything new but I did learn new communication strategies." Devin, Paul Lawrence Dunbar senior

"Building STEPS got me to college for free. It really doesn't get any better than that! All you have to do is put in the work, and they'll be there by your side every step of the way." Serenity Bowie State University

"College can be a lot of pressure, and I felt like Building STEPS always had my back. They helped shape me during my college experience. They help you realize where you want to go and how to do it!" Tavon University of Maryland College Park

Doing Our Part

There are lots of people and organizations working to make our city stronger. In a remote world, community meetings and events are more accessible than ever. Consider attending a Baltimore City Public Schools Board meeting, or a Baltimore City Council meeting, or follow bmorechildren and thebeorg on Instagram.

Give Now

Now accepting venmo! Find us @Building-STEPS OR Click the QR Code to Donate!

STAY CONNECTED www.buildingsteps.org ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Equipping Baltimore City's brightest students with the tools to propel them to college and career success.