SPRING 2012 NEWSLETTER
E MOTIONAL S UPPORT
IS
Reducing poverty one family at a
time by providing direct
sponsorships and mentoring
support to teen parents who are
attending college
P RICELESS
S CHOLAR P ROFILE : J ENNIFER R AMIREZ
BY VICTORIA VICKERS
B
right eyes, a bright smile,
and a bright future – Jennifer Ramirez has all three.
A senior at the University of
Maryland, College Park, Jennifer
was on her way to earning a
bachelor’s degree when the opportunity to become a Generation Hope Scholar presented
itself. Jennifer was receiving
some financial support for college and was working a part-time
job with the federal government,
which offered her the flexibility
she needed to be a full-time
college student, but something
was missing. Generation Hope
filled in the gap, providing her
with the unique support she
I’ VE G AINED
A
hadn’t received anywhere else.
“I was getting
money, but
that was it,”
Jennifer recalled.
“Emotional
support is
priceless.”
GIVE WITH IMPACT:
Generation
Jennifer, Generation Hope’s first college graduate.
Hope board
(Photo courtesy of Michelle Tamoria)
member
Lisette Orellana encouraged
more than just money – “it’s a
Jennifer to apply for the profamily,” she said.
gram, and Jennifer is so glad
Whatever she’s going through,
she did. After carefully studyJennifer’s Generation Hope
ing the organization’s mission
Sponsor, Suzanne Simpson, can
statement, she knew that the
relate – one (Continued on page 3)
Scholar Program would provide
$25
PROVIDES SNACKS FOR 7
SCHOLARS’ CHILDREN DURING
A GH TRAINING
$50
PROVIDES GENERATION HOPE
T-SHIRTS FOR 3 SCHOLARS
$150
PROVIDES A ONE-NIGHT
HOTEL STAY FOR A SCHOLAR
AND THEIR CHILD DURING OUR
ANNUAL HOPE CONFERENCE
$250
PROVIDES ONE IN-SERVICE
TRAINING FOR 7 SCHOLARS
AND 7 SPONSORS
$600
PROVIDES A FIELD TRIP FOR
OUR 2011 SCHOLARS, THEIR
CHILDREN, AND SPONSORS
F RIENDSHIP
W HY I S PONSOR : D ONNA F LEMING
BY DONNA FLEMING, GENERATION HOPE SPONSOR
T
here are times in our lives when connecting points are personal, impactful, and lead to happiness. Such was the
day when I first met Nicole — hearing her
personal story and her commitment to
social change through matching sponsors
with teenage parents who are attending
local colleges. In that conversation with
Nicole, I learned of Zataunia Heard, a young
mom attending Trinity Washington University.
Donna and her Scholar’s daughter, Zyaire, creating a masterpiece during the Generation Hope Valentine’s Day party at the
Lorton Workhouse (Photo courtesy of CMJphotos)
Listening to Nicole speak of Zataunia’s current journey to a college degree, I was reminded of my own struggles along the path
of a post-secondary education…as a single,
young mother of two
daughters, working full- (Continued on page 3)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
A MESSAGE FROM THE
CEO
2
PARTYING FOR GENERATION 2
HOPE
GENERATION HOPE’S FIRST
GALA
4
HOW TO SCORE BIG ON
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
5
CORPORATE SPOTLIGHT:
KAISER PERMANENTE
5
S E N D I N G H O P E Y O U R WAY
A “F IELD
OF
D REAMS ” R IGHT H ERE
IN
D.C.
A M ESSAGE FROM THE CEO: N ICOLE L YNN L EWIS
I
Generation Hope Founder & CEO
Nicole Lynn Lewis
“...the dreams of
our current and
future Scholars
are that much
more attainable
because of this
support.”
knew for a long time that I
wanted to start a nonprofit
organization to help teen parents, but two things held me
back. One, I wanted to ensure
that the organization fulfilled a
critical need, and it took some
true thought, research and experience in the field to identify
that need. Two, when the mission of Generation Hope became
clear, I didn’t have a funder
knocking on my door with their
checkbook in hand.
So, per the guidance of our
amazing public relations firm,
Reingold, we had to use the 1989
Field of Dreams perspective, “If
you build it, they will come.”
We built a stellar program, recruited the Scholars and Sponsors who brought it to life, and
worked diligently to secure inkind and pro-bono materials and
resources to keep things in motion. At the same time, I was in
the community meeting people,
talking to them about the exciting work that was happening
right in their backyard. One of
the first people I met was Terri
Freeman, President of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, who graciously introduced me to the
Executive Director of The Summit Fund of Washington, Linda
A F UN
AND
E ASY W AY
TO
Left: Scholar Jenny Chacon helps her son
get a bowling ball during the Spring
Scholar/Sponsor Field Trip made possible
in part by The Summit Fund’s support.
Right: Scholars Marikit Williams, Vivian
Amaechi, and Alyssa Bullock take a break
from bowling to pose for the camera.
Howard.
The Summit Fund of Washington
has historically focused on alleviating two urgent problems that
are essential to the health, vitality and sustainability of our community: restoring the Anacostia
River and preventing teen pregnancy in the District of Columbia.
Because our Scholar Program
focuses on academic achievement and provides one-on-one
mentoring relationships – both
of which are proven to have a
major influence on preventing
subsequent pregnancies among
teen mothers – we were able to
secure $50,000 in seed funding
from The Summit Fund of Washington in November 2011.
Today, $50,000 is making so
many dreams come true by funding the Generation Hope Scholar
Program; my dream of a new,
innovative approach to reducing
poverty, but more importantly,
the dreams of our current and
future Scholars are that much
more attainable because of this
support. We have hired our first
employees, gone on memorable
field trips, conducted beneficial
trainings, and more.
I want to thank our major funders, The Summit Fund of Washington and Kaiser Foundation
Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic
States, Inc., as well as each of
you – our donors and supporters
– for believing in our work. We
built it, and you came. Thank
you.
R AISE M ONEY
P ARTYING FOR G ENERATION H OPE
BY NICOLE LYNN LEWIS
M
The birthday girl, Marilyn, poses
with Generation Hope staff
arilyn Patterson knows
how to throw a party. As
the Event Manager/CEO of Joyous Events, LLC, a weddings and
event management firm headquartered in historic Alexandria,
Va., she is always juggling big
events for her clients. But when
Page 2
it came to her 54th birthday
party, she wanted a big bash
with a bigger purpose.
Marilyn held her party at the
Alexandria Black History Museum and invited lifelong friends
and family. Instead of gifts, she
asked attendees to make donations to Generation Hope. Additionally, Marilyn’s company gave
$5 for every person who attended the party. In total, the
event raised $525, which helped
to make the October field trip to
Clark’s Farm possible.
“Once you get to a certain age,
you really don't need any more
‘stuff,’” said Marilyn, “but you
can still celebrate and marry that
with your
(Continued on next page)
Spring 2012
JENNIFER RAMIREZ (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)
of the greatest benefits of being a Generation
Hope Scholar. “It’s like having big sister,” Jennifer
said.
As the oldest of three siblings, a brother and a
sister, Jennifer has found a place to turn and
someone to confide in when she’s charting new
territory as a parent through Generation Hope.
Suzanne has a son almost the same age as Jennifer’s son Jordan.
it was on to University of Maryland where she courageously cut through the administrative red-tape
that threatened to derail her from enrolling and
earning a bachelor’s of science degree in criminal
justice. After graduation, Jennifer will work full time
at the Department of Homeland Security, where she
hopes to become an agent. She will also seize every
opportunity to point others to Generation Hope.
“It’s like
there’s a
whole circle
of people
who believe
I can
succeed,
cheering me
on.”
“We both have sons a year apart,” said Suzanne.
“We are both interested in law-related fields and
are driven to accomplish our career goals while
providing a nurturing upbringing for our children.”
Suzanne and the host of Generation Hope volunteers are a great source of inspiration for Jennifer.
“It’s like there’s a whole circle of people who believe I can succeed, cheering me on,” she said.
In May, Jennifer will not only be Generation
Hope’s first graduate, she will also be the first
college graduate in her immediate family. It will
be her second-most challenging achievement,
since giving birth to her son Jordan, whose first
birthday (June 7th) marked the first of Jennifer’s
educational milestones – her high school graduation.
Now 23-years-old, Jennifer was a 15-year-old
sophomore in high school when she became pregnant with Jordan, now 7-years-old. To say it was
overwhelming is an understatement. Jennifer, an
always ambitious teenager who thought she’d be
a movie star, found it hard to shine. She felt no
one could understand what she was going through
– she was the only one in her high school who was
pregnant.
With a positive attitude, Jennifer overcame every
obstacle on her ascent through Montgomery College, where she earned a two-year degree. Then
HEAR JENNIFER SPEAK AT
“PEP RALLY UNDER THE
STARS” ON JUNE 29TH
(SEE NEXT PAGE FOR
MORE DETAILS!)
Top: Jennifer with her Sponsor and “big sister,” Suzanne Simpson (CMJphotos). Bottom: Jennifer is looking forward to providing her son Jordan with a bright
future.
PARTYING FOR GENERATION HOPE (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)
social responsibility.”
Marilyn first learned about Generation Hope when her grandson’s mother and Generation Hope board
member, Francina Osoria, told her about the mission. “I was extremely impressed with the leadership of
Generation Hope from the first meeting that I attended,” said Marilyn.
The mission of Generation Hope is also very dear to Marilyn’s heart because her son, Marques, was a teen
parent. “I felt that the best thing I could do to support [him and Francina] was to encourage their continued education. Helping young people improve their situation and the future that they can provide to their
children is a win-win for everyone.”
What would Marilyn tell someone who is thinking about throwing an event to support Generation Hope?
“Go for it! It was a fun and easy way to raise money and awareness for this worthy cause. This organization is changing lives, one teen mother and father at a time. And if you
need ideas or help executing your party plan, Joyous Events can help!”
Page 3
“This
organization
is changing
lives...”
WANT TO RAISE MONEY FOR
GENERATION HOPE?
GO TO
WWW.SUPPORTGENERATION
HOPE.ORG/FUNDRAISE-FOR-GH!
S E N D I N G H O P E Y O U R WAY
T HE B EST P EP R ALLY Y OU ’ LL E VER A TTEND !
G ENERATION H OPE ’ S F IRST G ALA J UNE 29, 2012
BY THE GALA COMMITTEE
W
ho doesn’t love a good party – especially
one that benefits a great cause? By now
you’ve probably heard about Generation Hope’s
first gala, “Pep Rally Under the Stars.” We’re hoping you’ve marked your calendars, and you’re preparing to celebrate with us!
Friday, June 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center,
University of Maryland, College
Park
Tickets: $125/single ticket
or $225/couple
The most glamorous and spirited pep rally you’ve
ever seen is taking place on Friday, June 29th at
the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center at the University of Maryland, College Park. You can expect
fun, dancing, great music, delicious food, and an
opportunity to learn about our Scholars and Sponsors. We’ll also be celebrating a huge milestone –
the first Scholar to graduate from our program.
2011 Scholar Jennifer Ramirez, who will walk
across the University of Maryland commencement
stage this May, will be our Scholar speaker that
evening. We will also keep you busy with an out-of
-this-world silent auction that includes original
artwork by our Scholars and their children, Redskins gear, a chance to sit in on a Hot 99.5 radio
broadcast of the “The Kane Show,” and more!
your formal attire and wear it with your alma mater or favorite college memorabilia. That means a
pair of college earrings or your trusty-dusty college
t-shirt. It’s completely up to you so be creative!
Proceeds from this event will go to Generation
Hope’s Scholar Program, funding field trips, trainings, the Emergency Scholar Fund, and expenses to
keep the program running. We will double the
number of Scholars in our program for the coming
year so your support is vitally important. Have a
great time while supporting the college pursuits of
teen parents and the futures of their children!
TO PURCHASE YOUR
TICKETS, TABLE, OR SPONSORSHIP:
● Go to www.supportgenerationhope.org/gala
● Or, fill out the form on the back of this newsletter and mail it to us
We can’t wait
to celebrate with you!
If you’re wondering what to wear, this is the fun
part. The attire is black-tie optional so put on
DONNA FLEMING (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)
Scholar Zataunia and her daughter Zyaire during an outing with
Donna.
“...she
reminds me
that what I
do is
important not
just for
myself or my
family but for
others and for
future
generations.”
time, and also attending what
was then called Trinity’s Weekend College program. It was
over the course of six-plus years
that I eventually earned an undergraduate degree and then
later in life returned to Trinity for
a graduate degree. I was first in
my family to receive a college
degree and was able to set the
expectation for my own daughters and now my grandchildren
for academic achievement.
The potential to leverage my
learnings over the years and
have a direct impact on a
Zataunia's ability to continue her
college education was a driving
force in my decision to become a
Generation Hope Sponsor.
Given, I’ve personally experi-
Page 4
enced the power of education,
having reaped the financial rewards through a successful professional career, I want to support Zataunia in realizing her
goals. Her career plan includes
the medical field and this school
year, Zataunia was accepted in
Trinity’s nursing program.
Through the process of providing
mentoring support, I’ve gained a
friendship with Zataunia and
have the privilege to also spend
time with her daughter, Zyaire,
who is adorable beyond words!
Every time I see Zyaire, she
brings a smile to my face, reminding me of the basic pleasures of life; like laughing, playing
with a stick, eating cotton candy,
or hugging your mom. Further,
she reminds me that what I do is
important not just for myself or
my family but for others and for
future generations. Since September, Zataunia, Zyaire and I
have enjoyed numerous activities such as a trip to the pumpkin
patch, games at Dave and
Buster’s, a long walk to the Martin Luther King Memorial, exploring the National History Museum, a Valentine’s Day party at
the Lorton Workhouse, and recently an afternoon at the Ringling Brothers Circus.
“I've learned that people
will forget what you said,
people will forget what you
did, but people will never
forget how you made them
feel.”
― Maya Angelou
SPONSOR APPLICATIONS ARE
BEING ACCEPTED NOW!
GO TO OUR WEBSITE TO APPLY!
Spring 2012
T IPS
FOR
G ETTING
THE
M ONEY Y OU N EED
HOW TO SCORE BIG ON COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
BY ANGELA HARRISON
SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER
CENTRAL SCHOLARSHIP
A
s the end of the 2011-2012
academic year comes into
view, many students are setting
their sights on exams and summer vacation. But it’s important
not to forget that 2012-2013 is
just around the corner—and so is
that fall semester tuition bill.
Financial aid, in the form of federal, state, and institutional
loans and grants, will help the
majority of American students
pay their bills this fall. That’s why
all students should complete the
FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov) and
apply for institutional aid! Check
the deadlines for your state and
school.
What if the financial aid you’re
offered isn’t enough to cover all
your costs? Well, that’s when
you need a private scholarship.
But with so many students struggling to pay for college, and so
many students applying for
scholarships, how can you win
the money you need?
You can’t win if you don’t apply.
Sounds like common sense,
right? But one in four students
A N E MERGENCY N ET
FOR
never even applies for financial
aid. Don’t be that student! Start
looking for scholarships early; try
using a scholarship matching
service like www.fastweb.com,
and apply for as many as you
can.
Think big—but think small, too.
A lot of students don’t think
small scholarships are worth
their time. Instead, they focus on
big awards from national foundations that offer a lot of
money—and for which you compete with thousands, sometimes
millions, of other students from
across the country. That’s a lot of
competition. So don’t ignore
small, local scholarships! Those
small amounts add up, and because these scholarships have a
smaller applicant pool, your
chance of winning is greater.
Also, the fact that you’ve won a
small scholarship looks great on
your résumé. It might even influence your chances of winning
larger scholarships.
Follow directions and proofread. The easiest way to get your
scholarship application tossed in
the “rejection” pile is failing to
read and carefully follow directions. Before you submit an ap-
plication, check that you have
provided all of the information
that’s required. If they ask for
two recommendations, submit
two recommendations, not one
or three. Make sure your essay
doesn’t exceed the maximum
number of words allowed. (Tip: if
no minimum number of words is
provided, aim for at least 250,
which is about one doublespaced page.) And finally, have
someone you trust proofread
your entire application, not just
the essay! Especially with an
online application, it’s easy to
make a small mistake or typo.
Angela Harrison
“...one in four
students never
even applies
for financial
aid. ”
Your essay is your chance to
shine. Every student fills out the
same form, but your essay is
your own. Use it to demonstrate
your personality, passion, and
commitment. And, just in case
you forgot—proofread!
And finally, if at first you don’t
succeed…Be persistent! Some
students apply to 20 or more
scholarship programs before
they win one. And if you don’t
win a particular scholarship this
year, don’t be discouraged. Apply again. Next year might be
your year!
Are you receiving our email
updates? If not, you’re missing breaking news on how
we’re impacting the D.C. area
one family at a time!
Sign up on our website or use
your smartphone scanning
app to scan the QR code
above!
L ONG -T ERM S UCCESS
K AISER P ERMANENTE C ONTRIBUTES $15,000
TO THE S CHOLAR E MERGENCY F UND
BY NICOLE LYNN LEWIS
In December 2011, Kaiser Permanente made a $15,000 contribution to the Generation Hope
Scholar Program to specifically
support the Scholar Emergency
Fund, which provides assistance
in emergency situations for costs
related to child care, rent, transportation, books, etc., that might
prevent Scholars from staying in
college and/or adequately caring
for their children. Maritha Gay,
Senior Director of External Affairs, Kaiser Foundation Health
Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States,
Inc., recently took the time to
talk about this partnership.
W
hat made Kaiser want to
support Generation
Hope's Scholar Program?
At Kaiser Permanente, we be-
lieve that good health belongs to
everyone. We know there are a
number of factors that contribute to a person’s total health –
mind, body and spirit – including
education. Research has shown
that with increased education
comes positive health outcomes
and Kaiser Permanente is com-
Page 5
The Emergency Fund ensured that
Scholar Jenny has reliable transportation to her classes at Montgomery
College. (Photo, Michelle Tamoria)
/SUPPORTGENERATIONHOPE
Come to our gala,
“Pep Rally Under the
Stars”
@SUPPORTGENHOPE
GALA RESPONSE FORM
Tickets
WWW.SUPPORTGENERATIONHOPE.ORG
Tables
Sponsorships
Table for 10 ($1,000)
Individual ($125)
Couple ($225)
Number-One Fan ($15,000)
Head Coach ($10,000)
Generation Hope
1201 15th St., NW, Suite 420
Washington, D.C. 20005
Cheerleader ($5,000)
Mascot ($3,000)
Your Information
t. 202-656-8705
f. 202-955-8084
e. [email protected]
Name
Address
GENERATION HOPE STAFF
Nicole Lynn Lewis
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
[email protected]
(202) 656-8704
Kendria Reynoso
Director of Operations & Programming
[email protected]
(202) 656-8705
Phone
Scholar Emerita and her son Dominic
Email address
$
Total Amount Enclosed
Clare M. Jacocks
Finance & Quality Assurance Manager
[email protected]
(202) 656-4536
Comments:
KAISER PERMANENTE (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5)
mitted to helping communities
thrive physically, emotionally,
academically, and professionally.
By supporting Generation Hope’s
Scholar Program, Kaiser Permanente is investing in the overall
health and wellbeing of program
participants attending colleges in
the communities we serve.
Scholars share an aptitude to
pursue their dreams and goals of
higher education. Generation
Hope supports these goals and
dreams.
How does Generation Hope's
mission fit in with Kaiser Permanente’s community initiatives?
Generation Hope’s mission
states that “education is vital to
success.” Kaiser Permanente
shares this sentiment and strives
to be a model corporate steward
in the communities we serve
across Maryland, Washington,
D.C., and Virginia by investing in
educational institutions and
helping develop a strong, culturally competent future health
care workforce.
What are some future community initiatives/activities that
are on the horizon for Kaiser
Permanente?
Kaiser Permanente takes a multilayered approach to promote
healthy people and healthy
places. We have broadened our
lens on health and expanded our
support by going beyond financial resources which includes
investing technical resources,
human capital and resources
through a community ambassador program, sharing researchbased knowledge to safety net
clinics, and contributing the expertise of our physicians to play
a role in policy advocacy.
What stands out most about
Generation Hope is its commitment to teen parents, many of
whom have limited means and
are faced with obstacles, but
Keeping our sights on total
health and building healthy communities, Kaiser Permanente is
grateful to work with individuals
and partner organizations to:
“How much
Be a
convener
education a
of
person
thoughtobtains is
leaders,
one of the
educasocial
tors, and
determinants
school
nurses,
of health...”
nutritionist, and
administrators focused on addressing child obesity in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia schools
 Make investments to
deepen our healthy eating and
active living (HEAL) work and
other community health initiatives.
 Strengthen the relationships
with our safety-net partners who
provide health care and coverage to the under and uninsured
 Support ongoing medical
research, knowledge dissemination through the delivery of
health messages from Kaiser
Permanente’s Educational Theatre Program


Encourage and support the
educational training of future
health care professionals
 Continue to cultivate a culture
of volunteerism and community
activism among all Kaiser Permanente employees
Why is it important to support
college completion efforts for
teen parents?
How much education a person
obtains is one of the social determinants of health, and research
supports the correlation between
positive health outcomes with an
increase of one’s level of education. Statistics reflect that when
teens get pregnant, most drop out
of school and are more likely to
face a life of economic insecurity
and other hardships. This economic insecurity can adversely
affect the overall health and wellbeing of both the parent and child,
making it important that resources
and support are available to teen
parents to get them invested in
their own futures and those of
their children.