Our SAT Prep Program is a big commitment for everyone involved, including our staff, volunteers, and Community Partners. But the services this program provides make college possible for many New York City students who otherwise would not be able to afford crucial tutoring.

The students at Brooklyn College Community Partnership (BCCP) recognize that, and recently wrote a blog post highlighting the program. New York Cares partners with the BCCP to provide 11th grade students with free SAT tutoring every Saturday for two hours.

Make sure you read the great post, and learn more about our SAT Prep Program. Training for new volunteers starts in August for the 2013-2014 program, but you can sign up now to receive information this summer.

By Susan Torres

Being a teenager is difficult enough without being transplanted to a new school, to a new country, into a language and culture that is very different from the one you grew up with. My personal experience as an immigrant adjusting to a new school was studded with embarrassment and struggle, so tutoring immigrant teens for the SAT was a cause I felt strongly about. I also knew that going to college – outside of its academic merit – would help them gain the social skills and self-confidence they would need to ease their assimilation.

Over the course of my two academic years volunteering with the New York Cares SAT program, I had the opportunity of working with two groups of three students. While I thought this would be more challenging than having just a single student, I found that the group dynamic really helped me teach the material, especially in situations where I was having problems giving a good explanation. One of the other students would usually help explain it to their classmate.

The students at Manhattan International High School were an incredibly diverse group. They all came from a variety of countries, and it was fascinating to watch their interactions. The SAT is a challenging test, and all the students were incredibly smart; all they needed was a guide to take them through the test and explain how to approach it. We covered a variety of math and English topics, and the students wrote a handful of essays over the course of the academic year. Using a series of practice tests administered by the school and graded by Kaplan, I was able to see my students improve and figure out what I should focus on in upcoming lessons.

We also had frequent general discussions about college, and I was able to give them advice and suggestions on how to approach the application process and college life itself. By the end of the academic year, I could see a clear difference in how the students approached and performed on the test. I could also tell that the idea of going to college became less difficult for them; they could see themselves succeeding. I think that confidence may have been the biggest benefit I could have given them.

By Rafal Cebula

If you’d like to sign up to be an SAT tutor, there’s still time. Sign up today.

By Dakotah West, New York Cares Youth Service Manager

Thinking about designing a mural for the New York Cares Day Students Give Back! Mural Contest? As a judge for our first ever design contest, I’m excited to give teens a new opportunity to share their ideas and thoughts. Apply today and find out where your art will take you.

Once, on a mural painting project, a volunteer painted all the clouds brown when I had my back turned. Flabbergasted, I asked why. “No one told me what color to paint them,” he responded, shrugging. Apparently I needed to work on my communication skills.

Usually, on the day of a project, I sketch the design on the wall like a giant paint-by-numbers coloring book, bring printouts of the mural, and mix hues beforehand. When the volunteers arrive, all they have to do is get the paint from the cups onto the wall – easy peasy.

Looking back, I know why I had a smoggy, brown-cloud mural. Volunteers want to do more than get the paint on the wall – they want to create a thing of beauty, even if they don’t know how. Planning is important, but painting means releasing expectations and having fun.

Sometimes, mistakes can be improvements. At the end of the day, colors seem brighter when they’re painted with joy.

By Rayshan Sosa, Teen Service Team Member

During the summer I volunteered for New York Cares’ first Teen Service Team program. The first day I met with the team I was a little shy. I thought my summer vacation was going to be boring. But, as soon as I got to know everyone, I couldn’t wait to go back for the next assignment.

My overall experience as a volunteer was rewarding. I didn’t know that helping others would be so fun and educational. I can’t wait to restart volunteering with the Teen Service Team and meet the new volunteers this weekend.

In my opinion, what made this experience very exciting are the program leaders, Tiffany and Dakotah. They made each assignment fun and interesting. If there was one thing that I would change about the program, it would be the amount of days to volunteer. I would have liked to volunteer at least four times a week instead of twice a week.

But, overall I had a great learning experience. I’m anxious for the new fall season to begin!!

The new school year is well under way, and that means you only have a few more days to get involved in our Kaplan SAT program! The last training for new tutors will be next Monday, September 27, at 6:30 p.m.

We’re looking for volunteers available on Saturdays or weeknights at our sites in the outer boroughs. Sign up for training today, and within a few weeks you’ll be giving at-risk high school students the boost they need to overcome academic obstacles, increase their SAT scores, get into the college of their dreams.

This summer we ran our first Youth Service program open to all New York City public school students, giving them a chance to get out into the community and make a difference. The Teen Service Team is back for the fall, and we’re looking for teens who want to have new experiences, see new places, and meet new people.

Participating in community service is a great way to learn about yourself, social issues, and the world – and you’ll also improve your college applications and résumé while having a positive impact in the community.

If hosting a karaoke party at a senior center, cleaning up a beach front, or painting inspirational murals at a community center sound like fun to you or a high schooler you know, read more about how to get involved, and download the application.

Two hours a week is all it takes to change someone’s life. As a New York Cares Kaplan SAT Prep Tutor, you can give hundreds of at-risk high school students the boost they need to overcome academic obstacles, increase their SAT scores, get into the college of their dreams – and beyond.

You’ll work weekly with groups of two or three students throughout the school year, showing them that someone believes they’ve got what it takes to succeed. New York Cares will provide you with all the training you need to be a great tutor. Sign up for Kaplan SAT Training Part A today!

It only takes two hours a week to change someone’s life.

You can give hundreds of low-income New York City high school students the support they need to increase their SAT scores and get into the colleges of their choice. As an SAT tutor, your commitment to your students shows them that someone believes they’ve got what it takes, and often, that’s all they need for their confidence and abilities to grow. Sign up to become a Kaplan SAT tutor today.

New York Cares has teamed up with Kaplan, Inc. to provide comprehensive training in which you’ll learn valuable tutoring skills and how to teach studying and test-taking techniques. Training begins in August and September, and the projects run from October through May on weekday evenings (usually from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.) and Saturdays (usually from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) at 31 locations throughout the city.

E-mail kaplan.prep@newyorkcares.org for more information.

This past school year, 900 high school students from under-served communities in New York City were hard at work studying for the SAT with the help of devoted New York Cares volunteers.

Thanks to the 271 volunteers who helped them improve their test scores and build self-confidence, these students are now well on their way to making their dreams of college a reality.

We held a special celebration this week at Metro 53 to thank our volunteers and partner agencies  for their hard work throughout the year.