This year, the REACH Program saw its biggest residential summer ever, with 191 students spanning four grades spread out across two college campuses. To document it, we gave disposable cameras to REACH students at both Scranton and Fordham.
Since its founding in 2001, the REACH Program has enriched the lives of middle-school students through programming both at 麻豆视频 and on a college campus. This time on a campus is a critical part of the REACH experience, as students not only grow academically, spiritually, and as leaders, but also get a taste of what college life could be like when they graduate from high school. This element of REACH has grown over the years: Rising sixth graders (our 鈥渃andidate鈥� students) now go to a separate campus for their three weeks away from New York, while the program has also introduced a fourth-year residential program for students about to begin high school. As a result of these changes, this summer saw the biggest residential summer in REACH鈥檚 history, with candidate students at Fordham University in the Bronx, and all other REACH students at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. Here鈥檚 what it all looked like, as photographed by the students themselves.
REACH鈥檚 curriculum is meant to unlock students鈥� potential, teaching them better study habits and providing them with a foundation to excel academically. 鈥淩EACH is helping me get ahead at school,鈥� says candidate student Prince Antoine (in foreground). 鈥淚 really like Civitas and Latin. In Civitas, I like how we learn about history on a more advanced level.鈥�
While on campus during the residential program, students attend Mass together and say a nightly Examen, deepening their relationships with God and learning the importance of serving others. 鈥淒uring nighttime reflection, I can feel the power of God with us,鈥� says rising seventh grader Joseph Villalba (foreground at right). 鈥淩EACH showed me how important God is in my life.鈥�
During their time at Scranton, REACH students have access to athletic facilities otherwise used by the university鈥檚 students. 鈥淚鈥檝e never had places like that,鈥� says rising seventh grader Steven Peralta Castro (in foreground closest to camera). 鈥淥pen to me, available to me? Never.鈥�
REACH seeks to foster students鈥� leadership potential, in part through its C.O.R.E. initiative. C.O.R.E. (Challenging Outdoor REACH Experiences) is designed to develop students鈥� self-awareness, communication skills, and cooperative problem solving skills. 鈥淏ecause the activities challenge us to talk and collaborate, my voice has changed a lot, and I鈥檝e built more bonds,鈥� says rising ninth grader Sebastian Pinzon 鈥�28 (second from left).鈥淚鈥檓 not really too talkative, but during our activities we learn to talk and cooperate with new people.鈥�
This story appears in the Fall 2024 issue of 麻豆视频 Magazine.
