Westminster Community Charter School, Children's Academy
Howard University "Alternative Spring Break" at Westminster
Buffalo Promise Neighborhood
Posted 8 months ago
Early in March, a group of students from Howard University located in Washington, D.C. — one of the nation’s leading universities and most influential Historically Black Colleges & Universities “HBCUs” — visited Buffalo to volunteer with Buffalo Promise Neighborhood “BPN,” Westminster Community Charter School, and other local organizations. As part of an “Alternative Spring Break” program, the students researched multiple cities and chose to spend their break assisting the Buffalo community. A longstanding supporter and early catalyst for BPN, M&T Bank was honored to welcome Howard University students to Buffalo.
Student volunteers worked on various projects engaging students at all grade levels, hosting college-readiness assemblies for students in third through eighth grade, as well as reading activities for younger students in kindergarten through second grade. The Howard students also supported afterschool programs — allowing Westminster students to connect with them as potential role models while participating in arts, leadership, and STEAM projects.
The student volunteers from Howard University will help BPN advance its mission and inspire the children at Westminster to consider secondary educational opportunities by sharing their individual experiences and giving them the confidence, they need to follow their dreams!
Check out the following Channel 7 media coverage:
In addition to supporting other regional nonprofits, the Howard University students were introduced to Buffalo and had the opportunity to build new relationships locally at events organized by M&T Bank.
“I am grateful to see the impact we are able to make in the communities we serve and it’s what will continue to bring me back again and again.” Alexandria Sorrell, Howard University Student Advisor
"What an amazing experience my classroom had with the Howard University students! They came in ready to make genuine connections with my classroom, and they certainly did! My scholars were engaged and excited to listen and learn, even the quietest of my students was asking questions and sharing his thoughts. For the next few days, they were asking when they would come back. This was truly a memorable experience for our first-grade classroom, and I am grateful to the students from Howard University for choosing Westminster for this visit." Janet Venator, Westminster 1st Grade Teacher
“I felt inspired by the Howard University students. I always knew I wanted to go to college but now I know that there are colleges out there with students who look like me and that Howard has a lot of different activities that I can do and majors to explore. It makes me excited to go to college.” Cheyenne, Westminster 6th Grade Student
