The Sun Shines, And So Do Our Students!
Dear At the Table staff, students, and supporters,
Just like that, we find ourselves smack in the summer heat! The past few months have flown by as we've been moving full speed ahead, dreaming up ways to expand our live events and offer new opportunities to our whole community. Read on to find:
A recap of our Second Annual Student Celebration
A hearty list of Student Successes
The Creative Corner, featuring a poem by womanist writer Lucille Clifton
A link to "A CUNY Student’s Guide to Summer in NYC"
We get really excited when we hear from our students and supporters about this newsletter, so if you want to share any thoughts, questions, or ideas, send us a message at ops@atthetable.nyc.
Twice the Fun:
Our Second Annual Student Celebration
On Friday, June 13th, we hosted our second annual Student Celebration at The Center, an important cultural institution located in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. Our commitment to building community has really come to life at these fun in-person events where we get to bond with each other over great food and music. The room was full of energy, with current students making up more than half the crowd, joined by their friends, families, and At the Table educators and staff—their biggest fans!
At nearly every table, there were friendly battles over Uno and classic playing cards plus coloring pages for the kids (and kids at heart). There was one particularly suspenseful Jenga tower that drew ooh’s and ahh’s as it inched toward new heights with every play and eventually toppled to the sound of uproarious laughter. This focus on games came directly from student and staff feedback from the last two events, and we were more than happy to say: “Challenge accepted!”
The soundtrack for the day was curated once again by our Program Director, Ashia Troiano, who’s been our resident DJ since the very first Student Celebration. Ashia likes to make sure everyone gets to hear their favorite upbeat and family-friendly songs, setting the tone with good vibes from the moment guests walk in and connect with their tutors, sometimes for the very first time!
We were lucky to partner once again with City Beet Kitchens, which offered a special Juneteenth-inspired menu, prepared by guest chefs Boel Ben and Jamel Woods. New offerings like Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Fried Catfish, and BBQ Pulled Pork were served alongside some beloved staples like Hangar Steak, and our vegan favorites, Pasta Primavera and Tofu Chorizo.
The main part of our afternoon was the recognition ceremony, which opened with words from our Executive Director, Michael Zink. Our educators then took the mic to honor their students, calling each one up to receive an At the Table Certificate, personalized to reflect their students' unique strengths and accomplishments throughout the year. For graduates, the moment was made extra special with a bouquet of flowers and a gift card from the team. One of our grads, Sage, even arrived in her Hunter College cap and gown!
The festivities didn’t end there. We held a raffle where five students won GrubHub gift cards, and one really lucky student won a round-trip plane ticket from Southwest Airlines! A special thank you to our board member, Tiana Barnwell, who made this generous gift possible through her employer.
The room was overflowing with real joy, and we witnessed a recurring theme: our students love time together. And we hear you. At the Table is committed to creating more moments like this, with the continued support of our community and the generosity of our funders who help bring it all to life.
🎉Student Successes🎉
From overcoming challenges to celebrating graduations, we’re endlessly proud of the hard work and heart our students poured into this semester. Here are just a few of the many achievements:
✨ GP accomplished a semester of straight A's!
✨ JSW got an A in Psychology after some serious challenges prevented them from completing courses since 2020!
✨ NP mastered both the TEAS and the Pharmacy Tech licensing exam!
✨ CK had an incredible first semester of grad school, conquering two levels of math at once!
🎓Cheers to our 2024-2025 Graduates 🎓
✨ AP earned a BA in Africana, Puerto Rican and Latino Studies from Hunter College!
✨ SA earned a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Hunter College!
✨ DW earned a BA in Psychology from SUNY Empire!
✨ MN earned an AA in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Hostos CC!
✨ MH earned an AS in Science with a concentration in Biology and Pre-Allied Health from Medgar Evers CC!
✨ RB earned an AS in Theater from BMCC!
✨ MZ earned an AS in Human Services from Westchester CC!
✨ KG earned an AS in Health Science from City Tech!
✨ MS earned an AA in Psychology from BMCC!
✨ LW earned an AS in Food Studies from Hostos CC!
Creative Corner
〰️
Creative Corner 〰️
There is a Girl Inside
Lucille Clifton
there is a girl inside.
she is randy as a wolf.
she will not walk away
and leave these bones
to an old woman.
she is a green tree
in a forest of kindling.
she is a green girl
in a used poet.
she has waited
patient as a nun
for the second coming,
when she can break through gray hairs
into blossom
and her lovers will harvest
honey and thyme
and the woods will be wild
with the damn wonder of it.
Final Note: We're moving!
Starting on July 1st, we will have a new address: 266 West 37th Street.
Stay tuned for more info about visiting your tutor!
