Page 2 - Reflections on the Danger of a Single Story

The Bronx Institute and Project ALPHA
THE BRONX INSTITUTE
The Bronx Institute at Lehman College marks its 38th anniversary in 2019. For over 18 years, The Bronx Institute has met the challenges of promoting excellence in education among students throughout The Bronx.
Headquartered on the Lehman College campus, The Bronx Institute focuses on improving educational outcomes among middle and high school students. This mission is achieved through a variety of academic programs, including those dedicated to increasing college readiness among Bronx students and expanding the participation of Latinos and African Americans in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professions. The Institute works collaboratively with Bronx schools, community- based organizations, colleges and other service providers in the planning, promotion and delivery of academic services.
To date more than 20,000 students from 75 schools throughout The Bronx have benefitted from the Institute’s wide-ranging programs.
PROJECT ALPHA
Project ALPHA prepares content area teachers with instructional strategies to assist English Learners (ELs) to stay in school; gain academic content and literacy skills; and graduate high school and enter college. It is one of 49 new National Professional Development programs funded under Title III through the US Department of Education Office of English Language Acquisition. The Project is administered by The Bronx Institute at Lehman College. The Institute is a partner of the New York State Education Department Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages.
In several Bronx schools with high-need English Learner populations, teams of teachers are recruited each year for Project ALPHA. They ultimately form a supportive network at each school over Project ALPHA’s five year grant cycle. Thus, an ALPHA team of several trained participants at each target school deliver a continuum of academic content-rich language development support through an intensive, consistent, and evidence-based approach.
About
The Executive Director
Since 1999, Professor Herminio Martínez, Ph.D. has served as Executive Director of The Bronx Institute at Lehman College. Under his leadership, The Bronx Institute has evolved to provide support for over 20,000 Bronx students on the pathways to high school graduation and college enrollment. “When I came to The Bronx Institute, the
Institute was primarily focused on research,” he says. “I felt that The Bronx needed an institute that was fully committed to improving education in the Bronx community. That’s what made me work on a new plan for the Institute that transformed it and made it closer to the community.”
In addition to leading The Bronx Institute and teaching at Lehman College, Dr. Martínez has served on the Board of Directors for many community and public service organizations, including The United States Senate Bi-Partisan Committee on Hispanic Affairs, The Herbert H. Lehman Foundation and the New York Urban Coalition. He received the 2012 Educator of the Year Award from The Bronx County Historical Society.
“Every child – no matter who they are or where they’re from – deserves a first class education,” he says. “Our goal is to make education for students in The Bronx excellent so that every student has the opportunity to pursue the career they choose and reach their highest potential.”