Page 13 - New York Statewide Smart Scholars Overview and Profiles

“I came into Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) wandering about without a sense of
direction…it was a hard transition from middle school…I’ve improved so much in my writing,
communication with teachers, and time management. BHSEC enabled me to be a successful
student ready for college and beyond.”
Year 1 (college) Smart Scholar at the BHSEC Manhattan campus

The goal of the BHSEC Smart Scholars program is to enroll disadvantaged students from some
of New York City’s lowest performing middle schools in the early college program and enable
them to graduate high school with 60 college credits and an A.A. degree. The BHSEC Smart
Scholars program has grown in recruitment, retention, and engagement of students: in 2010,
the Department of Education matched 79 of these scholars to our BHSEC campuses; by 2014,
through steady recruitment efforts, that number rose by 48% to 166 matched and 102 Smart
Scholars enrolling in the class of 2018 – 36% of our 9th grade class. Our retention rate is even
stronger: 82% of the Smart Scholars who entered as 9th graders in 2010 graduated this past
spring with the class of 2014. Our second cohort of Smart Scholars, the Class of 2015, boasts
more than a 90% retention rate through the college program; we expect all of these Scholars to
graduate this spring with 60 college credits.
More Smart Scholars each year participate in the life of the BHSECs, taking leadership
positions with the BHSEC Diversity Initiative and other student activities, especially in recruiting
new students and mentoring younger ones. All of the BHSEC Smart Scholars in the Class of
2014 graduated high school and all enrolled in four year colleges following graduation, many
with generous, if not full tuition scholarships to some of the top colleges in New York State and
the country.
The 2014-15 academic year started with a three week Summer Scholars program for incoming
9th grade Smart Scholars, with 55 attending and Year 1 and 2 Smart Scholars serving as
mentors. In late August student volunteers came back to school early for a two day leadership
intensive training workshop where we collaborated in developing a more robust retention and
engagement program for the BHSEC Smart Scholars community. Working with faculty and
other campus based clubs we have nurtured clearer communication within and across both
BHSEC campuses, between the Smart Scholars students, and our full BHSEC community.

Bard High School Early College, December 2014 Smart Scholars Family Time Event

More pictures from our events can be found in our image gallery on our communication blog at
bhsecdi.blogspot.edu.