Over the past 11 years, some 400 students in the Great Potential Program have benefited from their participation in the Summer Academy. This year we selected thirty 7th and 8th graders who were, at the time, enrolled in the Great Potential Program. Students were required to participate in a variety of activities, including but not limited to academic, social, cultural and peer leadership workshops. In the past the GP Summer Academy was a residential program. For the summers of 2003 and 2004, Great Potential operated as a day program.

Our Summer Academy begins with a mandatory parent/student orientation every year. Site directors and administrative staff from our partner school districts will select students to participate based on the following criteria:

Students who have shown improvement in the following areas during the year:

• Academics
• Attendance
• Behavior

Initially each junior high school site will be permitted to refer 6 students currently enrolled in Great Potential for this year's Summer Academy. Please establish a waiting list of no more than 3 additional students in the event of vacancies from other sites. The ratio of boys/girls should be equal or close to equal.

July 7 - July 30, 2004
The Great Potential Program for the last 11 years has provided a summer program for middle school students throughout Westchester County. This year was no exception with students coming from the following school districts: New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Greenburgh, White Plains, Ossining, Peekskill and Elmsford. The program ran from July 7 through July 30, 2004 and provided 29 students with enrichment classes in math, reading, writing, computers, leadership development, theatre and art.

The focus of the Great Potential Summer Academy is to motivate and educate students in our Partnership school districts to encourage students to develop positive, healthy learning habits as they develop into young adulthood. The Great Potential students enjoyed an exciting trip to 6 Flags New England in Massachusetts and recreational activities during the day that included swimming, basketball, bowling and team building activities.

The Great Potential Summer Academy funded by the Westchester County Youth Bureau Invest In Kids Program, the Liberty Partnerships Program, and monies received from the New York State Majority Delegation in Westchester County helped to support the successful academic enrichment program at Purchase College, SUNY.

Great Potential had a successful Leadership Retreat Weekend (June 27-29, 2003) with 100% participation of students who applied.

Activities included: group dynamics, leadership development from a college perspective, individual characteristics of building character, presentation skills, and Summer Academy Orientation performance. We also had a career panel of young professionals and recreation (swimming, basketball, off-campus activity).

The program served 20 students ranging from 12-17 years old. Students represented the following communities: White Plains, Port Chester, New Rochelle and Mount Vernon. The Leadership Retreat Weekend was funded in part by a member item from Suzi Oppenheimer’s office for $5,000.

THE GREAT POTENTIAL PROGRAM HOSTED A SUCCESSFUL SUMMER ACADEMY, JULY 8 - AUGUST 2, 2002

Students from Isaac E. Young Middle School, Albert Leonard Middle School (New Rochelle); Port Chester Middle School; A.B. Davis Middle School (Mount Vernon); White Plains Middle School, and Anne M. Dorner Middle School (Ossining) were selected to participate. Students attended classes in Math, English, Economics, Computers, Theatre, Art and enjoyed recreational activities such as swimming, basketball and bowling. Cultural enrichment activities included: students attending the Elmsford Dinner Theatre to see the musical performance of “CATS”, the museum of Natural History, and New England Six Flags in Massachusetts. The program ended with a closing ceremony and graduation on August 2, 2002 where students gave family and friends class-work presentations in Computers (PowerPoint presentation), Art, English and Theatre.

Alumni Retreat Weekend – July 5-7, 2002

18 Great Potential Summer Academy Alumni participated in the Alumni Retreat Weekend at Purchase College. Students ranged from ages 13-17 from past summer programs. Students who participated received a $50 stipend for preparing a presentation for new parents and new summer program students. The GP Alumni students attended workshops on preparing for high school and worked together with the program’s theatre coach by putting together a presentation for new students and parents.