Pro Bono Work

Gramercy Communications is dedicated to giving back to the community, and that giving comes in various forms, including dedicating our public relations and marketing expertise. We have an interest in organizations that assist disadvantaged youth.

I recently became a volunteer member of the Communications Committee of Capital Region Sponsor-a-Scholar (CRSAS), a terrific organization dedicated to assisting bright, yet disadvantaged teens in Albany, Troy, and Schenectady. Below is a feature article that appeared in the Times Union that we pitched for CRSAS:

MENTOR FINDS A NEW DAUGHTER IN HER STUDENT
by Jennifer Patterson, Staff Writer, Times Union, 2/13/07

ALBANY -- When Janice McNeal met her Capital Region Sponsor-A-Scholar mentor more than a decade ago, she had no idea what an impact Pat Myers would have in her life.

The pair were matched up when McNeal was an Albany High School ninth-grader. Countless conversations, homework sessions, movies, basketball games and family trips have transpired over the years, and the bond between the two remains strong.

"Pat welcomed me into her home and family, treating me as one of her daughters," said McNeal, now 25. "When I felt like a course was too difficult to continue, she was there, encouraging me to finish. She has been there for every major event in my life, and I am grateful for her consistent patience and guidance."

McNeal is the second oldest of seven siblings and was raised by a single mother. Working two or more jobs was not uncommon for McNeal's mom, whose strength and work ethic rubbed off on her daughter.

These days Janice McNeal keeps busy, holding a full-time at the New York State Coordinating Council, working toward a psychology degree from Empire State College and volunteering for the the Community Accountability Board (a community-based alternative-sentencing program for nonviolent, first-time offenders). When her schedule isn't so full, she hopes to become a mentor for the same program that touched her life.

"To be able to give back is a major goal for me," McNeal said. "But when I become a mentor, I want to be able to dedicate all of my attention to the student I'm paired with."

Capital Region Sponsor-A-Scholar was founded by Myers and other local civic leaders and social entrepreneurs in 1996. It serves more than 240 academically talented disadvantaged students in Albany, Schenectady and Troy.

The program employs academic coordinators -- guidance counselors from local school districts -- on a part-time basis to find students with a B/C grade average who demonstrate a commitment to education and leadership potential.

"A majority of the students that participate are enrolled in at-risk schools," said Executive Director William K. Corbett. "Our hope is that with the agency's help, students continue their education and return to their local community as future leaders."

Academic coordinators use report-card averages and teacher recommendations to make their selections and can enroll 10 students per year from each school district. High school students are inducted in the program during their sophomore year and continue to receive guidance until they graduate from college.

Each year, Sponsor-A-Scholar enlists the support of 30 individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors to cover the $7,500 fee of enrolling a student in the program. The money provides students with access to a mentor, one-on-one academic tutoring and other social interaction.

"Many people give up on mentoring because it's difficult at times, and the students don't fit into the little box that we want them to," said Myers, who is reading a women's studies book McNeal is studying so they can have discussions outside the classroom. "It's been an incredible and rewarding experience for both of us. She has become like another daughter to me."