NYC Kids RISE

Thank you to the New Yorkers who joined us in making the NYC Kids RISE 2025 Convening so special — planting seeds to further embed the NYC Kids RISE #SaveforCollege Program into the fabric of the five boroughs at an inflection point for our city and our country. This first-of-its-kind universal wealth building platform has allowed us to achieve significant investment in our children’s future across each of our neighborhoods — with nearly 280,000 students with NYC Scholarship Accounts and nearly $50M accumulated for their educational futures. While many of us have been partners in co-creating the Program for almost a decade, in so many ways, we are just getting started. We look forward to continuing to work shoulder-to-shoulder with you to build on what we have created together. The platform is already serving as a model nationally, and we can’t wait to see what more is possible when we organize together toward shared goals — opportunities for every child to achieve their dreams — no matter zip code or circumstance. Thank you again to our convening sponsors — Amalgamated Bank, Gray Foundation, and New York University Office of Interdisciplinary Impact Initiatives in the Office of the Provost and thanks to all of you for being on this journey with us!

“We make sure our children know each and every day that they are special and that they deserve nothing but the best.” For Principal LATISHA COTTON of P.S 44 Marcus Garvey in Bed Stuy, giving students the best means of removing every obstacle in their path and instilling values like leadership, determination, understanding, and integrity, inspired by the school’s namesake, Marcus Garvey. Her work is just one example of the vision, care, and commitment from principals across the city. Share your appreciations for #PrincipalsMonth and all year round!

“There is a community behind you... there are people who may not know you, but are invested in your future because you will make an impact, not only in our city and our neighborhood, but in the country and the world.” At P.S 148Q The Ruby G. Allen School in East Elmhurst, Queens, alumna Carolina V. Valencia, the Director of Partnerships and Communications at Epicenter NYC, returned to speak with students during the school’s Career Day. Carolina shared her educational and career journey, showing young scholars that they can go on to do great things too, and make a positive impact in their community as part of their career, just like Carolina does. The students learned about the P.S. 148Q #NYCPublicSchoolAlumniCommunityScholarship Carolina led, which adds to the money in their NYC Scholarship Accounts for their college and career futures. Carolina and NYC Public Schools Alumni across the city are showing the next generation what’s possible and boosting their dreams for the future.

Nominations are open for the Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching, an annual prize to recognize, honor, and celebrate great teachers in New York City. The Award will honor up to 10 NYC classroom teachers, from early childhood – 12th grade, across the five boroughs with an unrestricted cash prize of $20,000. To be considered for this prize, teachers must first be nominated by someone in their school community who wishes to recognize the outstanding dedication and leadership they bring to school every day. Teachers are welcome to nominate themselves. Nominations are short and take just a few minutes to complete. Visit https://lnkd.in/g-5HYdyy to nominate a teacher between now and October 30th!

“Have really, really big dreams because your future will be very bright.” As an alumna of P.S.95k The Gravesend School in Brooklyn, Shanna Castillo, Senior Director at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), is helping students at her elementary school do just that. Shanna and fellow NYC Public Schools alumni are investing in the college and career dreams of today's aspiring leaders and showing them what’s possible for the future through #NYCPublicSchoolAlumniCommunityScholarships. The youngest of ten children, Shanna credits her mother for instilling in her the importance of education and perseverance. Today, she continues that legacy by sending a powerful message to students sitting in the same seats she once did: you can go on to do great things too!

Meet Principal Franklin Headley, a champion for students, families, and neighbors in the #LongIslandCity VOICE Charter School community. Thank you to Principal Headley and all NYC Public Schools principals for your dedication, leadership, and care for making sure every child has the foundation to achieve their dreams. Thank a principal this #NationalPrincipalsMonth and every month!

Congratulations to the honorees on this year’s #BrooklynPowerList, recognized for their commitment, impact and influence in the community, including NYC Kids RISE Founding Executive Director Debra-Ellen Glickstein. Through the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program, nearly every 1st through 4th grader in NYC Public Schools now has an NYC Scholarship Account with money invested for their college and career futures, including more than 80,000 kids in Brooklyn! “There is nothing any of us can do alone. It truly takes all of us.” Read more from Debra-Ellen and fellow Brooklyn Power List honorees in Brooklyn Paper, like NYC public schools alumna, Community Scholarship lead, and Brooklyn Org Chief Operating & Financial Officer Nicole G. Epps : https://lnkd.in/e63w8kgA

“Red Hook public housing is a resilient community. It has faced challenges — different types of economic isolation. One of the things that those families still carry despite environmental and other challenges is a deep hope in their futures. The 6,500 residents of Red Hook come together to be future builders of what their post secondary dreams could be. This is a monumental moment to show that public housing is an engine and can facilitate socioeconomic opportunity.” Michael Partis, Executive Director of Red Hook Initiative, joins Founding Executive Director Debra-Ellen Glickstein and Council Member Alexa Aviles on NY1 News with Shannan Ferry to showcase the power of sharing social and financial capital in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Red Hook Houses. The NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program was created to be a universal wealth building platform for New York City neighborhoods. It provides the infrastructure necessary so that communities can come together to support their children in dreaming big and providing resources to help make those dreams come true. The Red Hook Initiative Community Scholarship 2026 is a beautiful example of this vision in action.

“I want the kids here to know that there is a limitless possibility of what they can do and the impact they can have on their community.” See more of what NYC Public Schools alumna Amelia Adams had to share with the students during a return visit to her elementary school, P.S 92 Mary McLeod Bethune in Harlem. Amelia helped the students understand the possibilities for a career path dedicated to helping communities solve problems, just like she gets to do every day as co-founder and partner of a women-led government affairs consulting firm. As someone who once sat in the same seats, Amelia serves as an example of who these future leaders can be while also investing in their college and career dreams by leading an #nycpublicschoolalumnicommunityscholarship for the students’ NYC Scholarship Accounts. She’s paving pathways to success for the kids alongside their teachers, families, communities, and more through the #SaveforCollege Program.

“NYC Kids RISE #SaveforCollege Program is a platform that allows New York City students to dream big, no matter their neighborhood. It provides the necessary infrastructure to help communities come alongside our children as they work towards those dreams. This Red Hook Initiative #CommunityScholarship is a beautiful example of this vision in action and we welcome the support for our students’ postsecondary goals.” – District 15 Superintendent Rafael T. Alvarez Red Hook community members, including Superintendent Alvarez, Councilmember Alexa Aviles, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Red Hook Houses Resident Association leaders, Red Hook Initiative team members, parents, school leaders from PAVE and P.S 15, philanthropists, board members, Resident Association leadership, Red Hook Initiative Executive Director Michael Partis and NYC Kids RISE Founding Executive Director Debra-Ellen Glickstein, celebrated a first-of-its-kind investment in the college and career futures of every kindergarten student in Red Hook Houses who will get their NYC Scholarship Accounts in January. Spearheaded by the Red Hook Initiative, this $1,000 Community Scholarship will be on top of the initial $100 seed for every public school student’s account across the city when they start kindergarten, plus rewards their families can earn by completing the Program Building Blocks and any additional Community Scholarships children receive throughout their educational journeys — creating a “capital stack” of assets for their futures. The Red Hook Houses community has set an inspiring example for others — from local stakeholders to citywide institutions — to invest in students’ accounts and support long-term educational success.