CitySquash team member Michelle stops by the office to pick up to-go meals thanks to a new partnership with World Central Kitchen made possible by the Cura Collective
Celebrating the Class of 2020
Nicole celebrates her graduation from SUNY Geneseo
Despite the cancelled graduation ceremonies, CitySquash’s College Class of 2020 had plenty to celebrate as they finished their multi-year CitySquash journeys and became CitySquash Alumni. With our five newest graduates, our Alumni cohort grows to 44. Congratulations to the Class of 2020!
Miguel Betances – Niagara University
Nicole Cedeno – SUNY Geneseo
Jose Fernandez – St. Lawrence University
Elaine Hualoto – Lehman College
William Pantle – Fordham University
We are also proud of our 12 high school graduates for successfully finishing their high school careers and moving on to college. We wish them the best of luck as they begin their next chapters in the fall!
Karla Domingues – Colby College
Mikael Garcia – Lehigh University
Kevin Guadarrama – Borough of Manhattan Community College
Joan Gutierrez – Borough of Manhattan Community College
Tita Hicks – St. Lawrence University
Alexander Lorenzo – Connecticut College
Brandon Ortega – Borough of Manhattan Community College
Frankie Pasquariello – Niagara University
Melanie Pestana – St. Lawrence University
Yoskart Rodriguez – Borough of Manhattan Community College
Eslin Silva – Bronx Community College
Kelsey Tejada – St. Lawrence University
Alex Lorenzo named a U.S. Squash High School All-American
Alex during a match with his Mercersburg team this year, where he played in the top spot all season
Alexander Lorenzo (Mercersburg Academy ’20) became CitySquash’s first team member to be recognized as a High School All-American by U.S. Squash. Alex joined CitySquash in the 6th grade and won a scholarship to attend the Eaglebrook School before entering Mercersburg as a 10th grader. At Mercersburg, Alex played in the top spot on the ladder and served as a Team Captain both his junior and senior years. We look forward to seeing Alex’s continued success on court as he suits up for the Connecticut College Camels next year!
Karla Domingues wins SEA Tyler Griffin Student of the Year Award
Karla proudly sports her new Colby t-shirt after gaining early admission there
Recent high school graduate Karla Domingues (Episcopal High School ’20) won the Squash and Education Alliance Tyler Griffin Student of the Year Award at SEA’s annual End-of-Year Ceremony. The award is given to two graduating high school seniors from SEA member programs who embody the overarching values of the SEA network: sportsmanship, effort on court and in the classroom, respect and concern for others, integrity, character and leadership. Karla is CitySquash’s first recipient of this honor and will begin at Colby in the fall. Congratulations, Karla!
Virtual Summer Camp
A group of elementary school team members show off their summer reading book during a camp session
CitySquash’s annual five-week summer camp is underway in a new format: virtually! Team members tune in daily through Zoom and engage in level-specific math and reading lessons, yoga and fitness, extra tutoring and virtual field trips and other activities on Fridays. In the first week of camp, team members mastered seven new math skills on average and read 480 hours collectively in their summer reading books. A benefit to the virtual format is that team members from the Bronx and Brooklyn can participate in camp together, strengthening the ties across CitySquash’s two sites. Another benefit to the virtual world is the ability for team members to take classes across the world! Eight CitySquashers are participating in courses from the African Leadership Academy, based in South Africa. A huge thanks to our volunteers who are dedicating hours of their own summers to helping our team members, and to the Cura Collective and World Central Kitchen, who are making possible weekly deliveries of 100 to-go meals in the Bronx and Brooklyn.
New Staff Faces and Positions
L to R: Morgan Solender, Alexandra Boillot, Colin Murfree
CitySquash is excited to welcome a new staff member, Morgan Solender, as Director of Middle School Academics in the Bronx. Morgan recently graduated from Washington University and worked for the past two summers with CitySquash as an Academic Enrichment Intern. Morgan takes over for Colin Murfree, who has become the Bronx Program Director after serving as Director of Middle School Academics and Academic Chair for the past five years. Alexandra Boillot, who has been the Bronx Program Director for the past six years, is stepping into a new position for the organization as Director of Development.
