Fordham Bedford Community Services provides education programs that serve elementary and high school students in our community.

 

For elementary school students we offer three afterschool tutoring programs that include monthly library projects to foster reading and exposure to their local libraries. 

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College Readiness for High Schoolers

The first program in the College Readiness series is the Sophomore Skills Course running from late winter through the spring.  This small group course is designed to support students as they prepare for the S.A.T. exam they will take in their Junior year. The class meets weekly and offers students an opportunity to take a pre and post test to monitor their progress. An application is required.  Due to the current pandemic, this course is being offered remotely.  

 

The second program in the College Readiness series is the S.A.T. Preparation Course operates from late fall through spring and is exclusively for students in Junior year.  Students who have successfully completed the Sophomore Skills Course are automatically eligible to enroll, new students must submit a completed application in the fall to be considered for the program. All new students will be invited to an interview before final decisions are made. The students participate in weekly sessions and prepare for the exam through 3 full length practice exams. Similar to the Sophomore Skills class, students work in small groups with tutors.  Whenever possible, college tours are scheduled for students to attend with program staff. Due to the current pandemic, most visits will be coordinated virtually. This course is currently offered remotely. 

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The final element of the College Readiness series is the College Preparation Program for students in the Senior year.  This program works to support students in the college application process. Students who have completed the S.A.T. Preparation Course are automatically eligible to enroll, new students must submit a completed application in the fall to be considered for the program. All new students will be invited to an interview before final decisions are made.  This program assists with the college application process with a focus on:  Financial Aid, application forms, essay writing, requesting recommendation letters, compiling  supplemental documents, Opportunity Programs and other specialized programs. A FAFSA filing event is scheduled in the Fall to assist families in filing for FAFSA and TAP*.  Parents that need additional support in filing the CSS Profile can speak to program staff for additional assistance. 

*Pending availability, some families from the community that are not enrolled in the College Preparedness Program may be eligible to participate in the one time FAFSA  and TAP workshop. 

 

The College Readiness Series is currently available remotely.

Interested students can contact:

Audrey Hand, Youth Education Coordinator, at ahand@fordham-bedford.org or

Roxanna Chowdhry-Velasquez, Director of Programs, at rchowdhry@fordham-bedford.org

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After School and Tutoring and Recreation

We support elementary school students through after school tutoring and recreational activities.  Due to the current pandemic we are working with students remotely. We recognize that learning may look different now and we would like to support younger students in their learning. Families interested in receiving remote tutoring and recreational activities can contact our program staff at one of our three locations:

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New Walton Program: Warren Veras, wveras@fordham-bedford.org

West Farms Program: Jenizabeth Gomez jgomez@fordham-bedford.org

Refuge House Program: Audrey Hand  Ahand@fordham-bedford.org

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Summer Programs

In the summer, FBCS provides a variety of recreation programs designed to engage youth during the summer.  Children participate in summer programming, while youth are given an opportunity to work in various programs.

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Playground Projects and East 196 Street Playstreet

FBCS operates safe and free recreational educational summer playground projects for children in the Fordham Bedford community.   We provide sports, group games, arts & crafts, sprinklers, reading activities, and board games for the children.  Fordham Bedford Community Services operates Playground projects located in four buildings managed by the Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation (FBHC).  Children who register for this program can participate in all of the services free of charge.  The playgrounds are typically in operation Monday through Thursday from 10-5 pm with a closure at noon for lunch.The playgrounds are located in the following FBHC buildings:

• New Walton Playground, 2270 Walton Avenue, Bronx, New York 10458

• Liza’s Playground 260 East 194th Street, Bronx, New York 10458

• Frances Sullivan Playground, 2656 Decatur Avenue, Bronx, New York 10458

• West Farms Playground, 2 West Farms Square Plaza, Bronx, New York 10460

 

East 196 Street Playstreet 

For more than two decades, the Police Athletic League has collaborated with Fordham Bedford Community Services to open the 196th Street Playstreet.  Playstreets have been  a NYC institution since 1914 and are a unique way of providing summer fun to the children in our community. Basketball, soccer, nok hockey, board games, arts and crafts and sprinklers have brought fun and entertainment to this block for years and many more to come.  

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Summer Youth Employment Program

FBCS accepts teens and young adults to work in the summer months through the Summer Youth Employment Program.  FBCS typically works with Mosholu Montefiore Community Center to place youth in our programs. Teens interested in applying for work experience during the summer months can apply directly through DYCD.

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/jobs-internships/summer-youth-employment-program-syep.page

 

Summer Day Camp

FBCS offers youth another summer  opportunity through our Summer Day Camp Program.  This program is designed to provide continuous recreational and educational activities for children while supporting the needs of working parents. .  This program operates for 7 weeks in the summer and is in operation Monday through Friday from 8:30-4:30 with extended hours available in the morning and afternoon and enrollment is for children ages 7-12.  Children typically go on field trips three times a week and the other days are on site participating in court sports and other activities such as board games and art classes. This is a relatively small camp with less than 50 campers each summer.  This program is held at Our Lady of Refuge School. There is a fee for this program.  For more information, please contact Roxanna Chowdhry-Velasquez at rchowdhry@fordham-bedford.org

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