Our Scholars
Aisosa is an avid writer who is working on a mini-series, Confessions of a Nigerian-American Teen. She has written on feminism as well as being a child of immigrants and wants to add to her series her experiences in Andover as a black student in a predominantly white community. Aisosa wants to solve issues on a global scale saying, “I’ve been in a place where nobody would help me and my voice wasn’t heard. I want to be that voice for others who don’t have a voice.”
Alice is a tennis player from Houston, Texas, who also likes to bake and listen to music in her free time. In school her favorite classes include foundations theatre and math, the latter of which will serve her well as she pursues a career in health, either an an anesthesiologist or psychologist. Inside the ABC house she enjoys the sense of community and the fact that there’s always something to do. “We always have fun!”
Janay absorbs facts, especially from the Guinness World Records books, and likes a range of music, from K-Pop to the “older music” her Mom listens to while she’s driving. Janay lifts weights and in her first months in Andover has gotten involved in the Diversity Club, Fashion Design Club, Girls for Girls and the Black Student Union. Janay has dreamed of studying law since she was 10 and is also interested in creative arts. “I definitely have what I wanted— friends, classes that are interesting to me, and a challenge.”
Lewis paints sets with the Drama Guild’s tech crew and plans to concentrate on management and marketing as a member of the business leadership club DECA. Though she’s likely to major in business in college, she hopes for a career that involves writing and travel. Lewis likes the proximity of everything in Andover, which is surprisingly similar to her home in Washington, D.C., and was also surprised by how fast she got to know everyone in the ABC House. “I thought it would take a few months, and it took a few hours until I felt like this was home.”
Tanijah’s favorite classes include Mandarin, Physical Science and Foundation Studio – a varied list that reflects her varied dreams for the future. After graduation from Andover High School, Tanijah plans to study to become a physicist or a chemist, and she’d also like to try entrepreneurship, perhaps by opening a flower shop with friends. In her free time, Tanijah likes to read and sketch, and she’s joined several clubs at AHS, including Fashion Design Club, Black Student Union, and a pre-season basketball clinic. While she’s found Andover to be a big change from home in Brooklyn, NY, Tanijah says she’s settled in quickly. “I have a lot of people who support me in ABC and in Andover.”
Mané is from Harlem, NY and spends her summers in Senegal with family. She was attracted to ABC of Andover after talking with people close to the program, and she has quickly gotten to know the other scholars, through activities on the weekends and hanging out together in the house. Since coming to Andover High School, Mané has joined the Diversity Club, Black Student Union, and Amigos Unidos, and she plans to play basketball in an after-school club. While Mané isn’t sure what she wants to do after college, she likes math and finds Physical Science and History are her favorite classes so far. “It’s really about the teachers. They make you excited to learn. They make it fun and creative.”
Alexia is originally from Florida and is excited to experience snow. Since arriving in September, Alexia has joined the Philosophy Club and the Financial Literacy Club. She is also a member of the indoor track team and competes in hurdles while making many new friends. In the upcoming spring season, she is considering softball but finding it difficult to choose between softball and spring track because of her great indoor track experience. Alexia loves how everything in Andover is within walking distance and enjoys meeting her friends at local places. She has had some fun times with her host family, including attending her host sister's equestrian competitions and watching the Boston Ballet's Nutcracker performance just before the holidays.
Our Program
A Better Chance of Andover is one of the Community School Programs within the national A Better Chance non-profit organization. The program provides academically talented young women of color an opportunity to grow, thrive, and become leaders. Accepted Scholars attend nationally accredited Andover High School and have access to its expansive college preparatory and leadership programs. The Scholars live in a dormitory setting on Main Street and are supported by academic advisors, college counselors, a host family, and a community of volunteers. To date, over 150 alumni have gone on to selective 4-year colleges.
The program includes study-hour supervision, academic tutoring, college preparation, and a wide range of enrichment activities and trips during the school year as well as summer academic and travel opportunities. Scholars are encouraged to fully immerse in the Andover High School experience by participating and leading in sports, community service, or one of the many clubs or after-school activities available to them. Graduates continue on to selective 4-year colleges and become leaders in their communities, workplaces, faith groups, and throughout their lives.
ABC of Andover is affiliated with the A Better Chance national organization for recruitment and preparation of candidates but raises all funding on its own. We rely on the generosity of individual donors (72% of our funds) and institutions throughout the Merrimack Valley— dollars go exclusively to programming and operating costs, with no administrative overhead.
The Andover community gains a tremendous benefit by having these young women in our lives and we are extremely fortunate to have the Andover community's generous support of our goal, to change young lives and ensure that these talented young scholars build leadership skills along their educational journey.
Impact
A Better Chance Inc. is a national non-profit whose mission is to increase substantially the number of well-educated young people of color who are capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American society. Over the past 50+ years nearly 150
scholars have graduated Andover High School through the A Better Chance of Andover program. 97% of those graduates have received a college diploma.
Our Staff
Resident Director Sandra lives in the RD apartment with her daughter who is attending college remotely and her son, who attends Andover High. Sandra is an Assistant Chief Probation Officer for the Middlesex Juvenile Court where she draws upon 26 years of experience working in juvenile justice as well as her B.A. from Tufts University in child psychology. She is a native of the Merrimack Valley having grown up in Lawrence. She moved to Andover with her children for the school system.
Sandra focuses on collaboration, cooperation and acceptance with an understanding that everyone can fail, saying that she likes to “help people stretch into opportunity.” As our Resident Director, she wants to offer the Scholars someone they can lean on as she works to create a home away from home.
Sandra is very appreciative of her parents’ focus on education. They are both immigrants from the Dominican Republic. Her father was the first pastor of the first Spanish-speaking church in the city of Lawrence. She was always singing growing up— so don’t be surprised if she bursts out in song.
Natalia, our Resident Advisor, comes to ABC with a graduate degree from Lesley College in mental health counseling with a specialization in dance movement therapy. As a 2013 AHS graduate, she shares a common journey with the Scholars as a student of color in Andover High. Natalia also happens to be Sandra’s niece and has always felt very close to her family— her cousins have felt like siblings. Coming to ABC just felt right. She hopes that Andover can be a community where everyone feels comfortable and for the Scholars to feel as comfortable here as anyone else. She is excited to be here and we are thrilled that she is sharing her talent and time with ABC of Andover.
Board of Directors
Bonnie Zahorik, President
Monalisa Shroff, Treasurer
Susan Connolly, Vice President
Andrew Gribbel, Treasurer-Elect
Monalisa Shroff, Treasurer Allison Reilly, Vice President
Sandis Wright, Vice President
Carla Byers
Julie Ireland Childs
Emily Collins
Geno Concepción
Katarina Curtin
Dianne Domenech-Burgos
Kathleen Eldridge
Sheila Graham
Andrew Gribbel
Rodney Johnson
Lauren Jones
Nancy Kendrick
Nikelle King
Gabrielle Hager Nossiff
Leanne Parziale
Claire Stahley
Dr. Gloria Rosario Wallace
Delia Vallejo Welch
Beth Winkowski