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We've enrolled over 2,500 children of color!
Two decades of proud partnership with New York City Independent Schools |
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They thought they were just dreams,
but now they are living them. |
Greetings from the Executive Director  In 1986, ISAAGNY (Independent School Admission Association of Greater New York) created EARLY STEPS to foster schools’ commitment to create communities that were more reflective of New York City’s racial composition. Eighteen schools answered the call and a year later 18 EARLY STEPS scholars entered schools. This year, 145 children of color were enrolled in 45 New York City independent schools, creating a more diverse community. Since we began, EARLY STEPS has enrolled more than 2,581 children of color in independent schools. For the past two decades I have had the joy and responsibility of guiding the parents of children of color through the process of applying to independent schools for kindergarten and first grade. Personally, I am a child of segregation, a beneficiary of the efforts of those pioneers who demanded that the doors to education and society be open to all. Today my life’s work is dedicated to opening the doors to an inclusive world for young children of color, the very same doors that were closed to me. We all know that early opportunities open many doors. Doors where academic excellence is the norm; where children learn and play with others whose life's experiences are not the same as theirs; where exploration is encouraged and travel around the world is expected. EARLY STEPS, in partnership with its member schools, works to create a world where the children of doctors and doormen and teachers and the children with one parent and the children with two, all come together in the sandbox and learn to measure people by the content of their character and the interests they share not by the color of their skin or the money in their pockets. Welcome to EARLY STEPS…a place where doors open one at a time to a world of opportunity! Jacqueline Y. Pelzer Executive Director
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Roy Wilkins Outstanding Service Award, September 17, 2011 - Jacqueline Y. Pelzer was honored by the Manhattan Branch of the NAACP at their 10th Annual Freedom Fund Benefit Luncheon (VIDEO). She was given the Roy Wilkins Outstanding Service award "in honor and recognition of her commitment to the education of our children and realizing the value of learning and giving direction to their dreams”. Absalom Jones Award, February 25, 2011 - Jacqueline Y. Pelzer was honored by the Cathedral School of St. John the Divine at their benefit evening for the Absalom Jones Initiative supporting financial aid at the Cathedral School. She was given the Absalom Jones award for her outstanding commitment to equity in education and social justice. Jacqueline Y. Pelzer has been Executive Director of EARLY STEPS since 1988. She is actively sought as a speaker at national conferences and seminars and writes from her experience on diversity issues. She has held positions on the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Board, both as Secretary and Chair of the Equity and Justice Committee. This committee’s role is to ensure that diversity issues and initiatives are addressed by the organization and to contribute topics and ideas for continued Board growth and development in this area. |
