As a team of passionate educators who care deeply for the families we serve and the racial injustice our Black communities continue to face, Catalyst will honor and observe Juneteenth, beginning today. Staff will observe a half-day to honor this holiday and, beginning next year it will be honored with a full day. We invite you to honor this holiday in ways that are linked here.
It’s a small step of many we need to take toward a more just and peaceful society.
We hope that you are safe and healthy. Please check out an incredible blog post on Catalyst Maria graduate Iyanla S., linked here. We are inspired by you Iyanla!
We hope that you are staying safe and healthy. Please check out the annual Catalyst Circle Rock annual EOY video here, and a HUGE shout out to Ms. Donohue, Ms. Jamsion-Dunnn, Ms. Reed and Ms. GRANGER for their leadership in the creation of this INCREDIBLE video!
We are inspired by William Wolfe, who was in the first graduating class at Catalyst Circle Rock (2007) and recently shared this update with our team . Congratulations William on your graduation from Syracuse University College of Law!
Although graduation was canceled due to the pandemic, I have finally completed law school! Prior to graduation, I competed in the Black Law Students Association National Mock Trial Competition in Ohio. We finished in the top 8 as a school and I received the Best Overall Advocate award (out of over 100 competitors) for the competition.
Upon graduation, I was admitted to the Order of the Barristers, awarded the Paul Shipman Andrews award for service to the law school community, and the outstanding graduate award for my service to the law school and the greater Syracuse community. On graduation day I proposed to my longtime girlfriend and she said yes!
I received a post-graduation job offer from Harris Beach, PLLC which is a mid-sized corporate firm with offices all across NY state. I will work primarily with the Bankruptcy practice group, but will also assist in litigation practices. The Bar Exam has been pushed back in NY to September 9 and 10 (instead of late July) and I have recently begun prepping for the exam.
All of these great accomplishments would not have been possible without your help and I cannot thank you enough for all you have done. You and your foundation took a chance on a young black kid from the Austin neighborhood and I hope I have made you feel as though your efforts were not in vain. I do not plan on staying in Upstate New York for long. Just long enough to get experience before moving back closer to home. I have not been back to Chicago for quite some time and my plan to go after graduation was thwarted by this pandemic.
Please join our efforts as a champion for changing lives at The Catalyst Schools. If you would like to speak with a Catalyst staff member about your donation, please call us at 773-295-7001.
