Thursday, October 1, 2009 - Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund would like to thank the many individuals who helped make our closure event a warm and memorable affair. Thanks to your support we were able to celebrate the legacy of Hoop Dreams, while looking toward the future. Stay tuned for additional pictures from the evening.

The Council of The District of Columbia on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 formally recognized the 13 years of hard work, and thousands of relationships that have been formed as a result of Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund and its Founder and President Susie Kay. Speaking on behalf of the City Council, Chairman Vincent Gray talked about how the vision of a former Washington, D.C. public high school teacher helped 1,000 students pursue their dreams of attending college. "What Susie Kay has done for our city is absolutely unmatched. I am delighted, on behalf of the DC Council, to honor you," said Gray during the ceremony, which was held inside the Council's chambers. Kay said that she is most proud of the fact that the organization has connected 1,000 students from Washington, D.C. public schools with thousands of members of the regional business community. Those partnerships have helped students earn professional internships, academic scholarships, and benefit from mentoring relationships and lifelong bonds, Kay said. "During the past 13 years I have had the extreme pleasure of working with some of the most talented and driven young people on the planet. They defy odds and do not become sidetracked by obstacles placed in their paths," Kay said. Chairman Gray declared Tuesday, July 14, 2009 Susie Kay and Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund Day!

The chance to sit and work with professionals from a global financial firm was too good to pass up for a group of Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund (HDSF) students. On Friday, as light rain fell and clouds hovered overhead, about 50 students packed the eighth-floor conference room inside Deloitte's downtown Washington, D.C. office. The students were part of Deloitte's global community IMPACT Day. On June 5, 2009 about 50,000 Deloitte employees from 60 countries donated their time and knowledge to non-profit organizations. HDSF was fortunate to have about a dozen Deloitte employees lead a job training workshop for our recent high school graduates, college students and working adults. Deloitte employees, including HDSF board member and Deloitte partner Stanley Porter, held mock interviews and provided our students with useful interviewing tips that will help them as they pursue internships and jobs. Our students were also assisted with drafting and cleaning up their resumes and cover letters and educated on the proper ways to network. They were also provided with electronic copies of their resumes and cover letters. Ariel Grant, a sophomore marketing major at the University of Oklahoma, said she received great advice, like ways to sell herself to a potential employer and the importance of asking specific questions. "The workshop gave me pointers on connecting with an employer that I had not thought about," said Ariel, who graduated from HDSF's Empowerment Program in 2008. Back at the HDSF office a team of about a half-dozen Deloitte employees volunteered with everything from data entry to filing. Deloitte provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients. With 165,000 professionals and firms in 140 countries, Deloitte is committed to a high standard of excellence.

On Saturday, May 30, 2009, HDSF helped send its 2008-2009 class of seniors off to college during our final monthly mentor workshop of the school year. Several of our alumni students came back to speak to our outgoing high school seniors. And we ended the day with fun casino games for our students and mentors. There were no cash prizes but the mentor pairs were able to bond over games of blackjack and poker. We've watched as our class of Empowerment Program students have grown into mature young adults. As they move forward and enter college this fall we wish them the best you may need. Congratulations and we look forward to seeing you real soon.

Most high school graduates struggle to remember the exact message delivered by their commencement speaker once the fog of time sets in. But years from today graduates from the 2009 class of Washington Mathematics Science Technology (WMST) Public Charter High School will surely remember First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama entering Howard University's Cramton Auditorium to thunderous applause. Mrs. Obama, who was invited back in November by WMST student Jasmine Williams to deliver the commencement address, told the graduates that she knew she wanted to speak to high school students from her new hometown of D.C. And after receiving Jasmine's letter the decision of where to speak became clear. "With hard work, confidence and faith you can achieve anything," Mrs. Obama told the graduates. "Own your voice. Don't be intimidated by your surroundings. Don't be afraid to be wrong because this is the only way you'll learn," Mrs. Obama said. Susie Kay, President and Founder of Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund, said she was honored to stand on stage next to the First Lady and present HDSF college scholarships to 12 of WMST's graduates. "Mrs. Obama is such an inspiration to us all. Her dedication and passion for education is palpable and I know our young people look up to her," Kay said. WMST is one of six D.C. high schools HDSF works with. During the 2008-2009 school year HDSF enrolled 83 high school seniors from its six partner schools into the HDSF Empowerment Program. Since 2005 HDSF has enjoyed a great partnership with WMST. We would like to congratulate Head of School Mark T. Holbrook and the entire WMST family for allowing HDSF to participate in this year's graduation.