Prep For Prep Lilac Ball celebrates leadership

Prep For Prep held its Lilac Ball Celebration commemorating the class of 2023 and Kareem Cook as an honoree. Cook who is of Caribbean descent is an alumni of Prep for Prep and a member of their board of trustees. He is also the co-owner and Chief Marketing Officer of Naturade. A company that is dedicated to combat obesity, diabetes, and heart disease by providing their consumer with high quality of health products. As well as addressing the diet-related illnesses epidemic in the underserved communities.

Lilac Ball is a fundraiser, gala and a yearly event that celebrate the graduating class of Prep for Prep 2023.  It is a gathering that praise the graduate’s leadership and accomplishment. Prep For Prep is a leadership program that prepares sixth- and seventh graders to enter New York City independent day schools in seventh or eighth grade. This intensive program enrolls minority students from public elementary schools and strengthen them for academic success.

Ruth Jurgensen, chief executive officer of Prep For Prep, left, with Jackson Collins, executive director of Prep For Prep.Photo courtesy Prep For Prep

Since its inception in 1978, Prep for Prep has embarked astronomical success in assisting intelligent students in recognizing their talent. The admission process is highly competitive and rigorous. The students who are interested in participating must undergo a process. Firstly, they are required to take the fourth grade English Language Art and math exams, and students has to score 3 or 4 in both exams. Secondly, they have to take the prep for prep math and English exams in other to enroll in the Prep for prep leadership program.

For Prep for Prep, students must meet after school every Wednesday afternoon and Saturdays for 14 months while still enrolled in public school. During these meetings students enroll in several courses consisting of reading, writing and math. The students learn research, homework and improve on their test-taking skills. Prep prides itself in developing their students’ self-confidence and discipline. As a result, their students have gone on to become game changers in media, finance, education and technology. Over the past four decades, Prep for Prep has developed more than 5,000 leaders and inspired change in many sectors of the society. Their students usually enter private schools top of their class and attend top universities, such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia.

Haitian American student Krislyn Michel was one of the graduates of Prep for Prep.Photo courtesy Prep for Prep

Among, those students who graduated was Krislyn Michel, who has developed an interest in diversity, equity, inclusion, and public policy. She is also the founder of the affinity group Black Girl Magic. Michel is also of Caribbean descent and will be studying public policy at Cornell University’s Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy in the fall of this year. In her interview she said, “I hope to learn about how I can use policy work to solve societal issues like environmental racism, identity discrimination, and inequality.”

Michel started Prep for Prep in 2016 and was only 10 years old at the time. During an interview with Caribbean Life newspaper, she noted the impact the school had on her. “Prep instilled in me values like integrity, courage, commitment, and striving towards excellence while maintaining an allegiance to my community. These values also happen to be the prerequisites of a policymaker. Prep for Prep gave me the opportunity to rise above wealth and racial inequity in the public school system. It completely altered the course of my life,” she said.

“Prep taught me to not forget where I came from and to look at the path I’ve already overcome as a means of motivation. Just as Prep allowed me to rise past inequality through countless lessons, I would like to pay it forward with a career as a change maker.”