Gary F.
When he first came to CV in late 2004, Gary F. was a sophomore with no direction and no aspirations.  Today he is a rising theatrical performer with numerous credits and is looking forward to starting the prestigious CAP21 musical theatre program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts this summer.

“Back then, I didn’t have any goals at all,” he says.  “I wasn’t that interested in music either.”  Broadway?  He couldn’t have cared less.  It was then that a lucky encounter put a spark in his life, and the spotlight has seldom dimmed since.

Gary was singing to himself in the high school halls one day when his voice caught the attention of Glenn Cotler, an art teacher at Greenburgh Eleven.  Mr. Cotler directed Gary to Robert Einfrank, the school’s music teacher, who immediately cast Gary in the lead role of Sky Masterson in the school production of Guys and Dolls.  Learning to sing “Luck Be A Lady” and other standards from that legendary musical brought a new focus to Gary and unearthed previously hidden talents.

Gary has rung up a string of credits since his star turn as Sky, appearing in ten shows both on campus and with community theater groups.  He has played roles in The Secret Garden, Lucky Stiff, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Who’s Tommy, among others. 

Gary’s stage experience and charisma were apparent to everyone in attendance at the Children’s Village annual gala, for which he was the emcee.  He credits Superintendent Sandra Mallah with helping to nurture his budding career as a song and dance man while keeping him on track with school, and cites CV President Jeremy Kohomban for his support and guidance. 

Joan S.
Not all success stories start out positive.  This was true for Joan S. who entered CV’s Foster Boarding Home Program in 2001.  Joan was living with a foster family, but it was soon apparent that it was not the best environment for her.  Though the CV staff was persistent in trying to find Joan a new home, it took nearly a year and half before Joan was re-placed.  She had to overcome many obstacles during that time, but Joan persevered, staying in contact with her CV social worker who helped her to stay positive.

“Ms. Kerness was always reachable and she would go that extra mile for you,” states Joan.  “She wasn’t helping me because she had to. She was there for me because she wanted to be.” 

A year after being successfully placed with her new CV foster mother, Joan realized that if she was going to attend college after high school, she needed to make a plan.  Once again, CV was there for her with the WAY Scholarship Program, which provides education and career counseling as well as an earnings incentive program that matches a portion of what participants earn on the job, encouraging them to save.  “This program is tremendous.  I didn’t realize how much it costs to go to college.  Ms. Carter [her WAY counselor] has taught me to budget and prioritize my spending and the earnings matching has helped me to purchase the school supplies I need.”

Joan plans to become a teacher.  She has just finished her first year at Manhattanville College, where she studies Early Childhood Education and Psychology.  She has a 3.79 GPA and is considering enrolling in a fast track Masters Program at the end of her sophomore year where she would earn a Masters degree in just 5 years. 

Anthony A.
Six years ago Anthony A. was kicked out of junior high and on a track for failure. Today, he has completed his freshman year at John Jay with a GPA of 2.8 and hoping to join the FBI when he graduates.  What changed? If you asked Anthony, it was Mr. Alexander, a staff member at his CV group home.

“Mr. Alexander was always on me, talking to me about what I should be doing. I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for him. He really helped me,” says Anthony in his quiet, polite way. 

Anthony is living in a Supervised Independent Living apartment and is part of CV’s Education Plus program, a collaboration between The Village and John Jay University. The program starts in the summer before freshman year with classes designed to prepare them for college-level work. Then, during the school year, they are matched with counselors who give them the extra guidance and tutoring they need to succeed in their classes. 

Anthony is not only successful in his own right, but has also become a role model for other students who are struggling. “This year I got a chance to talk to kids at a Brooklyn high school.  These kids were just how I was at that age, with the bad grades, not even thinking about college.  I tried to tell them how it really is, how college was an option.  I think I got through to a few of them, I really hope I did.”

Harrison J.
Even though Harrison J. and his foster mother, Beatrice Miller, are not related by blood, when you see them together you know they are a family.  The strong bond between them was formed during the past 17 years they spent together, through good times and bad, being a part of each other’s world.

Beatrice knew about Harrison before she had even met him.  Harrison was a resident at Brooks Cottage, the Residential Treatment Facility on the CV campus, from the age of 7.  In 1989, Beatrice was volunteering at The Village through the National Association of Black Social Workers when she was introduced then 8-year-old Harrison.  After advocating on his behalf for new medications, she soon met with the little boy in person and became his mentor.  This was the beginning of a relationship that lasts to this day.

In 1994, when Harrison was 13, he joined Beatrice and her husband as their foster child.  Like all good parents, the Millers loved and cared for him while giving him the discipline and guidance that Harrison needed.  When asked why they didn’t formally adopt Harrison, Beatrice states, “He wanted to leave the option open for his mom to come back into his life. I respect him for that.”

The three were very happy for a long time, but when Harrison turned 16, like most adolescents he began to rebel. Again, CV was there to help, placing Harrison temporarily in a group home to give him the added support and structure needed.  Regardless of his rebellion, the Millers stayed connected to Harrison.  Beatrice states, “We were committed to him.  Like our marriage, we were committed.  We did not want to be another adult who left because they got discouraged or dismayed.”

When he turned 18, Harrison joined the Navy and then went on to college.  Today, at the age of 26, he works helping young people in Job Corps and is married with two daughters.  Through all the changes, Beatrice was there for him.  Sadly, in March 2004, the roles were reversed, as Harrison was there to support her when her husband became ill and passed away.  Beatrice says, with pride glowing in her eyes, “He was right there with me, taking care of both of us.  Harrison has given me so much.  The road has been bumpy and rough, but it’s a blessing.”

Thomas M.
At well over 6 feet tall, Thomas M. towers above most people.  But inside this man’s body beats a gentle heart, the heart of an animal lover and a poet.  Thomas has been at The Children's Village since 2001.  He developed his love for animals while working at the Canine Training Center through the Work Appreciation for Youth program.  It was there that he says he discovered what he wanted to do for his career.  “Lu (Picard, founder of East Coast Assistance Dogs which operates the Canine Training Center) showed me how to handle dogs, how to take care of them, and how to work with them.  She also showed me how big their hearts can be.”  Thomas used his WAY experience to find a job and is now working as a kennel assistant for a veterinary clinic in Mamaroneck.  Now, with the help of his WAY Scholarship counselor, he is making plans and beginning to save money so he can attend college to become a veterinary technician.

In addition to working with the animals he loves, Thomas has also been able show another one of his softer sides through his poetry.  Poetry gives him a chance to express himself and he is always writing.  Thomas takes part in many of the campus poetry events and, this past spring, some of his poetry was published in Represent magazine.