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Jerry Craft is our 2022 Child of America honoree

Jerry Craft several days ago at the banned book section of a NJ library.

At our annual gala on Friday, May 20th, at Shorehaven Golf Club in Norwalk, we will be honoring Jerry Craft.

Jerry taught graphic arts and writing to Carver kids for more than 10 years. Jerry is an American cartoonist and children's book illustrator best known for his syndicated newspaper comic strip Mama's Boyz and his graphic novel New Kid. Jerry is one of only a handful of syndicated African American cartoonists in the US.

Jerry is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid and Class Act. New Kid is the only book in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020); the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020). Jerry was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City.

Despite attempts by lawmakers and some parents to remove his books from Texas schools, Jerry’s books have actually gotten more attention thanks to the controversies.

Moreover, the director Prentice Penny, LeBron James’ SpringHill, and Universal are teaming up to bring Jerry’s New Kid to the big screen!

Carver "Earn & Learn" student interns are fitted for their scrubs at Norwalk Hospital

We shared here recently (and here) about Carver’s new Earn & learn paid internship program for Norwalk high school students.

Twenty-four of these students are interns at Norwalk Hospital. They were formed into four groups of six students, each cohort rotating equally through the hospital’s various departments, including HR, food services. and the hospital’s own power station.

One of these cohorts, as the photos here highlight, was welcomed by the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer and the Nursing Leadership. The students were fitted for their own individual scrubs to be ordered for their days ahead in the internship program.

Medicine can be an extremely rewarding profession. It can also be a challenging career path. Our students shadow the most talented medical professionals in the world to learn what they will be getting into.

Carver after-school students learn essential leadership and teamwork skills. They learn the importance of avoiding snap judgments, contending with uncertainty, communicating effectively and humanely, and working as an effective team to deliver quality care to patients. And they learn about and abide by all the privacy rules that govern hospitals and healthcare.

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are receiving the support they deserve

As our juniors and seniors consider their college and career options, we are planning our 50th annual Spring College Tour, we are raising support for our College Scholarship Program, and many of the colleges, especially HBCUs, that Carver students value are innovating and transforming their institutions.

In recent months and years, donors and the government have elevated the profile of HBCUs with the support they deserve. Most recently, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, United Negro College Fund, and Partnership for Education Advancement have announced the launch of a collaborative effort to drive tangible, long-term progress across historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and boost the Black economy.

With an initial $60 million commitment from the funding collaborative Blue Meridian Partners, the HBCU Transformation Project aims to increase HBCU health and sustainability, improve student outcomes in retention and graduation rates, expand enrollment, and bolster capacity building with faculty and staff. To that end, the coalition will provide flexible support and focus resources on the highest priorities at each institution, including support for institutional and intermediary capacity building, efforts to increase public funding for HBCUs, private capital campaigns for endowments and sustainable reserves, community, and regional economic development partnerships, and a reorientation of the narratives surrounding HBCUs toward their outsized impact on social and economic mobility outcomes.

Norwalk Hospital rolls out the red carpet for Carver high school students as they begin their paid internships

Peter Cordeau, president of Norwalk Hospital, consults with individual Carver students

Yesterday, Peter Cordeau, president of Norwalk Hospital, greeted Carver’s 24 student interns as they arrived to begin their individual career journeys in healthcare.

Mr. Cordeau, joined in the hospital’s theater by hospital department chiefs, oriented our juniors and seniors to the “city within a city” that is Norwalk Hospital, replete with its own power plant.

The two-hour introductory session, including a sumptuous meal, was no less choreographed and welcoming than if we were a visiting congressional delegation.

In the weeks ahead, our students, now formed into small groups to more easily rotate throughout the hospital, will explore healthcare careers. Our students will gain insight into the requirements of the many positions and make crucial connections with healthcare professionals.

This extraordinarily generous opportunity provided by Norwalk Hospital will give our students the ability to learn about the responsibilities of each position, the growth opportunities in each field, and the education and licensures required for each position.

This paid internship experience will help our high school students decide if they have an interest in pursuing an education and a future career in fields such as surgery, emergency services, food and dietary services, HR, rehabilitation, imaging, inpatient nursing, and so much more.

The goal of this partnership with Norwalk Hospital is to strengthen the workforce development and college readiness of Carver high school students. In workshops provided by Norwalk Community College and other coaching provided by our new Future Readiness Coordinators, these 24 juniors and seniors arrived at Norwalk Hospital yesterday dressed and mentally prepared for the experience and the work ahead.

Norwalk Hospital is a not-for-profit, acute-care community teaching hospital. The 366-bed hospital has more than 500 physicians on its active medical staff, and 2,000 health professionals and support personnel. Norwalk Hospital is a member of the award-winning Nuvance Health system of hospitals serving western Connecticut and New York’s Hudson Valley.

Norwalk Hospital alone consistently receives many national awards for excellence, such as recently being recognized with America’s 100 Best Hospitals Award, placing Norwalk Hospital in the top two percent of all hospitals in the country for clinical quality. Norwalk Hospital is the only hospital in Fairfield County, Connecticut to earn this recognition.

Some of Norwalk Hospital's medical education programs are affiliated with the Yale School of Medicine. Norwalk Hospital provides a variety of clinical programs and health education classes to local groups and organizations.

That said, yesterday, Carver students felt as if the only education program Norwalk Hospital provides is devoted exclusively to them. We are forever thankful for this priceless opportunity for our young people preparing for their futures.

Teen Night at the Norwalk Art Space. Free Pizza. Open Mic. Friday, March 18th!

The next teen night at the Norwalk Art Space is open to all high school students looking to perform, share, and support others in a fun, safe, and encouraging environment.

Bring your instrument/tool of choice (or listening ears if you aren't ready) and one or two things that you'd like to share! 10-minute time slot sign-ups start at 6:30 pm, first come, first served with limited spots available. 

 Poets, writers, comedians, dancers, animators, and musicians are all encouraged to perform! This will be an open platform for you to share something creative that you're working on. Please be prepared to support other participants before/after you perform! There will be a PA, microphone, guitar, and piano available for you to use.

The Carver Boys Basketball Team Opened for the Westchester Knicks Game!

We have been sharing here about our students and families attending professional basketball games together, and about one of those teams, the Connecticut Cobras, being constituted of many Carver alumni.

Today, we can proudly report that our young athletes are themselves the stars! Go Carver!

The Carver team did a tremendous job playing on an NBA size court before the Westchester Knicks played against the College Park Skyhawks. Carver staff report that they were completely exhausted by the end of their opening game, “…but they played their hearts out. We are all so proud of each of them!”

The NBA G League is the NBA's official minor league. Fans can get a glimpse at the players, coaches, and officials competing to ascend to the NBA's rank. With 41 percent of players on start-of-season NBA rosters boasting NBA G League experience when the 2021-22 season tipped off in October, the NBA G League is the best place to see the future now — and that goes for our Carver team players as well!