Say Yes Syracuse is celebrating 15 years and a lot of success.
Corcoran High School graduate Addie Boyle is thriving in the fashion industry as an associate for kids’ apparel at Kith. She said Say Yes Syracuse played a big role in her success by helping her go to the Fashion Institute of Technology.
“It really opened the door to being able to go to any school I want and not feeling limited to ‘How much can we afford? How many loans do I want to take out?’” said Boyle.
Boyle’s two sisters were also recipients of Say Yes scholarships. She said her sister Quinn also went to FIT and is working for Armani, and Savanah went to Syracuse University and is working in advertising and marketing.
Those are just three of Say Yes Syracuse’s many success stories. In its 15 years, the program has supported more than 6,000 students.
Executive Director Ahmeed Turner said it started with partners, including Onondaga County, the City of Syracuse, the Syracuse City School District, and the Central New York Community Foundation, asking how the community can make education more accessible.
"What can we do about this? How can we change our systems to support students more fully? And, then, how can we make college more equitable for those students because we know that education is the number one driver for quality of life,” said Turner.
Since then, the program has awarded nearly $15 million in scholarships to allow students to go to more than 100 partner colleges and universities. But Turner said there’s something else Say Yes offers that cannot be quantified.
"Hope. We want students and families to be inspired and know that there's an opportunity for them to enhance their quality of life through education,” said Turner.
Turner said students in the Syracuse City School District start hearing about the possibility of college as early as kindergarten. Then, as they get older, they’re exposed to a number of education and career programs through Say Yes partnerships. He said it’s a way to help the whole community.
“If we can limit the barriers that get in the way of classroom participation and make post-secondary education equitable for all students in the city of Syracuse and central New York, we will be able to retain talent and really push the community forward,” he said.
Boyle agrees.
“A lot of people struggled financially in the Syracuse City School District, and Say Yes really helped them pursue their dreams, get to where they want to be, and it opened so many doors,” she said. “If the Say Yes program could be in every single school around the world, I think the world would be a better place.”
