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Press-release-2 Hundreds of Delaware High School Students to Spend Spring Break Preparing for College

March 31, 2025
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March 31, 2025

Hundreds of Delaware High School Students to Spend Spring Break Preparing for College 

TeenSHARP and the Delaware Department of Education team up again to offer a week-long supercharged college readiness bootcamp for high school students; Governor Matt Meyer to address students during the program 

Wilmington, Del.— From April 21st to April 25th, TeenSHARP and the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) will bring together hundreds of students virtually for the Delaware Goes to College Academy (DGCA) Bootcamp—a weeklong, intensive college prep experience designed to equip students with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to pursue higher education. 

Now in its ninth year, hundreds of students have already signed up for the free, virtual DGCA Bootcamp. This interactive program empowers freshmen, sophomores, and juniors across Delaware to build strong academic habits, prepare for college admissions, and secure top financial aid. 

Last year, more than 350 students participated, along with nearly 200 parents who joined the evening sessions tailored for families. This year, TeenSHARP is building on that momentum, delivering a rigorous, engaging program that has served as a launching pad for students now attending some of the nation’s most selective institutions, including Princeton University, Pomona College, Tufts University, Cornell University, and Yale University. 

“The DGCA Bootcamp is an extraordinary opportunity for students to take charge of their college journey,” says TeenSHARP Co-Founder and CEO, Atnre Alleyne. “Every year, students commit to more than 25 hours of learning, push past their limits, and emerge more prepared to navigate the admissions process. The results speak for themselves—our past participants are thriving at top colleges with incredible financial aid packages.” 

The DGCA Bootcamp equips students with: 

College Admissions and Financial Aid 101: Students gain a clear understanding of the application process and how to navigate financial aid opportunities. 

Academic and Personal Assessment: Students evaluate their academic standing, course rigor, and leadership potential to create a personalized plan for success. 

Crafting Your College Path: Students develop a roadmap to address any gaps and chart their course towards their dream schools. 

College Connections: Participants have virtual meetings with representatives from colleges to explore their options. 

“We are excited to partner with these students as they make an invaluable investment in their futures,” says Sara Petty, Director of Pre-College Success. “With TeenSHARP’s support and guidance, they will leave this bootcamp with a clear understanding of how the college admissions process works and how they can have an edge, meet representatives from a variety of top colleges and universities, assess their college readiness and create a plan to make the most of their high school years. Most importantly, they will gain an ongoing support network dedicated to their success.” 

Smyrna High School senior Ana Paula Rodriguez is a 2024 DGCA alum who was accepted Early Decision into Boston University with an excellent financial aid package. Reflecting on the experience, Ana shared: “When I entered the first meeting, I felt really lost,” but “now I know what I have to do in order to get where I want.” 

Governor Matt Meyer who spoke at last year’s DGCA Bootcamp will once again address students, offering encouragement and insight on the importance of higher education. “I’m excited to join this year’s Delaware Goes to College Academy and speak directly with the incredible students investing in their futures,” says Governor Meyer. “Thanks to the powerful partnership between TeenSHARP and the Delaware Department of Education, DGCA continues to expand access to top college opportunities for students across our state. When we invest in rigorous, high-impact learning experiences like this, we’re building a pipeline of bold, prepared, and college-ready leaders who will shape our communities for the better.” 

DGCA is completely free and open to all Delaware high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors with a 3.0 or higher GPA. 

The program is sponsored in part by the Delaware Department of Education and by the WSFS Foundation and the Laffey-McHugh Foundation. 

For more information, families can visit the Delaware Student Success DGCA website: https://www.delawarestudentsuccess.org/delaware-goes-to-college-academy/ 

 

About TeenSHARP 

TeenSHARP is a national nonprofit headquartered in Delaware that prepares Black, Latino, and low-income students to attend and thrive at America’s top colleges with little or no debt. Year after year, 100 percent of TeenSHARP scholars successfully pursue a 4-year college education, with 95 percent admitted to the most selective colleges; and the majority graduating with $15,000 or less in college debt. TeenSHARP’s mission is in service of a bold vision that, one day, the diversity of our country’s top jobs and most influential leadership positions will reflect the country’s rich diversity. 

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Deborah Yanez

Parent Programs Manager

Deborah leads TeenSHARP’s parent empowerment work with love, conviction, and credibility. She grew up in one of America’s poorest cities (Camden, NJ), has served as an elected school board member, raised two sons who have accessed higher education successfully (one is a TeenSHARP alumnus and McCabe Scholar at Swarthmore) along with her husband, and has helped many more families prepare their children for college.

Alina de Zoysa

Pre-College Programs Coordinator

Alina de Zoysa is a proud product of the TeenSHARP Striver Program, as her journey with the organization began when she was in the 7th grade, spending 6 years of her life as a TeenSHARPie. With the support of TeenSHARP, Alina attended Washington and Lee University as a Johnson Scholar. Throughout her college experience, she uncovered a true passion for working with her students and supporting their journeys to success, just as TeenSHARP once did for her. After being named as an Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholar, alongside two of her incredibly bright TeenSHARP peers, she engaged in shaping equity-centered education policy at the U.S. Department of Education while completing her Summer Voyage. She was grateful to return to the TeenSHARP team in January 2025, serving as our Lead Underclassmen Advisor. As our Pre-College Programs Coordinator, she is inspired to continue growing with TeenSHARP. Specifically, Alina is focused on collaborating with underrepresented communities to promote inclusive access to innovative and effective resources that help dismantle systemic barriers.

Sara Petty

Director of Pre-College Success

Sara Petty is TeenSHARP’s powerhouse Director of Pre-College Success, orchestrating a nationwide expansion to ensure that talented Black, Latino, and low-income students have a direct path to elite colleges. With a proven track record from her days scaling a college access program in Houston, Sara has a knack for turning educational challenges into triumphs. She thrives on transforming obstacles into opportunities and is known for her relentless drive and innovative solutions. When she’s not making waves in the world of education, you can find her brainstorming the next big idea over a cup of coffee or diving into a new book that sparks her curiosity. Sara’s mission? To make sure every student has the chance to unlock their full potential and claim their spot in the future’s top colleges.

Tamara Fentress

Chief of Staff

For over 18 years, Tamara has been a passionate advocate for educational equity, inclusion, and the overall improvement of support structures to build a solid foundation for the journey of learning. Driven by a desire to see all students and families thrive, she has successfully led major projects of varying budget sizes, while also co-creating and implementing innovative strategies at mission-driven organizations across various operational areas, from technology and project management to legal and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEIB) initiatives.

Her journey began in a large urban school district, where she spent a significant portion of her career leading the development of critical strategies that served over 86,000 students. This experience allowed her to work closely with a diverse team of over 10,000 employees, understanding and addressing needs across all levels of the organization. Her collaborative spirit extended beyond the school district, fostering strong partnerships with parent groups, community organizations, and government entities.

Tamara’s dedication to education stems from a deeply personal place. As a mother to two inspiring children, Harmony and Hudson, she sees firsthand the potential and power of having access to opportunities, caring adults, and belief in that which is greater than yourself.  This unwavering belief in the power of serving others, access, equity, and education to empower and transform lives fuels her commitment to continuous learning and creating equitable opportunities for all.

Tatiana Poladko

Co-Founder

Our “force of nature” founder came to New Jersey from Ukraine for graduate school over a decade ago and immediately put her hands to the work of community empowerment and expanding educational opportunity. She has experience managing youth programs for the UN in Ukraine (at the age of 19!), teaching at Temple University, building/managing nonprofit organizations, and supporting students to and through college. She is also a mother to three lovely kids (Zoryana, Nazariy, and Taras), plays guitar and piano, and makes amazing soups!

Atnre Alleyne

Co-Founder/CEO

As TeenSHARP’s resident historian, Atnre is quick to share stories of the organization’s humble church basement beginnings, its growing pains, and many milestones. With his background in research and evaluation, policy and advocacy, communications, technology, and instruction, he has the type of Swiss Army knife skills that are critical in a fast-paced social impact organization. He has three lovely children (Zoryana, Nazariy, and Taras), an amazing wife (TeenSHARP’s Co-Founder), and he plays bass guitar and blogs when he finds the time.