Dr. Carlessia Hussein Scholarship Fund

 THE VISION

Howard County communities will have opportunity equity for all children, especially those living in income-constrained families and who underachieve in school.

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 THE MISSION

To provide enrichment opportunities that increase the numbers of income-constrained middle school boys who succeed in life by beginning with those most in need, and to scale-up the program to reach all middle school students living in income-constrained households.

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Why the Summer Enrichment Scholarship?

2022 - 2023 Reports indicate that during COVID, many children fell behind in learning. Children of color, in income-constrained families, remain behind. Economic distress, poverty is a precursor for academic failure. More boys underperform in high school compared to girls. ​

Unfinished Learning following COVID-19 lockdown of society and schools, remains a challenge for boys to overcome. Delays in learning remain and COVID itself added another trauma to the lives of children already weighted down with other adverse experiences (poverty, school performance lagging, etc.).

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Children’s Mental Health Emergencies: with suicide rates going up and mental health emergency visits increased, Native Indian and multiracial youth have faced the highest depression rates, school shootings continue and the ongoing heated public debate over the place of some citizens.

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Schools serving majority Black and Latino students remain far below in reading and mathematics achievement levels. Percent of students on grade level declined greater in households earning less than $75,000. Researchers found that setting attainable goals alongside supplemental support is a viable path to grade-level proficiency.

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Over the past 8 years, the Hussein Scholarship Fund has given a total of 300 Summer Enrichment Awards to Middle School Boys of Color whose families meet the following criteria:
*Attend one of the Howard County's 20 Public Middle schools.

*Families are in poverty and or meet MD ALICE criteria of employed but earning insufficient funds for the area's cost of living.

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We seek your donation to fund summer enrichment scholarships that enable these boys reach academic success and persevere in spite of these ‘headwinds’ and challenges in their lives.

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A recent analysis of school data tells us that there are over 500 males who meet the award criteria for the 2024 Summer class.  We plead for your assistance to donate during the upcoming February 2024 fundraiser.  Please consider being a monthly donor and recruit two other individuals to become DONORS to help these families send their boys to Summer Enrichment.