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THE VISION
Howard County communities will have opportunity equity for all children, especially those living in income-constrained families and who underachieve in school.
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.
Why the Summer Enrichment Scholarship?
2023 - 2024 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.).
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.
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.
Over the past 9 years, the Hussein Scholarship Fund has given a total of 341 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.
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.
A recent analysis of school data tells us that there are over 500 males who meet the award criteria for the 2025 Summer class. We plead for your assistance to donate. Please consider being a monthly donor and recruit two other individuals to become DONORS to help these families send their boys to Summer Enrichment.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Carlessia A. Hussein, RN, BS, MS, Dr.PH served as Director of the Maryland Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities for 10 years until retirement in 2014. In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has committed to improving the health of persons of color, those in poor health, and income constrained families. In retirement, she uses philanthropy to lift up children to succeed in life, with a focus on those in greatest need. Dr. Hussein continues to promote Health Equity through volunteer work with the MedStar Healthcare Disparities Project 2024, Howard County Health Department, and community-based groups dedicated to helping communities thrive. In 2019, she received the "Promise of Health in Howard County" award from the Howard County General Hospital. In 2023 she was honored as the 2023 Individual Philanthropist of the Year at a ceremony in Turf Valley.
Contact: husseinscholarshipfund@gmail.com
DONATE to the Community Foundation of Howard County - Tax Deductible
Click to donate online:
NEWS & UPDATES
2024 Scholarship Awards to 33 Recipients
The Dr. Carlessia Hussein Scholarship Fund, in support from the Community Foundation of Howard County (CFHoCo), awarded 33 middle school boys in Howard County Public School System with the 2024 Dr. Carlessia Hussein Minority Scholarships. The scholarships provided the children access to summer enrichment programs that encourage leadership, academic achievement, character development, expand problem‐solving skills and engender a sense of community. From 2016 to date, a total of 341 middle school boys have received scholarships.
2023 Scholarship Awards to 71 Recipients
Some of the 2023 Scholarship recipients presented with Award Certificates by Dr. Carlessia Hussein
Philanthropist of the Year 2023
L-R: Delegate Terri Hill, Delegate Jessica Feldmark, Dr. Carlessia Hussein, Kristi Smith of Howard Hughes Holdings and Senator Clarence Lam. Howard County Delegation presenting official citations to the awardees on December 5, 2023.
Dr. Carlessia Hussein was awarded the 2023 Philanthropist of the Year by the Community Foundation of Howard County.
Click to read the Full Article from the Community Foundation of Howard County
Scholarship recipients at the 2019 scholarship award ceremony held in Howard County
BLOG POSTS
Video Introduction of the Fund:
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