The 2007 Development School for Youth Tuesday Class at their Graduation on Dec. 12, with Assistant Program Directors Deborah London (left) and Annette Davis (second from right) and Youth Programs Director Pam Lewis (far right).

On Wednesday, December 12th, the 44 members of the Joseph A. Forgione Development School for Youth Fall 2007 class celebrated their graduation!

The evening's program, moderated by All Stars Board Member, Nathaniel Christian, III, began with words of welcome and congratulations from Susan Adinolfi, Director of the Corporate Resource Library, Merrill Lynch, and Scott Hill, Partner, Ernst & Young and co-chair of the DSY Board of Trustees.

The keynote speaker of the evening was Dr. John McWhorter, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Dr. McWhorter is a linguist and sociologist who received his Ph. D. from Stanford University. He has written a series of books on the subject of race, development, alienation, and what he calls self-sabotage. His provoking and, at times, humorous speech was followed by inspiring performances in which the students painted a picture of what their lives are like and of the growth they experienced as a part of DSY. Here are excerpts from some of their statements:

At first I thought DSY was too hard and I wanted to drop the program, but I stayed because of the money I would make at my summer internship. As I continued to go to DSY, I realized that I didn’t have to be there and it was a source for me to become a better person.

                                                                        – Rasheim Smith

Everyone seems to have a different sense towards the business world, including me. This experience has made me feel that, if I can do it, anyone can.

                                                                        –Fran Brereton

I cannot stress any further how the Development School for Youth helped me find something in myself – helped me find a career path and helped me develop into a student who is one day going to change the world.

                                                                        –Rudranand Gosine

The DSY will continue to expand in the New Year. With the support of our business partners, we are looking to place a record-breaking 225 young people in New York and New Jersey in paid corporate internships this coming summer, allowing even more young people a chance to develop. For more information about the DSY contact Program Manager Kirsten Fulda at 212-356-8423 or kfulda@allstars.org.