Press Room

Gerald D. Dennis
Founder and Executive Director, Northeast STEM Starter Academy at Mt. Vernon.

Gerald started his consulting company in early 2012 after more than twenty years in the technology sector including 6 years with IBM, 10 years with Xerox and 3 years with IKON. During those years in the tech space, Dennis held a number of senior sales and sales leadership positions. After forming his consultancy, Gerald came to learn of the many challenges associated with the hometown of his youth, Mount Vernon, NY and the issues facing the children attending the city’s public schools.

In response to learning of the significant educational outcome disparity associated with the minority but majority population attending the city’s public schools, Dennis’ felt compelled to learn more and determine what was being done. Too quickly, it became abundantly apparent that little if anything was underway to drive meaningful and sustainable change.

Since the formation of the NSSA, Dennis has dedicated the majority of his time and talents building the foundation that he and the 501 (c)(3)’s board feel has the opportunity to drive meaningful change for all of the underserved children attending one of the city’s 16 public schools.

Education: Dennis holds undergraduate and graduate degree in psychology from Eastern New Mexico University and Northern Arizona University.

Contact: gdennis@nssa-mv.org, 914-888-7556

Robert Holland
Board Chairman, Northeast STEM Starter Academy at Mt. Vernon.

Robert “Bob” Holland, Jr. is a business executive and entrepreneur who grew up in Albion, Michigan. He earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Union College and earned an M.B.A. from Bernard Baruch, Graduate School of Business.

He was an Associate and Partner at McKinsey & Company for more than a dozen years, where although based in NYC, he spent several years in their Amsterdam, London and Cleveland offices. He then became the principle owner, Chairman and CEO of Rokher-J Inc., City Marketing and Gilreath Manufacturing, Inc. He then continued to provide corporate leadership as President and CEO of the Vermont based, publicly traded, ice cream makers – Ben & Jerry’s.

Driven by his commitment to empower others, Holland founded the Detroit, MI, Make-A-Difference Dropout Prevention Program, was the Chairman of the Board of Spelman College, where he was on the Board for 25 years as well as Board Vice Chair and Chair for the Harlem Junior Tennis Program for over 40 years. He was also on the Advisory Board of the NCAA, the Board of the Research Corporation, and in NYC the Board of the Children’s Aid Society, and the Lincoln Center Theater.

Over the years Mr. Holland’s highly distinguished career includes serving on the Boards of Directors of Carver Bank, Lexmark, Neptune Orient Lines, YUM Brands, the African American Advisory Board of PepsiCo, Frontier Communications, The MONY Group, Neptune Orient Lines (Singapore), New York Dock Railway and Olin Corporation.

Most recently he served on the Business Advisory Board of the US Pentagon, Department of Defense, Washington, D.C. and was the Chief Mentor, Managing Partner and Advisory Board Member of ESSEX Lake Group, a profit enhancement firm in Shanghai, New Delhi and New York. He currently serves as Chairman of the Northeast STEM Starter Academy (NSSA), in Mt. Vernon, where Bob is working on raising graduation rates and preparing more African American and other underserved, at-risk students for careers within the STEM sector.

Factsheet

The Northeast STEM Starter Academy at Mt. Vernon (NSSA)

We are pleased to share a collection of pictures from our2018 Summer STEM Camp program held in August. Our first program, the summer of 2014 was delivered to 25 seventh graders, the 2018 program was provided to more than 100 students in eight different grade levels. The summer program and all of our more than fifty programs delivered over the almost five years have been made possible by generous donations and support extended by those who stand with us and for our children.

The mission of the Northeast STEM Starter Academy (NSSA) at Mt. Vernon is to introduce the marvels of all areas of science to children on a systematic, frequent and regularly scheduled basis, enabling our underserved and at-risk students to experience, explore and personalize the resulting discoveries.

We certainly realized progress toward our mission this summer! 130 children had fun learning about robotics, electronics, hydroponics and computer coding with 3-D printing, and more. Like all of our programs, math and science serve as a foundation for learning about the exciting world of STEM.

Do you see our future doctors, scientists, technologists and engineers? We do!

We’re so proud of our more than 1500 participating students over these past years, who live in Mt. Vernon, the only major city in New York State where minorities represent the majority of the population. NSSA helps them beat the odds that, right now in Mt. Vernon, are against them.

With the help of our friends and supporters, we are providing our children with access and exposure to enhanced, challenging STEM learning that, when coupled with hard work and persistence, will allow them to break through existing barriers and achieve lifelong success.

As proud as we are of our more than fifty prior programs and the many accomplishments, the future of our children and our community demands that we do more.

Our Goals

NSSA’s vision is to create an experiential, high-value STEM based educational platform that will directly influence life outcomes of many or all of the 9,000 at-risk, underserved students attending public schools in Mt. Vernon, as well as children from the surrounding communities. We intend to provide supplemental, educational fundamentals utilizing a extensive collection of STEM based resources, including mentorship programs, that will challenge and eliminate any excuses associated with why “our” children cannot enjoy successful careers within the STEM sector or any other career discipline.

When NSSA’s efforts come to full fruition, Mt. Vernon and the surrounding communities will have:

– Planetarium (100 -125)
– Aviation Laboratory
– Hydroponics/Aquaponics Laboratory (in collaboration with CORNELL UNIVERSITY)
– Engineer’s Maker Faire Laboratory
– Computer Laboratory
– Research & Exploratory Science Laboratory
– A robust collection of science & technology interactive learning displays and exhibits along with student classrooms and workshops

Our accomplishments to date.

– More than 50 after-school, weekend and summer classes/programs

– 1,700 of 9,000 students — 3rd through 12th grade — have been engaged

– 2018/2019: 3rd year of Continuing STEM Engagement Program—the same 25 students begin their 3rd year of exploring robotics/coding, advanced math and advanced science. Currently 6th graders, the same group of cohorts will continue in the 10-week, 3-days/week after-school and Saturday program each year until they complete high-school

– 2017: $10K Science of Success Sponsorships given to two high-performing students to secure their Pilot’s License. Fall 2018 will include delivery of the 4th year of our “Science of Success” program for high-school students and will provide at least two additional students with the financial resources to secure their pilots license

– Summer 2014: NSSA’s first two-week summer program, delivered to 27 seventh graders, included robotics, physics, genomics, forensics, experimental science and math classes

– Summer 2018: 5th year of our Summer STEM Camp Program, delivered to 130 students

– Summer 2018: A dozen high-school seniors, all participants in prior NSSA programs, served as paid interns/Teacher Assistants for our Summer STEM Camp Program

We are very proud that NSSA has recently received two unsolicited invitations to submit a grant request, from The Gates Foundation and JetBlue. Our work is being recognized!

Our challenges.

With approximately 70,000 people, Mt. Vernon is the third largest city in Westchester County, and accounts for 8% of the affluent county’s total population. Mt. Vernon is the only major city in the state of New York where minorities represent the majority of the population with African-Americans at almost 70%. Mt. Vernon has:

– the highest crime rate in Westchester
– the highest poverty rate in Westchester
– the highest unemployment rate in Westchester
– the lowest income rate in Westchester

More than 90% of the students attending Mt. Vernon’s public schools are children of color. Over the past five years, the school district has graduated 30% to 45% fewer students annually compared to the districts of the surrounding communities. Equally distressing, our students’ math and science national test scores are amongst the lowest in the county.

NSSA advocates urgently addressing the problems our children face NOW.

Our vision.

On realizing our vision, the NSSA will be positioned to address the inordinate, long-existing disparity associated with children of color from impoverished communities and their not being prepared for careers in various STEM disciplines. A cultural change is fundamental to successfully addressing some of the underlying social and economic issues that account for many of the difficulties the majority of children from Mt. Vernon must overcome in order to succeed. NSSA’s informal learning center will help propel a critical, cultural change within a city and community in dire need.

We seek help individuals, organizations and businesses to hasten NSSA’s being situated to address the daunting challenges of the student population we intend to influence most. At this critical time in our development, securing a position on the ground will immeasurably increase our chances of dramatically changing the trajectory of a population too often discounted or discarded in the timely manner they deserve.

We would welcome hearing from you.

Gerald D. Dennis
Executive Director, NSSA
914.888.7556; gdennis@nssa-mv.org

Mailing Address:
NSSA
c/o: Gerald Dennis
50 Columbus Avenue, B21
Tuckahoe, NY 10707

FAQ

Date founded: The Northeast STEM Starter Academy at Mt. Vernon (NSSA), originally named Mount Vernon Technology & Science Youth Center for Advancement was created in the winter of 2013 and received its 501(c)(3) approval in April 2014.

Mission/Vision of the Organization

Introduce the marvels of science to children on a systematic, frequent and regularly scheduled basis, enabling at-risk students to experience, explore and personalize the resulting discoveries. Science centers embedded in the community, embraced by the school system and freely available to children, parents and teachers alike have proven to be successful interveners needed in the metropolitan and impoverished areas around the country. We seek to create a center that will provide students with access and exposure to enriched STEM learning that can empower them with the desire, motivation and skills needed to pursue careers as doctors, scientists, technologists and engineers.

NSSA’s Vision

To provide children attending public schools in Mt. Vernon and children from the region with access and exposure to enhanced, challenging STEM learning that when coupled with hard work and persistence will allow them to break through existing barriers and achieve life success.

Location

The NSSA currently delivers in after-school, weekend and summer STEM program from one of the Mt. Vernon School District’s school location. In support of expanding our efforts to touch of the lives of all students attending public schools in Mount Vernon and the surrounding communities, the NSSA is seeking to secure a location on the ground as soon as possible.

Overview of the Program

The NSSA’s curriculum includes a vigorous array of challenging, experiential based academic enrichment courses that emphasizes increasing students’ mathematics and science knowledge and skills stimulating their interest in STEM as a potential academic and career path. Students will attend classes that include problem solving, research, experimentation, critical thinking and communication skills incorporated into mathematics, science (physical science, engineering technology).