01-06-2025
With no MCAS graduation requirement, Boys and Girls Clubs in Boston help students stay on track
This is the first year that Massachusetts high school students will not be required to pass the MCAS in order to graduate.
To make sure that students stay focused on their future, the Boys and Girls Clubs in Boston are filling that gap with specialized programs helping graduates get ready for college and the workforce.
AJ Ramirez Mateo is set to graduate from John D. O'Bryant School of Math and Science in Roxbury this week. But his sights are already set on college, as he's getting ready to attend Bentley University in the fall with a focus on finance. Despite how driven AJ is, he did receive some guidance along the way.
'My path is definitely not straight,' said AJ Ramirez Mateo, a member of the Boys and Girls Club. 'As a kid, I wanted to do a lot of things. It went from NASCAR to being a police officer.'
Ever since AJ was seven years old, he's been walking through the doors at the Roxbury Boys and Girls Club. He credits the Boys and Girls Club for steering him in the right direction.
'I came here because my mom had to place me somewhere since she worked long nights,' said Ramirez Mateo. 'So, being able to make the extra money, she needed me to be somewhere other than home. Because a seven-year-old being home in Section 8 is probably not the best idea.'
A product of the Boys and Girls Club herself, Saaran Sillah is now the Director of Academic Success at the Boys and Girls Club of Boston. She has come full circle, leading all the academic programs.
'So having those supports that I didn't necessarily have when it came to my post-secondary plans,' said Saaran Sillah, the Director of Academic Success. 'So that's what drives me now.'
Sillah says the club offers college advising, mentorships, and skill-building workshops. She says it's that one-on-one support that helps members navigate their future.
'It's not like a one-size-fits-all,' said Sillah. 'We know that every member has different needs, and they do get stressed in trying to navigate the college process. And so being able to sit down with them and say, ok, hey, what are some of the things that you need from us?'
Last year, Sillah says 26 of their 27 members in their college program got into a school. Even if members aren't going to college, she says the club makes sure they are ready for the workforce with a ready to work program that offers mock interviews and resume building.
'It's more than like just like getting a job, but it's about allowing our members to develop professionalism, build confidence and see like a vision like for the future and really getting understand like the steps and kind of making that those dreams and goals into reality,' said Sillah.
For AJ, he's grateful for his experience and can't wait to give back to the community he's so proud to be a part of.
'Being able to be able to provide for my family is really important,' said Ramirez Mateo. 'Since my mom is an immigrant coming to America, she didn't really have much. So just being able give it back to her 10-fold and then being able help other people in the community as well.'
AJ was able to get some scholarships to make college affordable. Over the last two years, the Boston Boys and Girls Clubs helped its members receive more than $4 million in scholarship money.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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