Ask Me Anything with Cigus “The College Fairy”: how to begin the college search process

Cigus Vanni AKA “The College Fairy” is Project 440’s college specialist and Instruments for Success Lead Teaching Artist. He has more than 40 years of experience in college search and selection including as a college admissions counselor, school counselor, and school psychologist. Cigus is the first member of his family to attend college, earning his BA from Swarthmore College and certification in school psychology from Bryn Mawr College. Cigus is also a five-time winner and undefeated Jeopardy! champion—he knows a lot of stuff!

This month, Cigus answers three questions about how to begin the college search process.  

Q: What would you advise a student who has no idea where they want to go to college? Where should they begin?

A: Begin with a thorough self-appraisal and ask yourself three questions: What do I like to do? What do I want to do? What can I do? Move from here to core values that you hold about people, education, social connections and professional goals; once you have some clarity here, start your college search at a reputable website such as The College Board or College Navigator, and seek advice from a teacher, advisor, or counselor if you can.

Q: Do students have to take the SAT or ACT to get into college?

A: Maybe… More than 80% of four-year colleges in the US are test optional, and 59  of these schools are test-blind—meaning that they do not consider test scores at all. In many cases, however, submitting test results could enhance one’s standing as an applicant. My best advice? Unless you are certain you will be attending a test-optional school and are comfortable not taking the ACT or SAT, take your best shot at one of these at least and see how you do. You own your test results, so you would not be compelled to share or reveal these with any college if you do not fare up to your expectations.

Q: How do I know if I qualify for Financial Aid?

A: Unless you are fortunate enough to have access to a substantial income and or set of assets, you are likely to qualify for some financial aid. However, financial aid does not come automatically,—there is an application called the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) that every college requires and several additional forms that may be requested by a specific college. The FASFA application opens on October 1 of each school year. I would recommend that you apply as early as you can and no later than February 1. 

One more Bonus question…

Q: What’s your advice for students who may not be ready to go to college after they graduate high school? Are there other pathways or educational opportunities available?

A: Yes—and there is an abundance of options such as employment, military service, or community service. Alternative educational opportunities include apprenticeships for trades, vocational education, and online certifications in such areas as computer science and information technology, and project management.  

Check our April e-newsletter to read more of Ask Me Anything with Cigus "The College Fairy" and be sure to visit Cigus at his table at the College Fair for Musicians on Saturday, June 4 at the Kimmel Center.

introducing doing good class of 2021 community projects

This past December, we celebrated the 2021 class of Doing Good! Doing Good is a 25-session intensive after-school entrepreneurial program that provides guidance to high school musicians who want to positively impact their communities. The unique curriculum challenges students to view their curiosity about the world as a window through which they can see the needs, gaps, and opportunities they are best equipped to address. Throughout the semester, students ideate, plan, and implement a community based project under the guidance of Project 440 staff and teaching artists.

This cohort’s projects addressed social issues around mental health/wellbeing, homelessness, music education funding, and neighborhood beautification. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, our students were able to navigate virtual collaboration and teamwork to make their visions come to fruition. We are proud of the resilience and hard work put in by each member of this graduating class!

Rave Trio Benefit Project

Devin Casas, Joseph Castro, Grace Opong

Mission: Our project Rave Trio Benefit Project helps to grow middle and high school music programs. We perform as a trio in order to raise awareness about the struggling music programs in Philadelphia and raise money to donate to these programs. In addition, we help to create sustaining solutions for growing the music programs.

Healthy helpers

Meko Watson, Kaiya Brabham, Anisah Hedgespeth

Mission: Every two months, Healthy Helpers plans to help out the fellow people of this city by visiting neighborhoods and organizing locals of the neighborhood to help pick up trash, pull weeds, etc. to make the neighborhood look as clean and liveable as possible. As a reward for everyone’s hard work, we play a free outdoor concert.

hats organization

Raymond Lin, Vicki Lin

Mission: HATS Organization supports people who are homeless by sharing Chinese traditional classical music and raising funds.

Music for mental health

Hajra Kahn, Aqsa Kahn

Mission: Music for Mental Health provides high quality music therapy services to students in grades 6 to 12 with mental health issues.

Tranquillo

Jordon Rosh, Mandy Jiang, Maya Lindsey

Mission: Tranquillo works to descrease the stress levels of the younger generation through low-stress study spaces and informal performance opportunities.

PROJECT 440 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANNOUNCES NEW ROLE FOR JOSEPH CONYERS AND NAMES new EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Joseph Conyers assumes his new role of Founder & Vision Advisor; Rebecca Bolden appointed Executive Director

Philadelphia, PA (Tuesday, January 18, 2022) — Today Project 440’s Board of Directors announced Founder and Executive Director Joseph Conyers has assumed a newly created leadership role of Founder & Vision Advisor and that it has appointed Rebecca Bolden, an experienced nonprofit leader, its first full-time Executive Director. Together, alongside the Board of Directors, they will continue to expand the reach and impact of Project 440’s growing internationally acclaimed youth development programs for high school musicians. 

As the Founder & Vision Advisor, Joseph Conyers will inform the organization’s vision and strategic direction. An internationally recognized musician and educator, he will serve as the lead ambassador for Project 440’s vision to provide every young person with the opportunity and tools for individual growth and community impact through music. Joseph is also Assistant Principal Bass of The Philadelphia Orchestra, Tobey and Mark Dichter Chair, sits on the double bass faculty of The Juilliard School and Temple University, is Music Director of The School District of Philadelphia’s The All City Orchestra, and the Music Director of the Young Artists Orchestra, Boston University Tanglewood Institute. 

Mary Javian and Megan Speight, Co-Chairs of Project 440’s Board of Directors share, “We are delighted to welcome Rebecca Bolden as our new Executive Director and are so proud of the success of our students as well as the legacy that Joseph Conyers has created. Joseph’s new role will enable him to continue to represent Project 440 in Philadelphia, across the country and around the world as he helps spread the news of Project 440’s successes and make new connections with artists and entrepreneurs who align with our mission.”

Joseph Conyers says of his new role and Rebecca Bolden’s appointment, “For 15 years, Project 440 has been a labor of love. In that time, we've established ourselves as a respected organization of international repute. This new role will allow me to augment my complementary responsibilities as an educator, youth advocate, and performer to support Project 440’s continued growth. I'm so grateful to the Board of Directors and staff for working so diligently in stewarding this transition, and after an extensive and competitive national search, I could not be more thrilled to welcome Rebecca Bolden to the Project 440 family as our new full-time executive director. Rebecca possesses the qualities and experience to help take our organization to the next level, and I look forward to working with her to grow Project 440 in a way that reaches more young people than ever before."

Rebecca Bolden has held many leadership positions in Philadelphia’s nonprofit cultural sector. She most recently served as the Senior Director of Development at the National Constitution Center where she increased support for its education programs and exhibitions including the significant expansion of its nationally recognized youth education programs. “I am honored to join Project 440 and work with Joseph and the Board of Directors to build on the organization’s success and increase its impact at a time when providing young musicians with the tools and life skills they need to thrive is even more critical.”

Download the press release.

Youth Board Representative Spotlight: Maria Karakousis

Meet Maria Karakousis, the Youth Advocacy Council (YAC)’s newly elected Youth Board Representative to the Project 440 Board of Directors! Maria participated in Project 440: Online and is currently in her second year of serving on YAC. Between her academic responsibilities, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work, she was able to find some time to speak to us about her interests, aspirations for YAC, and insights for youth interested in finding an outlet for their passions in a meaningful and productive way.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? What do you like to do outside of Project 440?

Maria practicing her concerto for the All-City Concerto Competition last year. “I had so much fun and won an honorable mention.”

I am a senior attending J.R. Masterman High School. I love running, learning about and conducting scientific research, volunteering in education and environmental conservancy, and of course, playing my instruments, piano and harp through the Glissando free harp education program. I also enjoy reading and performing poetry.

Q. How did you get involved with Project 440? What drew you to this organization?

I first learned about Project 440 when I received notification of my acceptance to the 2020 All-City Orchestra Summer Academy. I noticed Project 440 among its listed partner organizations and, intrigued by the name, decided to investigate the 440 website. I was struck and inspired by the Project 440 vision: essentially, to impact positive social change through the transformative power of music. I applied to and participated in Project 440: Online that summer and loved every class in those six weeks. I remember feeling so excited when, very soon after graduating from the program, I received an email invitation to join YAC. I understood this to be an opportunity to carry forward the lessons in youth leadership and social justice advocacy (and more broadly, the Project 440 mission), which I had learned and in which I had gained experience throughout the summer.

Q: This is your second year participating in YAC. What are some learning points from last year? What do you hope to do differently?

Our overall aim remains the same: to foster greater inclusion and positive community change through our own leadership and our collaboration with organization officials, professional musicians, and other youth who are passionate about the Project 440 mission. Though we are very proud of and grateful for the success of our Music in Color series in its inaugural year, this year, we seek to broaden the reach of our program to engage more people in important, insightful discussions regarding increasing equity in music professions. We plan to build a national participant base from the Project 440 alumni network, as well as diversify the music genres represented amongst our panelists. We also hope to be able to meet in person at some point during this school year!

Maria representing JEVS Human Services at a resource fair for public housing residents in West Philadelphia.

Q: You now have two incredible Teaching Artists leading YAC! Is there anything that you hope to learn from them in this new school year?

I know that anything Ms. Sam and Ms. Melissa teach will prove useful to our work and lives in some way, so I am ready to again absorb and apply all that I learn from them. YAC is extremely fortunate to have such knowledgeable, nurturing mentors as we strive to implement their teaching to impact positive change.

Q: There are many sources of stress for young people these days, whether it be the effects of the pandemic, social justice issues, or climate change. Do you have any words of wisdom to share with other youth who may be looking for a way to deal with stress or find an outlet for their emotions?

Though feelings of stress, frustration, outrage, and anxiety for the future are entirely understandable, do not let these emotions paralyze you into inaction. Realize that you - regardless of your age - have the power to change the world by at least advancing solutions to the issues that matter to you. Taking each day and each of your activities as a serious opportunity to make a positive impact in some way provides a constant and truly fulfilling outlet for your emotions. Also, keep in mind that you must help yourself in order to help others. Find the things you love doing - that bring you real joy - and manage your time so that you can do them consistently.

Maria hiking in Kinzua Bridge State Park.

Teaching Artist Spotlight: Melissa Wright

We are thrilled to have Melissa Wright join our Teaching Artist roster this year! She is currently co-leading the Youth Advocacy Council (YAC) with Samantha Apgar. This power team has a wealth of knowledge to share in the realm of leadership, project management, governance, and advocacy training. Continue reading to learn what has informed Melissa’s professional trajectory, how YAC fits in to her dedication to service, and what she finds inspiring about working with today’s youth.

Q: How did you get involved with Project 440? What drew you to this organization? 

I first saw the work of Project 440 when I was working at the School District of Philadelphia and loved the work I saw happening. I thought back to when I was a student and it was music or service due to the limited number of hours in a day. Somehow Project 440 has managed to meld these two ideas together to use music as a vehicle for service and leadership experience.

Q: Can you tell me about your work outside of Project 440?

I currently work as an Associate Director at Econsult Solutions, Inc. ESI provides economic consulting and analytical services for businesses, governments, and non-profit organizations. I work as the lead director in our government and public policy practice area. Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about how some of the major spending bills coming out of Washington, like the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Bill, will impact local communities.

Q: Advocacy for traditionally underserved communities seems to be a common thread in all of the work that you have done and continue to do. Is there a personal experience that sparked your interest in pursuing the professional path you’ve taken? 

My parents knew I would go into a field where I helped people from a young age (they were right!). All of my previous work experience has revolved around advocating for children, both in the health services research and data roles at the school district. Kids are really special to me because they don’t have the same voice that adults do and they can’t vote. So it’s important that they have people looking out for them and telling their stories. One of my main skills is data, so i make sure that I tell their story, through data. I ultimately ended up focusing on education because we’ve seen it is one of the best vehicles to lift folks out of poverty.

What do you enjoy most about your work with the Youth Advocacy Council (YAC)?

The students!! After leaving my job at the school district, I missed students so much. The YAC students are absolutely amazing. They are enthusiastic and bright. Whenever someone complains about the “younger generation”, I tell them about the students I get to teach and that the future is in capable hands. 

Q: Is there anything that has surprised or challenged you in your work with YAC? 

Honestly, how quickly time flies. We get into really great discussions about board service or planning for Music in Color, and then you look at the clock and it is almost time to end.

Q: Today’s youth are going to be faced with finding solutions to many of society’s most pressing issues. What do you think are effective ways of empowering our students and setting them up for success as civically-engaged citizens? 

I love this question! Letting them know that they have a voice now. I’m sure most of us have heard that we should ‘wait our turn,’ but the reality is that you don’t have to wait to make change. One of the most transformative moments for me, was the moment I realized I had a voice and power. The earlier we allow today’s youth to have that experience, the more time they have to hone their skills and become civically engaged citizens.

The work we do in YAC, hits on that first point, but it also teaches students the fundamentals of board service. Having that knowledge allows them to be ahead of the curve and prepared for opportunities to serve.

Youth Advocacy Council Perspectives on a New School Year

Project 440’s Youth Advocacy Council (YAC) is starting this new school year with new members and fresh ideas! In addition, we are thrilled to welcome Melissa Wright who will be co-leading YAC with Teaching Artist, Samantha Apgar. A few of the members took the time to share their thoughts on YAC’s vision and how they hope to continue affecting positive change in our community using their passion for music. 

What are some of the goals YAC is hoping to achieve this school year? 

Maria Karakousis: Our overall aim is to apply training in leadership and advocacy to carry out the Project 440 mission of fostering equity and positive community change through the transformative power of music. We look forward to again working with organization officials, professional musicians, and other Philadelphia students passionate about using music to achieve the goals they envision for their communities. A very exciting goal for us this year is to greatly broaden the scope of our Music in Color audience! In its first year, this virtual series created and hosted by YAC members introduced Philadelphia youth to professional musicians of minority backgrounds who have advanced social change through their careers in classical music. YAC is now ready to take advantage of the virtual setting of Music in Color to reach a national audience that includes Project 440 alumni across the country. We hope to further increase interest and participation in our sessions through more diverse representation of music genres among our panelists.

What events are you planning in connection to your Music in Color series? 

Ronnell Williams: This year we are going into how artists were affected through the pandemic. We are very excited to get started. :)

How would you like to see Project 440 better serve Philadelphia youth? 

Patricia Harden: I would like to see Project 440 better serve Philadelphia youth by reaching out to the more underdeveloped areas of the city, for example the northern areas of Philly. It's a harsher place to be in and doesn't receive much attraction to and/or from organizations. Project 440 has done, and is still doing, a lot of great things, and I feel like it can extend to outside the comfort zone of the city and maybe in the suburbs and outskirts of our big city.

What are you most excited about this school year?

Rajveer Chaudhury: I am most excited about planning the Music in Color events for this year. This is my first year in YAC, and I am grateful to be able to help plan these events for our community in the coming year. I am also very excited about achieving musical growth this year in the program by helping plan these events, making new connections, and learning more about music specifically. Finally, I am most excited about growing as a leader and advocate in YAC this year.