Directing Black and Latino Youth Towards Higher Achievement
In 2016, Navigate the Maze to Achievement, Inc. (NTMA), a 501(c) (3) non-profit, educational enrichment program was founded. NTMA prepares Black and Latino students for New York City specialized and selective high school admissions and supports the students socially and academically while in high school. Our first cohort of 14 students took the Specialized High School Admissions Test in 2017. In 2020, we will serve over 80 students in all 5 boroughs through distance learning.
Our first cohort-- the high school Class of 2022
In New York City, Black and Latino students make up…
66% of all public high school students...
but less than 11% of students in specialized high schools.
In Navigate the Maze to Achievement...
27%of our first cohort received offers
to attend Specialized High Schools
35% of our second cohort received offers
to attend Specialized High Schools
55% of our students attend Top 50
New York City Public High Schools
Where our students are going:
Public Schools: Brooklyn Technical High School; Brooklyn Latin; High School of Science, Math, Engineering at City College; Bronx Science*; Stuyvesant*; LaGuardia; Beacon; Millennium - Brooklyn; Midwood; Frank Sinatra H.S.; Susan Wagner; N.Y. Museum School; Medgar Evers Preparatory School; and Brooklyn College Academy
Private Schools: Philips Academy Andover, The Chapin School, Leman Manhattan Preparatory School, The Emma Willard School
*through the DOE Discovery Program
Our Program
Education
Classes are on Saturdays during the school year and for six weeks in the summer. Students learn grammar, how to analyze poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. They also learn algebra, geometry, and test-taking strategies.
Early Start
NTMA selects academically gifted Black and Latino students in their seventh-grade year. By identifying their strengths and targeting any challenges early on, our program effectively prepares them for the SHSAT.
Mentorship
NTMA connects students with successful Black and Latino alumni of specialized high schools and leaders in their communities.
Service
NTMA encourages our students to engage in community service. One way our students give back is by volunteering with Little Sun People, a Brooklyn pre-school.
Student Testimonials
"I recommend the program for anyone who wants to go to a specialized high school. It's not something everybody can do. You have to be resilient, you have to want to do it and want to be successful."
Malakhi
The Brooklyn Latin School '22
"I'm really glad that I participated in NTMA. It not only helped me prepare for the Specialized High School Admissions Test, it also helped me in school."
Madison
Brooklyn Technical HS '22
"When I went to take the test, there were people around me nervous and upset... I felt confident and prepared, and I attribute that to all the work that I did at NTMA. It's a lot of work, but I imagined myself at the finish line."
Jalen
Brooklyn Technical HS '22
"I met good friends and we were all striving for one goal. It's cool to be around people when you want the same thing. We worked together, we supported each other, and we achieved our goal."
Xaavi
Brooklyn Technical High School '22