SED's new My Sister's Keeper program seeks to interest girls in STEM careers |
On Board Online • July 21, 2025
By Sara Foss
Special Correspondent
In 2014, former President Barack Obama launched My Brother's Keeper, a nationwide program to help young men reach their full potential. The goal was to close opportunity gaps related to race or socioeconomic status, which can make it harder for boys of color to succeed.
New York became the first state to fund its own My Brother's Keeper (MBK) initiative with the passage of the 2016-17 budget, and currently there are 50 MBK communities throughout the state. Districts craft their own programs, but there are some common features. All MBK programs connect youth to positive role models and mentors, cultivate leadership skills and aim to put children and teens on a positive life path.
This spring, the State Education Department (SED) announced the launch of a parallel program for girls called My Sister's Keeper (MSK). The initiative encourages girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Angelique Johnson-Dingle, deputy commissioner for P-12 instructional support for SED, doesn't think the programs will be targeted by the Trump administration, which has voiced opposition to some school and university programs that serve minorities because they are viewed by the administration as inconsistent with civil rights laws. Johnson said in an interview that MBK is open to all boys and state-funded MSK programs will be open to all girls. "It's about all boys, it's about all girls," she said. "When we say all means all, we really mean all means all."
Also, the programs could be insulated from changes in federal education policy because they are state-funded. In the current budget, the Legislature boosted the annual allocation from $18 million to $28 million. The extra funds give SED what it asked for to establish My Sister's Keeper.
"(My Sister's Keeper) is really in response to what the field has been asking us for," Johnson-Dingle said. "This is our commitment from the state to say, 'We see you, young ladies, and we're here to support you.'"
Through MSK, girls will have opportunities to do community-based service-learning projects and engage in hands-on STEM experiences. They will meet women in STEM fields, partner with local businesses and colleges and hold workshops to teach life skills and strategies such as resume-building and interview skills.
"All we're doing is listening to children, learning to understand what they need from us as adults and figuring out ways to provide the support that they need," Johnson-Dingle said. "As a parent, I would imagine everyone would want their schools to be able to engage in such programs as that."
Johnson-Dingle noted that several MSK-like programs already exist due to local initiatives. For instance, the Schenectady City School District created a program called Shades of Sisterhood in 2024. The initiative emerged from the district's relaunch of its MBK program during the 2021-22 school year, which prompted people to ask why there wasn't a similar program for girls, said Carlos Cotto, the district's superintendent.
Shades of Sisterhood has 30 to 40 participants in middle school and high school. Cotto said MBK "provided the template" for Shades of Sisterhood but the program is "more specific to the needs of young ladies."
The district has also brought together local non-profits that work with girls, such as Girls Inc. and the Working Group of Girls of Schenectady, to discuss how to collaborate to support the girls in Shades of Sisterhood.
Meanwhile, the program for boys has a presence in all of Schenectady's schools, including its elementary schools. The organization pairs students with mentors and has older MBK fellows mentor younger students and lead events. In small groups, they discuss issues such as coming of age, masculinity and their responsibility to the larger community. They also visit colleges.
MBK gives students "an opportunity to shine," Cotto said.
Another local initiative began in 2023 at Queens South High School. "We were inspired by our strong My Brother's Keeper chapter and wanted to ensure girls had similar opportunities," said Josephine Yeboah Van-Ess, superintendent of QSHS.
Sixty-four girls attended Queens South High Schools' inaugural event. Today, there are more than 350 inductees and 18 chapters across 29 high schools. Called My Sister's Keeper, it provides girls with mentorship, leadership development and support.
Natasha Knight, a 15-year-old rising junior, joined the MSK program at Queens South High Schools at the invitation of a friend. She said the experience has made her a more social person. "In society, girls are not really taken that seriously," she said. "In MSK, we're coming together as one. It builds confidence."
Serenity Dickerson, a 16-year-old rising senior, was introduced to MSK through a dance group that's part of the MSK program at QSHS. After she joined the dance group, some girls suggested she join the group's parent organization, too.
Serenity said the most important thing she's learned through MSK is to uplift other young women rather than cut them down. "There's always issues with drama when it comes to boy issues or stuff about grades," she said. "A lot of these things were put in place to break women apart from each other. It's important to strengthen your relationships with other young women."
Through a new MSK pilot program, Natasha meets regularly with middle school students to share advice and discuss topics such as hygiene. "We're relatable (to the younger students), because we've been through it," she said.
"Our girls have communicated that MSK has had a profound impact on their social-emotional wellness, confidence and academic performance," Van-Ess said. "By providing accountability, love and support, we're helping our girls navigate the complexities of the world and become productive citizens."
Johnson-Dingle said districts that have been funding their own MSK programs can apply for state funding "to help create more opportunities for these young ladies."
Obama founded My Brother's Keeper in response to the death of Trayvon Martin, who was fatally shot by a neighborhood watch member while walking home from the store, sparking nationwide protests and outcry.
The impetus for My Sister's Keeper is different, which is why its focus is different, Johnson-Dingle said. "We looked at our own needs and our own data, and that's why we focused on STEM," Johnson-Dingle said.
"Children don't know what they can do in the future if they are not exposed to it," Johnson-Dingle continued. "What we plan to do with My Sister's Keeper is to expose them to the many different fields that exist. We haven't been able to figure out why young ladies typically don't go into science and tech careers like we see with young men, but I do know they're just as brilliant and fully capable."