The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)

For more than a decade, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) has been a committed partner to Harlem Academy, providing transformational support during critical points in the school’s history.

“SNF’s grantmaking in education focuses on expanding access and opportunities around the world, especially for young people, and especially for those from underserved communities,” says Casey Russo, Co-Chief Program Officer at SNF. “Harlem Academy has a clear focus on equity and creating opportunity for young people not only through academic rigor, but through holistic support that helps students move toward the next stage of their academic career.”


A Resource for Robust Vocabulary 

Engagement with vocabulary words is central to students’ ability to remember their meanings and use them fluently. In 2012, as Harlem Academy was preparing its first class of graduates for success in top secondary schools, a review of the middle school curriculum showed a need to stretch vocabulary levels for our students.

Given the crucial impact of vocabulary on students’ overall academic success, SNF provided a two-year grant to allow for program development, implementation, and evaluation. “Harlem Academy provides high-quality education to its students, focusing on long-term outcomes as much as the short-term,” says Ms. Russo. As a result of SNF’s support of this program, our students see tremendous growth in vocabulary and regularly graduate in the top 10% of the country. 

Leveling the Playing Field for Alumni 

As our first few graduating classes began navigating the transition from secondary school to college, we recognized the need for a graduate support program that would level the playing field for our students on their journey to and through college. SNF again stepped in with a significant two-year grant to develop and pilot the program, which has enabled us to provide our graduates with ongoing advising, resources for college access, standardized test preparation courses, internship opportunities, and more.

“We were proud to help ensure that students continue to receive the transformative support Harlem Academy offers after graduating and moving on to high school — support that paves the way for students’ continued success in college and beyond,” says Ms. Russo. Thanks to SNF’s generosity, our alumni program is netting outstanding results: 98% of students in the four most recent classes enter top four-year colleges and universities. Not only are they attending college, they are also becoming leaders in their fields. Harlem Academy graduates have gone on to hold senate and congressional internships, teach in Africa, research cancer treatments, work as environmental scientists, and more.

Support Through the Pandemic 

Three years ago, Harlem Academy and its families faced
unprecedented challenges brought on by the pandemic. SNF immediately reached out to see how they could help. “The pandemic, as we all know, hit students and their families particularly hard,” says Ms. Russo. “During this period of struggle and uncertainty, we saw that Harlem Academy was determined to go above and beyond to support its students, teachers, and its broader community and continue to provide access to safe, quality education.”

SNF helped to fund the school’s operating costs, ensuring that we could continue to provide scholarships for our students, maintain a full teaching team, and seamlessly sustain our programs. “We were proud to support Harlem Academy through SNF’s global COVID relief initiative in adapting to the new reality and finding a path forward that put students at the center,” adds Ms. Russo.

Launching a Kindergarten Program 

The move to our new, more spacious building allowed us to welcome a kindergarten class for the first time in Harlem Academy’s history— a milestone that required ramped-up admissions procedures, outreach within the local community, and the hiring of new teachers. SNF’s support of this key program ensured that our inaugural year of kindergarten was a successful one. “Kindergarten is a critical entry point for a students’ academic journey — especially in New York City,” says Ms. Russo. “The earlier kids are supported and challenged intellectually, the better base they’ll have to love learning, let their curiosity guide them in exploring the world, and embrace academics as they get older. Adding this class ensures that Harlem Academy is able to serve more students at an earlier age and align itself with other New York City schools.”

Time and time again, SNF has demonstrated its dedication to our students and to making a positive long-term impact on their lives. “We hope that our support helps Harlem Academy continue to serve its students with the same level of commitment that it has since its founding,” says Ms. Russo. “We know that Harlem Academy is changing the lives of every student that walks through its doors, and we are proud to be a small part of helping make that happen."