PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT WITH NAVIGATE THE MAZE TO ACHIEVEMENT IN NYC

NEW YORK (NY) - Navigate the Maze to Achievement is proud to announce a partnership with Admissions Gambit to provide our 9th through 12th-grade students with college preparation services. Admissions Gambit, a company that provides expert college admissions and essay development coaching, will provide these services for the 2023-2024 school year. 

This strategic partnership will enhance Navigate the Maze to Achievement’s student services throughout high school. “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision ending affirmative action, at Navigate, we feel more driven now than ever to ensure that Black and Latino youth are supported and empowered as they prepare for college. We are happy to be working with Admissions Gambit to give our students this opportunity to receive support from this very experienced organization,” says Allison Shillingford, Executive Director of Navigate the Maze to Achievement. Mrs. Shillingford established her nonprofit in 2016 after seeing the educational gap between NYC’s top high schools and their limited enrollment of academically gifted Black and Latino youth. She continues to advocate for equitable representation in these schools. “While we continue to increase representation in the high schools, we see the importance in preparing our scholars for college and beyond,” says Mrs. Shillingford. 

“These are some of the best and brightest students in New York City,” says Dr. Erwin Hesse, CEO and Cofounder of Admissions Gambit. Dr. Hesse, a former first-generation, low-income Latino male, overcame significant barriers throughout his K-12 educational journey. After graduating with five degrees, including a doctorate in education from Johns Hopkins, and working for ten years inside admissions offices at Maryland, Johns Hopkins, and Georgetown, Dr. Hesse works directly with high school students and their families to understand the college admissions process. “This work is near and dear to my heart. It is an honor to have Admissions Gambit work with these talented students on their next steps after high school,” says Dr. Hesse. 

About Navigate the Maze to Achievement 

Navigate prepares Black and Latino 7th-graders for the specialized and selective high school admissions process and supports them academically and socially while in high school. From its founding, Navigate has been centered on the families and students of New York City. One crucial element of the Navigate model is support. Through our holistic approach, students have access to a network of support through mentorship programs, tutoring, SAT prep, social workshops, and partnerships with other like-minded organizations. We are proud to be one stop on Navigators’ journeys of self-discovery and improvement, and we have the honor of getting to see their accomplishments as they grow. To learn more about Navigate, please visit www.ntmanyc.org