Oliver Scholars, a New York-based access program, chose White Mountain for going “above and beyond to welcome and engage our scholars and their families” and the School’s “efforts to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive school community.”
The White Mountain School is pleased to announce that Oliver Scholars has named the School its “2020 Partner School of the Year.” Founded in 1984, Oliver Scholars prepares high-achieving Black and Latinx students from underserved New York City communities for success at top independent schools and prestigious colleges, with the goal of helping Oliver Scholars “realize their full potential and ultimately give back to the city, the nation, and the world.”
“This award was created to recognize Oliver Scholars Consortium Schools who have gone above and beyond to welcome and engage our scholars and their families. Your efforts to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive school community have enhanced the educational experiences of our students and help to ensure their ongoing success,” wrote Oliver Scholars CEO Dr. Danielle R. Moss in an email to Head of School John Drew, informing him of the award. “Oliver Scholars is proud of its partnership with The White Mountain School, and our entire team looks forward to a continued partnership.”
White Mountain’s Office of Admission has partnered with and received student referrals from Oliver Scholars for over five years. Additionally, through the development, piloting, and the recent official launch of the new White Mountain Scholars Program—an in-house joint initiative between the Offices of Admission and Equity and Inclusion at the School for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) identifying students in grades 9 and 10 from low-income backgrounds—White Mountain has increased collaboration and partnership with Oliver Scholars and other access programs.
“As an Episcopal school, we are charged to strive for an equitable and inclusive community not only committed to education, but to action, working to affect meaningful change,” said Head of School John Drew. “Our society will need to be healed and repaired in all sorts of ways in response to our national reckoning on racism, the inequities made so clear by the COVID-19 pandemic, and by the environmental challenges we face. We’ll find progress and also joy in building a school community that addresses these issues, weaving together people and ideas that lift each other up. Strengthening partnerships between organizations like the Oliver Scholars and The White Mountain School are part of that weaving together.”
White Mountain was recognized as “2020 Parter of the Year” in a virtual ceremony. Student Council President Arli Moyao-Ramirez ’21, who is both an Oliver Scholar and a White Mountain Scholar, presented the award to the School accompanied by remarks.
“In general, being a first-generation, low-income student of color and navigating a predominantly white institution can be difficult. With initiatives like the White Mountain Scholars Program, which was implemented this past school year, the transition to the school became much easier for students coming from underprivileged backgrounds. It provided them with additional resources and mentorship from older students that have gone through similar challenges,” said Arli. “I’ve observed how, in the past three years, I’ve been supported tremendously. Now I’ll be applying to colleges and thinking about what I want to do with my future. I spent these last six months reflecting on how I’ve grown as a person, as a student, and as a leader, and all of this is due to my community.”
For more information about the White Mountain Scholars Program, please contact Matthew Toms or, if your inquiry is also admissions-related, Admissions. To learn more about Oliver Scholars, please visit oliverscholars.org.
Founded in 1886 and set in the beautiful White Mountains of northern New Hampshire, The White Mountain School is a gender-inclusive, college-preparatory boarding and day school for 140 students grades 9-12/PG. Our mission is to be a school of inquiry and engagement. Grounded in an Episcopal heritage, White Mountain prepares and inspires students to lead lives of curiosity, courage, and compassion.
The White Mountain Scholars Program offers an empowering, engaging, and affirming environment and programming for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) identifying students from low-income backgrounds in the United States, starting in grades 9 and 10, so that they may unlock their unique and compelling potential and fully access the vision and promise of an education at The White Mountain School rooted in curiosity, courage, and compassion.
