Regis Holds Fourth Annual REACH Appreciation Day

For the past two decades, the REACH Program at Regis High School has empowered high-achieving Catholic middle school boys with significant financial need and from underserved communities to participate in an entirely tuition-free high school preparatory program through which they develop skills needed to earn scholarships and be successful at top Catholic high schools in New York City. As we near the end of our remarkable 20th REACH summer, help us virtually celebrate the important work achieved these past six weeks by 191 students and raise awareness of the impressive accomplishments of our near 500 REACH alumni.

On Wednesday, August 18, we invited the Regis and REACH communities to take an inside look at the life-changing work done each day at the REACH Program and to support REACH by making a gift online or through Venmo. REACH can only continue to achieve its mission and enable us to provide this entirely tuition-free opportunity to our middle school students through your ongoing generosity.

Throughout the day, we shared stories and updates about REACH on our social media channels. To view those posts, please visit Regis on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook.

REACH Appreciation Day 2021 Panel

REACH Facts

There is no cost to any student to enroll in the REACH Program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

REACH Budget

Because REACH continues to increase the number of students served and expand programming, the REACH budget was $1 million for the first time, up almost 12% over last year.

Commitment

Students spend 37 of their summer days in an intensive leadership and academic summer program. The first three weeks are a residential learning academy at either Fordham University or the University of Scranton. The second three consist of a day program at Regis High School. Students also commit to 21 Saturdays of additional learning during the school year.

Student Profile

This summer, REACH enrolled 191 students, including 35 rising 9th graders and 156 middle schoolers who come from a variety of grammar schools throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island and New Jersey. More than 80% of students are the sons of immigrant parents. Many of them speak a language other than English at home. All REACH families demonstrate significant financial need. 95% of the newly admitted students are from low and very low-income families (per HUD data). 70% of REACH Families are eligible for the National School Lunch Program.

High School Placement

REACH alumni attend top Catholic high schools and selective public high schools throughout New York City. REACH Class of ‘21 graduates will matriculate to Regis, Fordham Prep, Xavier High School, The Loyola School, and Cristo Rey. REACH graduates over the past two years (Classes of ‘20 and ‘21) have earned a total of over $6 million in scholarship awards from NYC Catholic high schools.

Program Highlights

After a fully remote summer 2020 for all REACH students, this summer REACH has operated fully in person. Program goals include to:

• Improve academic and study skills
• Explore Catholic faith and spirituality
• Participate in sports and activities
• Learn computer and technology skills
• Develop musical and artistic talents
• Expand cultural awareness through field trips
• Meet and become inspired by leaders in the community
• Develop leadership skills in a spirit of service and generosity
• Prepare for high school admissions tests and application processes
• Prepare 8th grade graduates for high school with a three-week residential and three-week day program for deeper high school preparation, both academically and socially

A significant milestone will be reached this summer with our 2021 graduates taking the REACH Alumni network past 500 members in total. REACH Class of 2017 students are all going on to a variety of colleges, including Boston College, Cornell, Rensselear Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Binghamton University, Holy Cross and Fordham University.

In June, REACH hosted its second REACH College Signing Day, a ceremony at Regis recognizing and celebrating the college destinations for all our Class of 2017 REACH graduates. This is just one example of the good work in the area of REACH Graduate Support, a significant program addition in its fourth year that provides no-cost academic, social, and high school and college guidance support to all REACH graduates no matter what high school they attend or attended.

Learn More About REACH 

Regis' First Rhodes Scholar: Brian Reyes '17 (Regis Magazine, Spring 2021)

Colin Jost '00 Promotes the REACH Program on The Tonight Show

The Reach Difference (Regis Magazine, Winter 2020)

Charting a Brighter Future (Regis Magazine, Winter 2020)

A Conversation With REACH Director Doug Eickman '05 (Regis Magazine, Winter 2020)

From REACH to Sports Illustrated (Regis Magazine, Winter 2020)