College Summit New York celebrated its 5,000 students and 39 partner schools at its Second Annual Awards Luncheon on May 25 at B.B. King Blues Club and Grill.

Awards were presented to students, educators and schools that embody the three core values of College Summit—the heart of a great teacher, the mind of an innovator, and the spirit of an inspired student. Keynote speaker Russell Simmons, CEO of Rush Communications and co-founder of Def Jam Records, encouraged students to reach for their goals and to be “Super Rich” in mind, body and spirit.  See video of the event here.

Receiving this year’s Darden Peer Leader of the Year Awards were John Boyce from Humanities and the Arts High School, and Marisch Perera from the College of Staten Island High School for International Studies. Marisch was recognized for teaching weekly sessions on college-related topics and leading a school-wide college readiness event in the fall. She will attend Pace University in the fall with an academic scholarship, joining her sister as a first-generation college student. John Boyce, who overcame the death of both his parents at a young age to become a leader, was recognized by his school for his outstanding work in coordinating the school’s college fairs, college application night and other activities to send more of his peers to college. He will attend Lincoln University in Pennsylvania this fall, becoming the first in his family to go to college. Read Marisch’s and John’s full stories on the Peer Leader and Alumni page.
 
New this year, Darden Restaurants and UNCF presented 24 New York seniors with Recipe for Success Scholarships of $2,500, renewable annually contingent upon maintaining their GPA, for motivating their peers to go to college and having been accepted into two- or four-year accredited colleges or universities. Scholarship winners included Nelsy Sanchez, a graduate of Gregorio Luperon High School who moved to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic in 2007 with her family and will attend Buffalo State College in the fall.