Peter Westbrook Foundation Inc
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Peter Westbrook Foundation seeks to increase graduation rates, improve health and social outcomes, and address the lack of mentoring for youth during the out-of-school time hours. Eighty-five percent of participating students reside in NYC's five boroughs. The average PWF student does not have access to resources that will help them achieve their maximum potential. The majority attends NYC public schools and 86% are Black or Latino. Overall, 39% of the youth enrolled are grades 9 – 12; 40% in grades 6 to 8; 20% are in grades 1 to 5; and, 1% are in college. For most of these youth, without significant intervention in the form of disciplined, supportive programs that offer opportunities to learn and grow, poor academic performance, dropping out of high school and a lifetime of underachievement are all likely results.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Saturday Fencing Program
The Saturday Fencing Program (SFP) is the cornerstone of all the PWF programs. It includes basic and advanced fencing instruction as well as all academic programs. Enrollment is open to anyone between the ages of 9 and 18 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Classes are held weekly from 9:00 am to noon. PWF provides all necessary equipment, and prior skills are not expected or required. Students are arranged in age- and skills-appropriate groups where, in addition to building an understanding of proper fencing technique, footwork and sword play, they are expected to provide peer-to-peer feedback and support. Each session begins with a rigorous group warm up that includes aerobic and fencing-specific exercises, followed by group and individual training with the students’ weapons of choice.
Afterschool Leadership Program
An elite squad of approximately 40 athletes, who show remarkable talent and motivation, are selected for our After School Leadership Program (ALP). Athletes train year-round in this program and adopt a professional training regimen of 4-6 days per week, which is designed to prepare them for domestic and international competitions. All participants in the program are awarded scholarships to defray the costs of fencing club memberships, coaching, competition fees and equipment.
The athletes are required to attend monthly meetings conducted by the training staff and a summer training camp, maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average, as well as volunteer their time to mentor younger fencers in the Saturday Fencing Program.
Academic Enrichment Program
The Academic Enrichment Program addresses the educational needs of PWF fencing students in need of academic enrichment and skills development services, such as literacy skill building, educational counseling, test preparation (SAT, PSAT, SHSAT) and the use of technology.
Academic Advisement involves assessing student needs, goals, interests and prior academic experiences in order to guide students in the design
and implementation of a successful academic plan. An advisor helps students identify their academic values and goals, consistent with their
capabilities, interests, and educational backgrounds; defines and develops educational plans; selects appropriate course work and opportunities;
and monitors progress towards achievement of their goals. Plans for younger students often include the goal of admission into one of NYC’s
specialized high schools and those of older students almost always focus upon the road to post-secondary education.
Literacy Skills Building begins with identifying the children who need literacy assistance by reviewing their most recent report cards and diagnostic test scores. A literacy specialist then develops, implements, and evaluates a literacy instruction plan to meet the specific needs of each student, working either with small groups or individuals to teach the skills needed to improve reading comprehension. The specialist maintains contact with parents/guardians and teachers and provides information to specialized personnel such as psychologists, special educators, or speech teachers, whenever necessary.
Technology aids staff and students in meeting their academic goals. In the 2014-2015 year PWF purchased five new Microsoft "Surface” tablets for
AEP students to do homework assignments and projects, conduct research, and access award-winning educational sites such as IXL and Kahn
Academy. AEP tutors have reported that when children forget their assignments at school, having a tablet allows them to access their work. They also report that students seem to have an easier time "staying on task” and are less resistant to doing their work because they enjoy using the technology. Computer literacy is integral to academic achievement, basic functioning in the workplace, and the completion of countless tasks in our daily lives. Providing computers for PWF youth helps bridge the digital divide, offering technology access to low-income and minority youth.
Financial Literacy workshops are part of PWF’s holistic approach to advance our youth’s personal and academic development, which includes
making every effort to engage the parents of program participants. The PWF has significantly increased parental engagement by offering Financial
Literacy Workshops with assistance from Straight Road International, a non-profit organization that serves communities by offering education on
personal finance. The workshop is offered as a three-part series. Topics include effective saving strategies, how to pay for college without going
into debt, and proper investing.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Enroll students into SFP with the expectation of 85% weekly participation.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
Saturday Fencing Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Ensure that SFP participants meet developmentally appropriate milestones in their fencing skills, including technical performance.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
Saturday Fencing Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2020 and 2021, like many, faced challenges with programming during the Covid pandemic and PWF offered online instruction, training, mentoring and tutoring.
Enroll 35-40 students annually in the Competitive Athlete Program
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Afterschool Leadership Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Previously known as Afterschool Leadership Program. Re-named Competitive Athlete Program in 2019.
Enroll at least 40 students in the Academic Enrichment Program during the school year.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
Academic Enrichment Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Provide 72 hours of academic enrichment in the form of tutoring, homework help, standardized test preparation, literacy assistance, access to technology and academic/college counseling.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
Academic Enrichment Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
PWF increased from 2 to 3 meetings per month in academic year 2015-2016.
Successfully train Competitive Athlete Program participants to compete in national and world competitions, demonstrating athletic ability and good sportsmanship.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Afterschool Leadership Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Previously known as Afterschool Leadership Program. Re-named Competitive Athlete Program in 2019.
Number of high school graduates who are persisting in college
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Academic Enrichment Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Percentage (%) of participants graduating HS and attending college.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
PWF aims to transform the lives of underserved youth and families through the unique sport of fencing to create a positive environment where participants are provided mentors and teachers to help them learn, grow, and achieve their highest potential - physically, mentally, and academically. PWF has established the following core competencies: preparing minority youth to compete in the highest echelons of fencing, including the Olympic Games; attracting and retaining a significant population of African-American males; teaching youth to achieve goals through discipline, perseverance and thoughtful actions; motivating academic achievement; providing strong, positive minority role models; and, enlisting an ever-expanding and supportive community focused on helping our young people succeed.
The primary objectives of the year-round program are to help young people to:
• Equip themselves with the life skills that enable them to take control of their futures
• Strive for academic excellence
• Develop leadership skills
• Build self-confidence
• Gain exposure to people from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Learn about healthy living
• Develop their sense of civic duty and community service
• Foster a sense of community inspired by a common love of fencing
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
PWF offers multiple programs for participants at various ages and levels. We offer our Olympians in Life Program (which combines the Saturday Fencing and Academic Enrichment Programs) and Competitive Athlete Program, which have proven to be effective tools in helping participants build confidence, physical ability, develop life skills, and improve academic outcomes.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Since our founding in 1991, we have developed a systematic formula for taking ordinary students in underserved communities and transforming them into world-class athletes. In fact, the Peter Westbrook Foundation has done more to integrate the fencing community than any other organization in the world, helping to break down racial and class barriers that once seemed insurmountable. The PWF believes in taking a holistic approach to youth development. In addition to offering a first-class athletic experience, our staff serve as mentors for our students, and offer guidance on areas varying from health to academic and career development. We regularly invite prominent guest speakers to share their knowledge and strategies for success. In the past, we've had professionals from all walks of life participate, including music moguls, elected officials and Hollywood actors and tech entrepreneurs.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
From its earliest inception, the Peter Westbrook Foundation has embraced the idea that physical fitness and emotional health is a symbiotic relationship—the success of one depending wholly on the other. Our fencers are the embodiment of the positive outcomes of an ongoing commitment to physical fitness and emotional well-being. They serve as role models to younger students, thus influencing a pipeline of healthy children, instilling in them values that will help them be healthy adults. Ultimately, lifelong involvement in physical activity extends individual lives, sustains a healthy workforce and supports a healthy community. As new students embrace the pedagogy, alums continue to embody it in their personal, professional and athletic lives. With its unique holistic approach, the Peter Westbrook Foundation transforms the lives of all participants, improving their physical and mental fitness, during the program and beyond.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Peter Westbrook Foundation Inc
Board of directorsas of 08/29/2023
Mr. Robert Cottingham
Sabre88 LLC
Term: 1991 -
Robert S. Dow
Lord Abbett & Company
Herb Raynaud
Airbo
Rod Brayman
Phoenix Beverage, Inc.
David O'Brien
Peterson Institute for International Economics
Kristina Perkin-Davison
iEurope Capital
Erinn Smart
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Keeth Smart
Physiclo, Inc.
Arthur Ashe (Posthumus)
Bill Schreyer (Posthumous)
Merrill Lynch
Robert Cottingham, Jr.
Sabre88
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/29/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.