Beyond the Boroughs Goes to Botswana!
In August of 2011, Beyond the Boroughs scholars Mariadis Akinci from the University of Central Florida, Amy Pruim from St. John’s University and Cathy Williams from Syracuse University along with Beyond the Boroughs Founder Tutan Reyes and Administrator Ray Reyes participated in a service learning trip to Botswana with The Somarela Fund.
Each year The Somarela Fund takes a group of students to Botswana to bolster and sustain humanitarian aid and social services. This summer’s trip lasted for two and a half weeks and the Beyond the Boroughs scholars were provided with full scholarships from The Somarela Fund to attend the trip. They joined students from Riverdale Country Day School in various projects that helped the community in Maun, Botswana. Students built a bathroom for a woman who is HIV positive. Students also planted seeds for over one hundred trees as a part of a highway beautification project, put mud on a hut made of sticks in order to keep the family of eight warm who lives in the hut and completed various projects at the Bana Ba Letsatsi community center for at risk youth. In addition to the service portion of the trip, participants were also able to go on two safaris in Moremi and Chobe National Park.
The trip helped the students find differences and commonalities amongst the Botswana people and culture. Each student is required to complete a project upon returning in order to bring back what they learned to their various communities.
Here are some highlights from the trip and we are extremely thankful to The Somarela Fund for making this trip possible for our scholars.
Beyond the Boroughs Selects Our 2011 Scholars
Beyond the Boroughs selected six scholars for the 2011-2012 academic year:
- Keith Byam – St. John’s University
- James Correa – Florida State University
- Peace and Love El Henson – University of California Berkeley
- David Osayande – New York University
- Felix Navarro – The City College of New York
- Angel Trinh – University of California Berkeley
Beyond the Boroughs would like to thank all of our supporters that helped us assist these deserving young men and women with attending institutions of higher education.
Going Beyond A Scholarship
Beyond the Boroughs goes Beyond a Scholarship
Our Fundraising Strategy
Tutan Reyes envisions Beyond the Boroughs as a movement beyond a scholarship fund. Giving in ways that make a difference shouldn’t be reserved for a privileged few any more than attending college should be. Our fund raising strategy honors all those who find a way to donate, and not merely the highest contributors.
Our Founder
Tutan Reyes takes this program as seriously as he took his day job with the NFL. Prior to starting a scholarship fund, he sought out the guidance of an experienced philanthropic advisor to ensure the program best benefited the young scholarship recipients. More interested in the accessibility of scholarships than personal acclaim, Reyes has made it easy for donors to establish scholarships in their own names, or in honor of loved ones.
Our Range
Beyond the Boroughs was not created to benefit a single segment of the population, or students of a particular ethnic or racial group, or those from a specific geographic area. It is not a scholarship fund for only the academically or athletically “gifted,†but rather aims to benefit all hardworking, low-income students who are motivated to further their education beyond high school.
Our Award
Beyond the Boroughs will award each student with up to $20,000 over four years. This is distributed as a maximum of up to $5,000 a year, renewable each year for all four years.
Our Timing
Prospective recipients can apply for a Beyond the Boroughs scholarship before the start of freshman year, or at any time during their undergraduate work.
NBC News Feature — A Giant Help for Kids Scholarships
View the original post, and vote on the feature at http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/56933487.html
Beyond the Boroughs Featured on Tonic.com
On Thursday, April 8th, 2010 the Beyond the Boroughs NFL Draft Cocktail Mixer Fundraiser was featured on Tonic.com. Click HERE to read the full article.
Thank you to Tonic.com for supporting Beyond the Boroughs!
Learn About Our Great Supporters
Colin: Long Island, NY
Colin is an 11-year-old Jacksonville Jaguar fan who heard about Beyond the Boroughs when Beyond the Boroughs founder, Tutan Reyes, was playing for the Jaguars. Colin set up a hot chocolate and brownie stand in his neighborhood and raised $200 that he donated to Beyond the Boroughs. Five months later, Colin attended our First Annual Football Mini-Camp, where he honed some of his football skills and was able to meet some of his favorite NFL players. Prior to the football camp, Colin had never met Tutan, but decided to do something to help students attend college.
Brenda: Queens, NY
Every month American Express employee Brenda makes a donation to Beyond the Boroughs from her paycheck as an Executive Assistant. American Express matches Brenda’s donation through the Charitable Donation Matching program. Through this program, Brenda gave Beyond the Boroughs more than $1,000 last year alone.
Lee: Staten Island, NY
Lee is a New York City educator and New York Giants season ticket holder who met Tutan at training camp when Tutan was a New York Giant. During their conversation Tutan told Lee about Beyond the Boroughs. Months later when Beyond the Boroughs was having a fundraising event, Tutan called to invite Lee. Lee decided to get more involved. He contacted all of his friends, colleagues, and family and was able to raise $1,000, which he donated to Beyond the Boroughs at our Bowling Challenge.
Will: Katonah, NY
Will attended the First Annual Beyond the Boroughs Football Mini-Camp when he was eight years old. The day after the mini-camp, Will’s parents found him cleaning the garage. Will asked his parents for money for doing this voluntary chore. When his parents asked why he had this sudden urge to make money, he said, I want to help Tutan send kids to college. He sent Tutan $42 in cash and a great letter to Beyond the Boroughs.
David: New York, NY
David works for BTIG, an institutional trading firm in New York City. David is a friend of a Beyond the Boroughs board member and was invited to a fund raising event. At the next event, David wanted to do more than attend. He took it upon himself to ask everyone who works on his trading floor for a donation and was able to raise $7,000, which he personally donated to Beyond the Boroughs at our Bowling Challenge.
Oscar de la Renta scores a Touchdown with Beyond the Boroughs
The Oscar de la Renta and Beyond the Boroughs Partnership is currently being featured on Miami.com. 
Oscar de la Renta & Beyond the Boroughs Partnership
Beyond the Boroughs is proud to partner with Oscar de la Renta to raise money and positively influence the lives of students from low-income families. The first of several events throughout the nation was the VIP shopping event co-sponsored by the Professional Football Players’ Mothers’ Association on February 3rd in Bal Harbour, FL, 20% of all sales went directly to raising money for a Beyond the Boroughs scholarship.
Beyond The Boroughs 2009 MiniCamp
In 2009, Beyond the Boroughs hosted its first Mini Camp. It was a great success! See photos below.
P.S. Thank you to all of the many supporters that made this possible! We value your contributions to empowering the youth that attended.
Beyond the Boroughs Kickoff Event 2008
The year 2008 was a breakthrough year for Beyond the Boroughs. We had the pleasure of hosting our Kickoff event, where we auctioned off personal donations made by friends of Beyond the Boroughs. Below are some photos.
