What studying in Florence did for me

My last year at FIT was in Florence, Italy. I applied for the study abroad program in 2003 and got in!
I was not completely surprised because my past experiences always taught me that when I WANT something badly and WORK HARD to get it.. it happens and so did this opportunity.

Flying to Europe for the first time was a bit scary but exciting. I was leaving New York City behind, my family, my home.. everything was going to be different and I couldn’t wait. To be honest, I was so over my life here and I wanted something new and how much ‘new’ can it get than moving to a new country, new language, new culture, ALL NEW!

This is NOT EASY but if you dare, you can do it.

I met so many great people, learned their customs, their language, their FOOD, their music, their PASSION! I learned so much about PASSION!

All of these things, when I returned and began to teach, wanted for my students. This was why I began the Study Abroad Program at the High School of Fashion Industries.

Next summer will mark the 7th time HSFI travels to Florence, Italy with students eager to discover and expand their perspectives on life and the world through EDUCATION.

Unlike me, who had to pay and am STILL PAYING for the experience I had thanks to student loans, our students have the opportunity to go thanks to the generosity of our host school, Florence University of the Arts. Scholarships provided by them will be available in the fall as they have been in the past.
And thanks to the unrelenting mission of the non-profit Power of One For All fundraising has begun for a particular group of students, NX Candidates.

COVID has lifted the veil on the disparities that exist in our great city. Education was especially hit hard as our students struggled to learn in uncertainty. To alleviate the anxiety of failing grades, the DOE introduced NX grades.

NX grades, which would’ve been F’s pre-COVID are grades that do not affect present GPAs yet will need to be remediated in order to graduate.
Many high school students have seen these NX’s mount in the past 3 semesters and after this semester could easily think ‘What’s the point?’

Although that was never my mindset, I couldn’t afford to fail, I recognize many of our young adults are different. This is why as Co-Founder of PoOFA, we decided to offer a full scholarship to that ONE NX Candidate that despite what can seem like an impossibility, resolves ALL of their NX’s by the time we depart to Florence, Italy in 2022! Are you one of them?

This could be your chance… You could experience all of that ‘newness’ I felt when I studied there. This application will be available at the end of June.. Hope this piques your interest and you begin to resolve all of your NX obligations.. you can do it!

And to those that can help, please donate to this cause:

Thank you in Advance and SPREAD THE WORD!!