Summer Search

Jay Jacobs. Jay holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota (1992), and a master of theological studies degree from Harvard Divinity School (1995). He came to Summer Search after working in the field of summer experiential education including experiences as a student and instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School. Jay founded Summer Search Boston… See full bio.

The nonprofit has not added any comments yet. If you are a representative of this nonprofit and would like to leave a comment, please email us at feedback@myphilanthropedia.org with your request.

Story: Read about a story of an immigrant student who had to move from El Salvador to United States to escape shootings, murders, and gang violence, and how Summer Search has helped her adjust to the new life in the U.S: Dear Summer Search, There are immigrants who move to the United States to live a better life, get a better job and help their families who need the money or just simply for persecution. Some people think this change of life is an easy task, but they cannot judge others unless they actually go through this process themselves. I lived in El Salvador with my mom and my grandmother for eight years. I never met my father because he left my mother before I was born and later I found out he was no longer alive. Growing up without a father has been quite difficult, as a little girl I saw both of my friends parents show up at parent meetings, they got picked up by their dads after school, and also the kids talked about how cool their dads were while I could not join in those conversations. Now it is not as difficult to overcome because I guess I have gotten used to the situation but there are moments when I wish he were with me. All three of us lived in my grandmother’s small house; it had a kitchen, a small bathroom, a living room and one bedroom. I attended an excellent private school where I learned the basics of my English. I had many great friends and most of my family lived close to each other. My family was so big that the majority of the weekends we would have birthday parties or other types of celebrations and excuses to gather up and have a good time. I liked the life that I lived while being there; I was happy and enjoyed every minute of it. There was only one major problem that we all worried about: gangs and violence. Everyday it seemed like it just kept getting worse. There were shootings and murders almost daily, and when gangs roamed the streets people had to get out of their way to ensure their own safety. This was what made my mother make the biggest decision of her life because she wanted to ensure my safety. Moving from El Salvador to the United States was not an easy task for my mother and me. I was eight years old and did not comprehend how this would impact my life and change it forever. All I knew back then was that as long as I was next to my mother everything else did not matter. In total, we moved eleven times in five years, bouncing from living in one garage to the next. All this moving was a big deal for me because when I was actually finally getting used in living in one place, we had to move once more. It was also sad and uncomfortable to me when my friends asked why I moved so often and why they could never come over to my house to visit. Finally we decided to move to St. Helena, to be close to one of my aunts. It was in the middle of my sophomore year that I received a call slip from the office saying that I would have an interview with Summer Search. I knew nothing about the program, I thought it was a school related club or something. When it was my turn for my interview, I didn’t know what they would ask me so at first I was calm about the whole thing. I sat in a room with four people staring at me waiting for me to speak. It was pretty uncomfortable in the beginning, but then I found myself saying things that I would never tell anyone, especially people that I had just met. It was weird. I felt sad for remembering those hard times I went through, but at the same time it felt relieving just getting everything out of my system. My first call was tough to make because I didn’t know whom I would speak with or what we would talk about. Then I was informed that Jessica would be my mentor from that day on and that she would help me throughout the whole process. I deeply feel that the relationship between Jessica and I has been growing ever since the first day. She is a person that I can trust with everything and can tell about anything that could be troubling me. The first trip that I made was to Eagle’s Nest, an outdoors camp, located in North Carolina. There, I was able to communicate more freely with people because I knew I had to speak up in order to make some friends. I went rock climbing, whitewater rafting, camping out, and hiking thirty miles of the Appalachian Trail. It was an unforgettable experience that I will always keep with me. I got so close to the people because we spent 24/7 together! On the inside I felt like I could accomplish new things even when I told myself I couldn’t do them, I could take risks without being afraid, and if I only opened up myself just a little I could gain many more wonderful friends. First of all I would like to thank Summer Search for this unforgettable experience and for giving me the chance to join this spectacular program. Giving opportunities to people like me that are low income and are going through trouble really makes an impact on their lives. If it wouldn’t have been for you guys I would’ve probably never been able to experience any of this and would still be the shy girl I was two years ago. It is not only about the trips, it is also about having someone to speak with whenever I feel like nobody else can listen and it is also about the support one gets from all of you. For all this I would like to thank Jessica and the other staff. There are no words that can thank all of you enough. (Read more stories at: http://www.summersearch.org/about/stories/student/nbessay.aspx)

Evidence of Impact Summary:

This program identifies first in family to attend college students and provides a strong boost of confidence and experience that supports them to get into college and stay there. College acceptance and going rates are in the high 90 percent range for participations. In addition to the individualized support they provide, they help participants realize that they can and should set their sights high as they move through their educational pathway.
See expert comments.

Organization Strengths Summary:

While experts praise a variety of Summer Search's capabilities, its board and senior leadership receive consistent praise across respondents. The clarity of Summer Search's vision and ability to replicate its model were noted by others.
See expert comments.

Areas for Improvement Summary:

Experts most often suggest Summer Search expand service and scale its operations. Other recommendations include expanding outreach, collaborating with other non profits, and building alumni networks.
See expert comments.

Select the boxes to display the results according to expert type.

Show:

Select the boxes to display the results according to expert type.

Show:

Select the boxes to display the results according to expert type.

Show:

Jay holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota (1992), and a master of theological studies degree from Harvard Divinity School (1995). He came to Summer Search after working in the field of summer experiential education including experiences as a student and instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School. Jay founded Summer Search Boston in 1995 and built that office to serve nearly 200 students annually. In August of 2002, Jay moved to San Francisco to build a national team with Linda Mornell and currently serves as CEO, overseeing national operations.

The nonprofit has not added any comments yet. If you are a representative of this nonprofit and would like to leave a comment, please email us at feedback@myphilanthropedia.org with your request.