Promise Academy Science Teacher To Students: ‘You Have a Future in the Sciences’

Teachers measure their impact on students in many ways: improved test scores, a college acceptance letter, and even a smile.

Or, in Jerry Perez’s case, a note.

On a recent school day, the HCZ Promise Academy science teacher picked up a piece of paper left on his desk.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” read the note from a student who, with Jerry’s support, aced her test. He replied with one of his own: “You should be proud. You did it yourself.”

Strong teachers empower their students to know their potential. Perfect example: Jerry Perez. Everyday, he reminds his students that by working hard and believing in themselves, you can achieve your goals — like, launching a career in STEM.

“I always tell my students, ‘You can have a future in the sciences,’” Jerry says.

‘Spreading the Wealth’

Jerry is one of the many teachers at HCZ Promise Academy who is transforming the lives of his scholars. Like many of our teachers, Jerry’s commitment to our scholars is personal.  

While Jerry never attended a Harlem Children’s Zone program growing up, the organization — and our focus on college as the primary pathway to social and economic mobility — rubbed off on him. He had his sisters to thank for that. Jerry graduated from high school at a time when his friends were thinking about getting jobs, not degrees. But when he got accepted to college, his sisters — empowered by their experience participating in our after-school programs — made sure he enrolled.

“They were influencing their older brother, their younger cousins, and their friends,” Jerry says. “They were spreading this wealth of information around.”

Now, as a Promise Academy science teacher, Jerry is the spreading the wealth himself.
 

Connection Turns into Commitment

Jerry has always been connected to Harlem Children’s Zone. But it wasn’t until after the events of 9/11 that that connection turned into a commitment. After witnessing the tragedy, he felt an urge to give back and deepen his relationship with his community. He began volunteering at Promise Academy Elementary School, where he tutored scholars in science. 

The principal at the time “saw something in me and saw the kids were completely engaged,” Jerry recalls. She urged him to become a Promise Academy science teacher and, driven by a passion to change the lives of his scholars, he did.

“These children’s lives are at stake,” Jerry says. “This is their future. That has to mean something — to me, it definitely means something.”
 

Helping Scholars ‘See Their Future’

For Jerry, teaching is about empowering scholars to understand their potential.

Just as his sisters impacted him by way of their experience at Harlem Children’s Zone, so too is Jerry impacting his scholars.

“I could tell there was something different about my sisters,” Jerry recalls of when they were attending our after-school programs. “They were able to see their future in a way that they couldn’t before. That’s the kind of impact they had on me. It’s the same impact I want to have on my scholarss.”