Rochester Reporter

The 2024-2025 season for Thursday Thinkers: Insights into Rochester begins next week with the first of three discussion forums aimed at helping parents support their children's academic success and college ambitions.

The initial forum, titled "Deciphering RCSD School Choice and the Charter School Lottery," is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Rochester Community Sports Complex, located at 460 Oak St. Dr. Shanai Lee, executive director of Rochester Education and Development for Youth (READY), will be the presenting partner.

Participants will learn how to navigate the process of selecting the best public-school option for their child based on neighborhood schools within the Rochester City School District (RCSD), citywide schools with specialized programs, and the charter school lottery. They will also be introduced to the READY School Finder internet search engine, which provides accessible information on all public-school options.

Thursday Thinkers is an adult- and family-enrichment series hosted by the City’s Department of Recreation and Human Services (DRHS). Each event features discussions with representatives from government and community agencies, programs, and other resources. Events are held on at least two Thursday evenings each month at a City R-Center or recreation facility, covering different themes each month.

Following this Thursday's event, additional forums will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the same location on these dates:

- Thursday, Oct. 17: "Preparing Black Scholars for the College Application Season." This session focuses on challenges and opportunities for Black students during the college application process. The Urban League of Rochester’s Black Scholars program is partnering in this session, led by Taurean Uthman, Vice President of Youth Education and Development.

- Thursday, Oct. 24: "Uncovering the Mystery of Scholarships and Financial Aid During the College Application Season." Participants will learn about various scholarship and financial aid opportunities available to students including FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), CSS Profile, Excelsior Scholarship; Rochester Institute of Technology’s Destler/Johnson Rochester City Scholars; and University of Rochester’s Rochester Promise. The presenting partner is the Rochester Education Foundation with Tawana Jackson and Phil Hounshell leading this conversation.