Building Blueprints for Brilliance: Summer 2025 at Buffalo Prep
This summer, over 200 Buffalo Prep scholars are participating in our academic enrichment programs at D’Youville University, Nichols School, and the University at Buffalo, spending five weeks immersed in learning, identity exploration, and community building.
Our 2025 theme, inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful 1967 speech to students in Philadelphia, asks:
“What is your life’s blueprint?”
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This question is the foundation of our summer, guiding everything from academic projects and classroom conversations to guest visits and creative reflection.
Week One: Laying the Foundation
We began the summer by focusing on community building, helping scholars get to know each other, build relationships, and create a safe, joyful space for learning.
Across all three campuses, scholars participated in team-building games, identity-affirming activities, and thoughtful discussions about who they are and how they learn best.
Program Highlights: How Each Site Brings the Theme to Life
High School Prep | University at Buffalo
High School Prep scholars are using geometry to design personal blueprints, creating physical spaces that reflect their values and social justice priorities. They’ll also develop an invention to address a real-world community challenge, integrating design thinking and civic responsibility.
In ELA, scholars began engaging with Go Black Boy Fly, a book written by Buffalo Prep alumna TaNisha Fordham ’01. After watching the trailer, they are now diving into the book as a way to explore identity, voice, and creative expression.
Buffalo Prep House System
To deepen community and belonging, scholars are randomly sorted into four Houses in Buffalo Prep’s House System when they enter the program, inspired by the Ron Clark Academy. Each House has its own unique identity, including a name, symbol, crest, and hand signal, giving scholars ownership in shaping the tradition.
House activities will continue thoughout the summer, building camaraderie, healthy competition, and lasting bonds.
Middle School Prep | Nichols School
Middle School Prep is centered on the question:
“How Can Ordinary People Do Extraordinary Things?”
Scholars are learning about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, exploring local geography and history while reflecting on leadership and courage. By connecting the past to the present, they’re discovering how their own stories can shape the future.
Prep Scholars Academy | D’Youville University
At Prep Scholars Academy, the theme is “Illuminating Your Somebodiness,” inspired by Dr. King’s message about the inherent value of every person. Through creative expression and classroom collaboration, scholars are exploring who they are and who they are becoming.
Spotlight: “Who Am I?” Identity Activity
In Social Studies, scholars engaged in a two-part identity activity called “Who Am I?”
First, they created identity charts, placing their name at the center and surrounding it with symbols that define who they are. Flags representing heritage, favorite animals, hobbies, and cultural references filled the pages, from soccer balls and cats to cacti and colors.
Next, scholars transformed their visuals into paragraphs or poems. One student wrote a powerful poem titled “You Are You,” encouraging others not to judge differences. Another shared pride in her Jamaican roots, while others wrote about family, faith, or favorite foods.
In reflecting on the experience, many scholars said they learned how small personal details, from hairstyles to shopping habits, contribute to what makes them unique.
A Full Circle Moment: TaNisha Fordham ’01 Comes Home to Prep
There are visits – and then there are homecomings. On July 10 and 11, we had the incredible honor of welcoming back Buffalo Prep alumna TaNisha Fordham ‘01 — now an Oscar-nominated producer, Broadway associate director, award-winning writer, and filmmaker, for two inspiring days with our scholars.
Go Black Boy Fly Screening
TaNisha began her visit with a special screening of her original film, Go Black Boy Fly, based on her published book, for over 200 scholars from all of our summer programs: Prep Scholars Academy, Middle School Prep, and High School Prep. After the screening, scholars engaged in a meaningful Q&A, reflecting on the film’s themes and asking thoughtful questions about TaNisha’s journey, creative process, and what inspired her to tell this story.
She reminded each scholar that their lived experiences, feelings, and cultural truths matter — and that showing up fully and authentically is an act of strength.
“It is not lost on me the extreme privilege that I have in sharing this story and curriculum with the program that poured into me when I was just a young, Black girl — in some small way, especially in these chaotic and often uncertain times, holding hands and building with family and friends is revolutionary.”
More Than a Visit
For TaNisha, this was a full circle moment – returning to the place where her blueprint began, and pouring right back into the next generation of scholars. Watching her laugh, teach, reflect, and connect so deeply with our scholars was something special.
Come See It in Action
Want to witness Buffalo Prep’s summer in motion?
Join us for a Prep in Action visit this July! You’ll tour one of our program sites, meet scholars and educators, and experience firsthand the impact of our work.
- Thursday, July 24 at Nichols School
- Tuesday, July 29 at D’Youville University
- Wednesday, July 30 at University at Buffalo
Time: 8:30–10:00 AM
Stay Connected
We’ll be sharing photos, scholar projects, and special moments throughout the summer.
