Now located on Shore Drive in Worcester, Bancroft School was originally established on Elm Street by a group of parents in 1900. Over a century later, its connection to Elm Street lives on through the Worcester Partnership Program, which was created to give students at Elm Park Community School the opportunity to come to Bancroft School over the summer to prevent learning loss and support uninterrupted skill development for the challenges of the year ahead.

The four-week summer program offers a wellrounded experience that helps ease students’ transitions from one grade level to the next, starting with rising first graders and continuing through ninth grade. 

The program mixes academic lessons that challenge with recreational activities designed to build teamwork and positive social interactions.

Charlie Aleksiewicz, known affectionately by the kids as Mr. A, founded the Worcester Partnership Program in 2003 and ran the program until he retired at the end of 2024. 

Reflecting on the program’s growth over the years, Charlie noted how it expanded to include students from other Worcester schools, allowing participants to stay connected even if they graduate or move away from Elm Park Community School. “You have students of all ages that live throughout Worcester, who otherwise wouldn’t interact much, that stay in touch throughout the year with the help of Worcester Partnership,” he said

One of the Partnership’s core goals is to foster a sense of belonging and teamwork among students. The enthusiasm for the program from the students is clear: dozens of students show up to the optional Saturday morning sessions during the academic year. 

Lupe Lomeli, the new director of the Partnership, says that’s what has surprised her most so far: “The fact that all these students want to show up on a Saturday morning after being in school all week… It shows me the love that goes into the program and that the students look forward to coming.”

In addition to the summer program, participants take part in eight to ten engaging learning activities on Saturday mornings during the academic year.

With Mr. A’s retirement, the Worcester Partnership Program is entering a new era. Lupe hopes to follow in Charlie’s footsteps, keeping students enriched academically while letting them have fun with learning. 

With a background in counseling, she plans to incorporate college prep, financial literacy, and guidance for older participants into the program. Otherwise, she intends to keep the Partnership running as it has for 22 years — because, as the oldage saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

This story was originally published in our 2024 Annual Report.