PropMEUP! is a much needed resource for High School Youth!
About Us
About Us
PropMEUP! is born out of the pandemic’s effect on youth’s mental health. There has been a 40 percent increase over the last decade in the number of high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal tendencies.
- Mental health problems can affect a student’s energy level, concentration, dependability, mental ability, and optimism, hindering performance. Research suggests that depression is associated with lower grade point averages and that co-occurring depression and anxiety can increase this association.
- While each year of high school will have its own stressors, many will say junior year is the most challenging. Junior year can be the hardest for several reasons, but with the right prep and expectations, high school students can make the hardest year just a little easier.
The limited number of high school counselors and the growing number of students needing support, demand a need for an alternative and creative approach to addressing the overwhelming pressure to succeed.
PropMEUP! is a much-needed resource!
“PropMEUP! Is a fiscally sponsored project under the Federation of Neighborhood Centers, Inc.”
PropMEUP! is needed for
Foster Care Youth!
Higher education is not only a dream for most young people, it’s a vital stepping stone to established employment and financial stability. Unfortunately for foster youth, the financial resources, mentorship support, and guidance needed to complete post-secondary education or training programs are not common.
- More than 420,000 children and youth are already in the foster care system nationally.
- 90% of these children will experience severe trauma.
- 25% will attempt suicide.
- Of the 23,000 young adults who age out each year, 97% of these young adults will immediately enter chronic poverty.
- Studies have found that just 3-4% of former foster youth obtain a four-year college degree and between 2 and 6% receive a two-year degree.
Foster Care High School students need additional resources and their caseworkers are looking for assistance.
PropMEUP! is a much-needed resource!
“PropMEUP! Is a fiscally sponsored project under the Federation of Neighborhood Centers, Inc.”
PropMEUP! serves a diverse group of students, with the common goal of finding clarity to complete post-secondary education or training programs, necessary to obtaining stable employment.
The goal of PropMEUP! is to expose youth to group “creative performance”, which provides them the ability to generate original and effective ideas that translate into solving problems, meeting goals, and enhancing self-awareness.
This process will assist in reaching the children’s hidden emotions surrounding the transition from high school and what comes next for them.
This goal is achievable due to the success documented using the creative performance efficacy scale, for decades, as a successful and “fun” model for reaching children.
Our Story
Our Story
Sue Krawitz (she/ her/ hers) has over 30 years of business experience as a business advisor and consultant. She has been involved with student youth as a marketing/communications and events specialist for several years working with Politz Academy, DMAX Foundation, YEA – Young Entrepreneurial Academy, and Center for Creative Works.
Her passion to help youth has been at the forefront of her mission. As the pandemic has heightened the realization that so many students suffer today in high school, she has set her sights on developing PropMEUP!, a specialized resource that will help to make the stressful transition from high school and beyond one of growth, exploration, and success.
Fern Shapiro (she/ her/ hers), M.A., MFT is a trained individual, couples, and family therapist. She works in private practice integrating conventional and alternative therapeutic approaches to healing. She is currently addressing the needs of adolescents within a group setting, facilitating and supporting individual growth, in conjunction with establishing interactive group cohesion.
Fern’s goal for PropMEUP! is to invite high school students to therapeutic theater, an action-oriented process of engagement with oneself and within the transformative qualities of a group.
Lauren Sanborn (she/her/hers) M.T. is a professional educator
who has experience working with students of varying ages and backgrounds. She received her Master’s degree from the University of Virginia in 2021, with endorsements in elementary and special education.
In addition to working with youth as an educator, Lauren has extensive volunteer experience in the mental health field. She discovered a passion for mental health advocacy and support while completing her undergraduate studies, where she volunteered as a confidential crisis hotline operator with her school’s volunteer center. She went on to receive a certification in mental health first aid in 2018.
Lauren is inspired by the opportunity to combine her love for working with young people with her drive to provide support for mental health issues. She is excited to contribute her skills and expertise in order to help make PropMEUP!’s vision a reality, and have a positive impact on teens’ lives.
Our Team
Our Team
Sue Krawitz
Fern Shapiro, M.A., MFT
Lauren Sanborn
Jan Bira
Kathy Dawson, J.D, SPHR
Debra Harris
Dr. Jeri Sebastion, Psychologist
Jerry Tapley, Executive Director – FNC Philly
Michael Harbison –Vice President of Partnerships – FNC Philly
Adam Wilder, CFO – FNC Philly
Jim Kernicky – Website Deveoper
Marcus Garrett – CRM Developer
Kate McGinnis
Sophie Gern
Sydney Harris