Bronx, New York · Founded 2025

The world doesn't give grit. We build it.

The Masters Project is a Saturday academic and developmental program for Bronx 6th graders with untapped potential — building the academic foundation and psychological tools to not just recover, but excel.

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Scholars per cohort

2:1

Scholar to intern ratio

6th

The inflection point

6–8

Grades served

"We prepare scholars for the realities of the world ahead — without subjecting them to those same realities before they're ready."

— Stephen Hopkins, Founder & Executive Director

How We Work

Three Pillars of Development

Every element of our program works together — academic mastery, identity, and environment reinforce each other in every session.

Academic Mastery

Intensive ELA and Math instruction aligned to NYS 6th grade standards with a 2:1 scholar-to-intern ratio. The goal is grade-level mastery — giving every scholar a strong foundation for 7th grade and beyond.

Identity & Navigation

The Navigator's Lab builds grit, resilience, and each scholar's Master Narrative. We prepare students for the realities of the world ahead — without subjecting them to those realities before they're ready.

Exposure & Aspiration

The program operates at a partner school site, with an intentional long-term vision of hosting in aspirational venues — college campuses and independent school settings — where scholars can physically experience environments designed for achievement.

The Research Foundation

Why 6th Grade Is the Inflection Point

The Critical Transition

The move into middle school is one of the most consequential transitions in a young person's academic life. Research consistently shows that students who enter 7th grade without strong academic foundations and a positive academic identity are at significantly elevated risk for long-term disengagement.

Students' self-perceptions of academic competence are critical in early adolescence

Middle school transitions coincide with disruptive developmental shifts

Risks are magnified for youth from low-income and minority backgrounds

Identity Is the Mechanism

Academic failure is rarely purely academic. Scholars who have internalized messages that they do not belong in certain learning spaces stop engaging before they even try. Ethnic-racial identity and academic identity are deeply intertwined — and both are malleable during early adolescence.

The Masters Project was designed in direct response to a 2017 applied research study at NYU Steinhardt that identified these exact gaps across comparable NYC youth programs — and found no program was addressing them simultaneously.

"Ethnic-racial identity, socialization, and discrimination are interdependent and mutually defining. Focusing on the specific characteristics of settings — families, peers, schools — in which identity develops is critical for positive youth outcomes."

— Dr. Diane Hughes, Professor of Applied Psychology, NYU Steinhardt (Advances in Child Development and Behavior, 2016)

Our Program

A Saturday Designed for Scholars

Three hours each Saturday. Small cohort. High-touch. Every block is intentionally sequenced — cognitive work first, physical reset in the middle, identity work to close.

Time	Block	What Happens
9:00 – 9:15	Arrival + Snacks	Scholars settle in, healthy snacks provided, informal connection with program staff and NYU interns
9:15 – 10:15	Math Mastery	NYS 6th grade standards and algebra readiness through problem-based learning — not worksheets. 2:1 support model.
10:15 – 10:30	Break	Justin-led movement and physical reset — neurological preparation for the ELA block
10:30 – 11:30	ELA Mastery	Critical reading and persuasive writing using culturally relevant texts. 2:1 support model.
11:30 – 12:00	Navigator's Lab	Grit, resilience, code-switching, identity, and real-world navigation skills schools rarely teach
12:00 – 12:15	Q&A + Dismissal	Open dialogue, weekly Mastery Journal entry, individual check-ins

Our Team

Built by People Who Know This Community

Every member of our team brings lived experience, professional credentials, and a direct connection to the Bronx scholars we serve.

Stephen Hopkins

Founder & Executive Director

Senior Project Manager, Westchester Medical Center.
B.S. Applied Psychology, NYU Steinhardt.

Justin Feliz

Director of Operations

Currently: Canterbury School.
Previously: Ethical Culture Fieldston School.
Director of Operations, Make a Play (501c3 Nonprofit).
B.S. Sports Management, Sacred Heart University.

Ricardo Mercado

Director of Curriculum

Currently: Equality Charter School.
Previously: Ethical Culture Fieldston Middle School.
NYC Teacher, 10 YOE.
B.S. Biology, M.S. Kinesiology.

Omar Vargas

Community Outreach

Outreach Care Coordinator, NYC Healthcare.
Specialist in at-risk youth and family engagement.
Community bridge between program and families.

Get In Touch

Let's Build Something Together

Who We Want to Hear From

We are actively building partnerships with Bronx schools, venue partners, NYU faculty, and anyone who believes in this work. If any of the below describes you, we want to talk.

Bronx school principals and administrators

University faculty and research partners

Community organizations and venue partners

NYU students interested in internship opportunities

Families with 6th grade scholars at Bronx schools

Anyone who wants to support the mission

stephen@mastersproject.org