Jessica Suitto, Bobbie Hernandez, and Gladys Franceschi

In Room 202 at Manhattan Comprehensive, CYD’s Director of Student Support Services Bobbie Hernandez and her team operate a combination of safe haven and triage unit. Student support is an essential component of CYD’s “wraparound” services, which supplement academic support by assessing and addressing any barriers that might derail a student from graduating. Room 202 is a place of warmth and understanding, where team members Hernandez, Gladys Franceschi, and Jessica Suitto each work with more than 100 students. They refer students to food pantries, shelters and room rentals, free medical and mental health care, and public assistance. The team also oversees the Learning to Work paid internship program where students gain skills and experience.

When meeting a new student, the team asks them to identify their long-term goal, and then helps them map out the steps to attain it. As Hernandez says, “If you meet students where they are, you can prepare them for opportunities to be successful.” The team works closely with other CYD staff and with MCNDHS’s social worker and guidance counselors.

After graduation, staff checks in with each student for a year. But the bonds created in Room 202 often last even longer. Many alumni visit years later, introducing a new baby, sharing a success, or just reconnecting with a trusted advisor. Hernandez says, “Our students are amazing, and we love working with them.”

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