New Canaan's Ellen Berube One of Three Hired by Educational Nonprofit

An announcement from Future 5:

Future 5, a nonprofit that helps motivated, low-income high school students in Stamford graduate and connect to a better and sustainable education and career path, announced the hiring of three new additions to their staff: Jane Kessler Hickok, director of operations, Thomas Agosto, director of students and Ellen Berube, student advocate.

Berube

New Canaan resident, Ellen Berube, graduated from Elon University in December 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in education and will report to Agosto in the role of student advocate. Berube will work alongside Agosto, the coaching staff and directly with student members to ensure their participation in Future 5’s after-school workshops and the implementation of each student’s game plan.

Berube has elementary teaching experience in the Longmeadow, MA public school system as well as Gibsonville, NC. After graduating from Elon she traveled to Tanzania where she spent three months with the Tanzanian Children’s Fund, working and living in an orphanage with 7 to 14 year old girls. Berube then volunteered in a two-room primary school on the island of Man-O-War in the Bahamas. She has also spent time tutoring and training personnel in Haiti and is excited to be focusing on recruiting and working with the high school members of Future 5.

Hikok

Fairfield resident Jane Kessler Hickok joins Future 5 from her previous position as public relations coordinator at Meadow Ridge, a retirement community in Redding, CT, where she managed communications, social media and community outreach. As the owner of Writers Ink, an editorial services company, Jane worked as a freelance developmental editor and copy editor for several large publishers. She was formerly a copy editor for Air Age Publishing and executive editor of Policy Review, a publication of The Heritage Foundation. Jane holds a BA in English from Denison University.

“We accomplish a great deal, servicing more than 100+ students and ensuring that each one of them graduates from high school, with a very small and efficient staff and the hub of all activities is with the director of operations,” said McFeely.

Agosto

Agosto, a Norwalk resident, attended Norwalk Community College and finished up at the University of Connecticut, where he earned a BA in psychology before attending Fairfield University where he earned a Master of Arts in school counseling. Prior to Future 5, Agosto was employed at Wallace Middle School located in Waterbury, CT, where he was a guidance counselor for eighth graders preparing them for high school. He also brings international experience to Future 5 as he worked with youth as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica from 2011 through 2013.

“Thomas’ experience makes him an ideal candidate to be our director of students, a newly created position, that will allow us to more closely focus on each individual student and their progress throughout the academic year,” added McFeely.

Agosto will be responsible for Future 5 student services such as recruitment and tracking, liaison between Stamford’s four high school communities and Future 5, and coaching our students as they create a game-plan for a successful transition from high school to college and beyond. He will also work closely with Future 5’s volunteer coaching staff and facilitate workshops and guest speaker appearances for its student membership.

“We’re thrilled to be able to hire Jane, Thomas and Ellen. This is going to be a dynamic year for our Future 5 student members,” said McFeely

If you are interested in learning more about Future 5 or volunteering to work with their high school student members, visit the website, www.Futurefive.org or contact at 203-358-8787.

About Future 5

FUTURE 5 is a nonprofit serving motivated high school students in Stamford. Its mission is to connect disconnected high school students to a better education and career path as well as a life-altering network of ongoing support. Future 5’s philosophy and community strengthens a student’s self-esteem through character building workshops, job preparation programs and one-on-one coaching. Future 5 students develop the motivation and a game-plan for achievement in school and life.

Photo (from left to right): Clif McFeely, executive director, Jane Kessler Hickok, director of operations, Ellen Berube, student advocate, Thomas Agosto, director of students