Shepherds

We're honored to be featured in the 2025 Annual Report of the Westport Weston Family YMCA and the Bedford Family Social Responsibility Fund.

Thank you to both organizations for recognizing Shepherds and the impact of our mentoring, tuition assistance, and college access programs. Partnerships like these help create life-changing opportunities for young people across our community.

We're grateful for your support and proud to stand alongside so many organizations working to strengthen the lives of youth, families and communities. https://bit.ly/4xundyr Westport Weston Family YMCA Kolbe Cathedral High School Notre Dame High School Lauralton Hall Fairfield Prep

What a great way to kickoff summer!😎 Shepherds Freshman mentor Mary O'Brien and Shepherds Sophomore mentor Liz Schroeder Ward took their mentee’s Claire Z. and Kaitlyn Z. out for dinner to Romanacci’s in Trumbull last night to celebrate the end of the year and the end of finals! Kolbe Cathedral High School Notre Dame High School Lauralton Hall Fairfield Prep

Tay'vian Laing, Harvard University Class of 2026 (Shepherds /Kolbe Cathedral High School '22) says it all. https://bit.ly/4x34r0L

Dear Harvard, From the moment I first got accepted all the way to graduation, you have given me countless opportunities and memories that I will always be grateful for. I thank God for all that He has done for me, whether it be access to the greatest education in the world or blessing me with SOOO many wonderful individuals who have truly shaped my life. Being the first person from my high school to be accepted into Harvard was always a victory I accepted not only for me, but for all of those who come from my city. Bridgeport will always be better than what they think about us and I am proud to be living proof of that 🤞🏾. that’s all folks, Harvard Dollaz out.

“You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give," says Fairfield Prep alumnus and longtime Shepherds supporter John Santa ’60.

John was one of the first to join the Shepherds Mentors program, a connection that has continued to bring him back to the Prep community in meaningful ways. Today, John is proudly sponsoring Shepherds/Fairfield Prep Class of 2029 mentee Jaycob Estrada (mentor: Chris Duffy), continuing his commitment to supporting the next generation of Prep students through mentorship and opportunity.

Read more about his journey: https://bit.ly/43rAaeq Kolbe Cathedral High School Notre Dame High School Lauralton Hall Fairfield Prep

Alumni Spotlight: John Santa ’60 – A Lifelong Connection to Fairfield Prep John Santa ’60 credits Fairfield Prep with shaping his lifelong commitment to faith, service, and connection. From his early days as a waitlisted applicant to becoming a dedicated alumnus and mentor, John embodies the enduring impact of a Jesuit education. Actively involved with Shepherds Mentors,...

Kolbe Cathedral High School Notre Dame High School Lauralton Hall Fairfield Prep

Help Support our NEW partnership with Fairfield Prep! Kolbe Cathedral High School Notre Dame High School Lauralton Hall Fairfield Prep

Help Support our NEW Partnership with Fairfield Prep! Email from Shepherds, Inc. A new partnership means more students, more opportunity.   www.shepherdsmentors.org FOLLOW US: Shepherds, Inc. | 299 Washington Avenue | Bridgeport, CT 06604 US Unsubscr

CONGRATULATIONS Shepherds/Notre Dame West Haven Class of 2026 Mentees Alberto and Steven Torres and mentors Jason Sherrod and Dennis Klemenz on this AMAZING achievement!!

What a great day in NYC for Shepherds/Kolbe Cathedral Class of 2028 mentor Don Sullivan and his mentee Ziel N.! 🗽🚆

After taking the Metro North train into the city, they explored some of New York’s most iconic sights, walking up Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral before heading uptown to visit the Society Of Illustrators and the Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art - MoCCA (perfect for Ziel, who enjoys creating his own artwork at home!)

After taking the subway downtown for lunch at historic Keens Steakhouse, one of NYC’s oldest restaurants, they wrapped up the day with an unforgettable trip to the top of the Empire State Building overlooking the city skyline. Kolbe Cathedral Prep Notre Dame High School Lauralton Hall Fairfield Prep

Our "End of the Year" Celebration brought together the entire Shepherds community—mentors, mentees, families, Board, staff, partner schools, supporters, and sponsors—to honor what’s possible when commitment and care come together.

A special congratulations to our incredible Class of 2026. From college acceptances to lifelong mentor relationships, this is what impact looks like.

Grateful for ALL of our mentors and to our partner schools—Kolbe Cathedral, Notre Dame West Haven, Lauralton Hall, and Fairfield Prep—and for every person who plays a role in changing lives… one student at a time.

Take a look through the program from this special day (great pics to follow!): Kolbe Cathedral High School Notre Dame High School Lauralton Hall Fairfield Prep

Online Flipbook Created with the Heyzine flipbook maker

Here's a look into this year’s Shepherds Spring College Tour! Each spring, our sophomores and juniors step onto college campuses to experience firsthand what their futures can look like.

This year, students visited College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA and Providence College in Providence, RI. By exploring dorms, sitting in on presentations, walking through academic spaces, they were able to get a real feel for college life and the admissions process.

These moments matter. For many of our students—often first-generation college-bound—seeing themselves on a college campus helps turn possibility into reality. Notre Dame High School Lauralton Hall Fairfield Prep Kolbe Cathedral Prep