2025 Summer Program Overview

This past July, Locked and Stocked hosted a four-week summer program at Mercy University serving 52 scholars with the support of 9 volunteers and oversight from Ms. Brianna at Mercy, under the leadership of Marcus McGregor Jr. The program, running 8 AM–2 PM, four days a week, centered on both hard skill and soft skill development while fostering interpersonal growth. Students, primarily youth of color from the Bronx and Westchester County, commuted to campus by train and car to take part in this immersive experience. Over the course of the program, participants created their own businesses designed to serve their communities and competed in a pitch competition, with winners receiving $50 awards. Scholars also engaged in science research projects exploring the health qualities of cultural foods, culminating in a community potluck where they shared homemade dishes. The program was entirely student-led by high school mentors with adult supervision, providing a unique peer-to-peer learning environment.