Dear Friends of Steppingstone,

My name is Danielle Bynoe-Farid and I started my journey with Steppingstone as a Scholar in 2003. I can’t believe more than 20 years have already passed! 

Today, I want to share a little about my journey and why my husband Jalil and I are celebrating Steppingstone’s Day of Giving. 

Steppingstone has altered my life path in unimaginable ways. I can say today that my access to an independent school and all that it offers was directly correlated to Steppingstone’s belief in me.

Although Massachusetts is often heralded as the model for pre-college education nationwide, my family was aware of the educational inequalities in Boston, specifically for under-resourced communities. My mother worked for a bank in Boston and her manager had children at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School (BB&N). Her manager explained how these preparatory schools can level the playing field and provide the resources and guidance required for college admission. She encouraged my mother to have me apply—so I did.

I can’t remember if it was pre-kindergarten or first grade, but I do remember having an in-person interview. I was denied admission. Alas, things happen. I tried again in fifth grade. This time, I applied to BB&N along with Dana Hall, Winsor, Noble and Greenough and a few other schools. I still didn’t get in. My parents and I could not figure out what was wrong. I had stellar grades and I was a respectful child. My parents did their best, with what little they had, and had me participate in extracurricular activities so I was a pretty well rounded student. However, I could not get a foot through the door.

During the time when I was applying for fifth grade, my mom became aware of Steppingstone through a fortuitous scenario. I applied immediately and was accepted after several essays and interviews. The rest is history! 

Danny at the Steppingstone Class of 2004 commencement. 

Third time's the charm! I landed a spot at Beaver Country Day School after being waitlisted. Steppingstone knew how to navigate these scenarios. Being on a waitlist doesn’t mean you wait until your name pops up. It was an opportunity to plead your case and demonstrate 1) what value you can add to the community and 2) highlight anything they may have missed or overlooked in your application that shows you are amazing. And that’s what I did. I wrote a letter to Beaver Country Day School. This is not something the average person knows to do. However, Steppingstone, through its close relationships with these schools, and its hundreds of success stories, knew how to give me that competitive edge. I am forever thankful for that!

Beaver Country Day exposed me to a new world. In high school, I was able to travel to Costa Rica and China. I learned project management through co-leading a students of color conference run by the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE). I studied abroad at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) during my senior year at the Media Lab. These were great opportunities that Steppingstone ultimately allowed me to have.

After high school, I went on to graduate from Colgate University in 2014 where I studied Cellular Neuroscience and Sociology. Then, I attended Boston University School of Public Health for my Masters in Public Health, where I studied epidemiology. Unfortunately now, I no longer have to explain what it means! My interest lies in healthcare data and analytics and I currently work for the healthcare consulting firm Genesis Research as a senior scientist. 

Danny volunteering with other members of the Board of Young Professionals in 2023 at a fundraising event they organized for Steppingstone.

Again, I am where I am because of Steppingstone. Before college, I always tried to help out where I could. I would volunteer for events with Steppingstone, and even interned with them during high school. It was hard to continue this engagement in college in Upstate New York and then during grad school in Boston. After finishing my academic training (for now...I do hope to get my PhD at some point!), I found the bandwidth to continue giving back to Steppingstone. I also met my husband Jalil around that time. When I found out he was a math and physics nerd, I put two and two together and realized he would be a good tutor for Steppingstone. So I signed us both up! 

Through my testimony and Jalil’s conversations with current Scholars and Alumni, it has become increasingly clear to us what Steppingstone can do for an individual. We believe in leveling the playing field in educational access for all students, recognizing Steppingstone as key in this process, and will continue to champion Steppingstone on its mission to give all Scholars a seat at the table.

This year, we are giving $5,000 in support of Steppingstone and our personal goal is to raise an additional $5,000 as well—but we need your help. 

Will you join us with a gift to celebrate the fourth annual Day of Giving? If my story resonates with you, please consider a gift through my fundraising page. 

Thanks for your support!

Best,

Danielle Bynoe Farid ’04

Member of Steppingstone Board of Ambassadors