Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania
Evidence of affiliation with Gulen Movement
and nationwide Gulen charter school network


Page created Oct 13, 2012; last updated Mar 6, 2013

Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania (YSWP), a "sister school" of Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania (YSCP), is a Gulen charter school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  YSWP has connections to Gulenist corporations called Dream Schools and Newport Drive Properties.

On Sep 28, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education announced that YSWP was one of 18 new charter schools to receive a 3-year grant.  The first-year amount going to YSWP
is $150,970.00.

In common with many other Gulen charter schools, YSWP offers only two foreign languages: Spanish and Turkish.  The school claims that a survey of "potential parents" and "potential students" showed that Spanish and Turkish were the two top choices for languages to be offered at YSWP.  In particular, the school administration claims that Turkish was chosen more often than both Chinese and French.

YSWP's connection to the Gulen Movement and nationwide Gulen charter school network is shown by the multiple affiliations, both past and present, of the following individuals.

Hasan Guclu
  • Board, Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania
  • Author, Fountain Magazine (major publication of Gulen Movement in US; Fethullah Gulen himself writes lead article)
  • Co-authored article with Murat Yuksel (see Coral Academy of Science, Gulen charter school in NV)

Isa Emin Hafalir
  • Board, Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania
  • Founder, Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania
  • Nova Education Foundation, Pennsylvania, operator of Magnolia Kids Academy
  • President, Dialog Forum at Penn State University (Gulenist)
  • Advisory Board, ABECS - Academy of Business and Entrepreneurship Charter School (proposed Gulen charter school in PA)

Suleyman Karaman, a.k.a. S. Gem Karaman, Soloman Karaman, Suleyman Cem Karaman, S. Cem Karaman, Cem Karaman
  • Officer of Dream Schools, a Gulenist non-profit involved in establishing Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania
  • Principal, Magnolia Science Academy
  • Petitioner for Pioneer Technology Charter School, Oregon, a proposed Gulen school that never materialized
  • Lead applicant for City College-Prep Charter School, a proposed Gulen school that never materialized

Alpaslan Ozdogan, a.k.a. Al Ozdogan, Al Oz
  • Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania
  • Dean of Academics, Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania, under assumed name "Al Oz"
  • Former Head, Math and Science Departments, Central Jersey College Prep  (Gulen charter school)
  • Former teacher, Head of Math Dept, Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology (Gulen charter school)
  • Former math teacher, Pioneer Academy of Science (private Gulen school)

Nihat Polat
  • Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania
  • ESL Director, ESL Teacher, Harmony Science Academy Austin (Gulen charter school TX)
  • Co-author Saban Cepik is from Fatih University  (Gulenist institution in Turkey)
  • English Teacher, Adminstrator in English program, International Black Sea University (Gulenist institution in Georgia - the country)

Serhat Sen
  • Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania
  • Bergen Arts and Science Charter School (Gulen charter school in NJ)
  • Pioneer Academy of Science (private Gulen school in NJ)
  • Erie Biosciences Academy, proposed Gulen charter school in PA