Sankofa Youth Empowerment Awards

SANKOFA YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AWARD

St. Luke's Youth Center Board

Saint Luke’s Youth Center (SLYC) is a collaborative of West Baltimore families working together with friends, neighbors, and partners to provide youth with critical resources, life-enriching experiences, and a safety-net of support. It formed out of the community programming that had been taking place at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Baltimore for decades. In the mid-twentieth century, while Episcopal churches in other areas of Baltimore followed the “white flight” of their members to the suburbs, St. Luke’s stayed in West Baltimore to serve its neighbors, especially the children.

Entering the twenty-first century, even as older members died, and church membership and financial resources dwindled, the church continued to maintain its ministry to the neighborhood. It provided a summer camp, an after-school program to the children, hosted community meetings and an annual Thanksgiving dinner. As this work became unsustainable, in 2015 the ministry was reorganized as Saint Luke’s Youth Center (SLYC). Working in collaboration with the local Elementary/ Middle School, SLYC developed an arts and literacy integrated summer camp to meet the needs of children in the area. As authentic relationships of love and support developed among the youth, their families, the community, partner churches, and parishioners throughout the Diocese, SLYC began hosting weekly community dinners in 2016. Until Covid-19, these dinners brought people together every Wednesday to break bread and share in the joys of fellowship. This network of people, all celebrating community and youth, grew stronger and the need to provide a safe, loving environment after school became apparent. SLYC met that need with enthusiasm. In January of 2017, SLYC Afterschool began. With a focus on social emotional learning and leadership, children ages 7 to 17 came to St. Luke’s each day for a community meeting, followed by healthy snacks, homework support, and fun. When SLYC became an independent nonprofit in August 2019, several SLYC Kids formed a youth advisory

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board. As the leadership of SLYC Kids grew, so did the engagement and leadership of their families. In order for all programming to remain free to participants, SLYC families developed a cooperative model in which they began donating their time, talent, or treasure each month. One of our SLYC fathers was hired to support efforts to keep the property in safe condition for programming to continue. A SLYC mother was hired to manage administrative tasks. And, a grandmother was hired to keep on top of the kids, checking with teachers and supervising homework. SLYC’s mission of empowering youth through the strength of community has effectively empowered all members of our beloved community. When asked, “What words represent SLYC to you?” the responses from our children, parents, staff, members of partner churches, and neighbors proclaim the dream and the commitments we make to one another every day- Together, we are a loving family, committed, connected, supportive, dedicated, and strong. We are a purposeful community of leaders.

SANKOFA YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AWARD

Singing Sensations Youth Choir

The Singing Sensations Youth Choir was founded with the expectation of exposing youth in the Baltimore Metropolitan area to the diverse and multifaceted aspects of the performing arts. The choir, which typically has 45 to 50 participants each year, runs “Sensational Sounds” for students ages four through second grade and “Singing Sensations” for children in third through 12th grade. According to Director Dr. Holly Hood-Mincey, “We support the belief that all youth deserve the right to thrive in and be empowered by the arts. We are committed to helping children master skills and experience the joy of performing with artistry, and developing the selfdiscipline and confidence that will ultimately enhance many areas throughout their lives. Without the Singing Sensations Youth Choir, most of the children we service would not have the opportunity to travel outside of their neighborhoods and surrounding communities.” Each year, the choir hosts a Christmas, Black History Month and spring concert with proceeds benefiting college scholarships or traveling costs for children who have become quite the globetrotters. Since starting, Singings Sensations has performed in locations such as Virginia, the Carolinas and Universal Studios as well as Canada, Spain, the Bahamas, Trinidad, and South Africa, where they were asked to sing for Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday celebration. For Mincey, Singing Sensations offers children mentoring as well as singing opportunities. Kids are encouraged to

Photo by Marvin Edwards

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talk with the choir leaders about what’s going on in their lives, and Mincey brings in therapy professionals for oneon-one sessions. To stay in the choir, youth are required to maintain good grades and demonstrate leadership and role modeling at school. Several of Mincey’s students have graduated at the top of their high school class and attend college in Maryland. A typical Singing Sensations session lasts three hours while Sensational Sounds runs for about 90 minutes. Each session includes time for leadership training, singing and music reading and theory. Music genres range from classical and choral to soul and gospel, with some dancing and theatrics included. Besides performing and traveling, opportunities also include college suppoRight Kids who stay in the choir between ninth and 12th grades receive a $2,000 scholarship from the choir. Singing Sensations has also partnered with Morgan State University’s theater department since 2006 and has participated in many productions including “The Lion King,” “Sarafina!” and “The Wiz.” As part of their collaboration, any Singing Sensations choir member who attends Morgan State and joins the university’s choir automatically receives an academic scholarship. The Singing Sensations Youth Choir exemplifies the best of what Sankofa stands for.