Issue #6
Spring Break: Students offer their skills and service to homeowners on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Over 100 friends of YouthBuild Philadelphia celebrated Cinco de Mayo at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens! Attendees enjoyed Mexican fare, margaritas, Flying Fish beer, and live Latin jazz music. Raffle winners took home prizes including Phillies tickets with a jersey, vouchers for the Philadelphia Theatre Company and Arden Theatre, and a gift certificate to Stephen Starr’s Pod Restaurant. Thanks to the support of the YouthBuild Philadelphia Board of Trustees, and Fundraising Event Committee members, the evening raised over $7,000!
Alumni Updates: Recent graduates of the Class of 2010 thrive at college and trade schools.
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YouthBuild Board members join staff and alumni at YouthBuild’s Magic Gardens Fiesta on May, 5 2011. To see more photos and order prints online, visit: http://bit.ly/MagicGardensFiestaPhotos
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REBUILDING LIVES AND COMMUNITIES SINCE 1992
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Service Learning Courses Culminate with Community Engagement and Volunteer Projects
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outhBuild Philadelphia students led five community service projects on May 19, 2011 as part of National AmeriCorps Week and the culmination of their service learning classes.
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s part-time AmeriCorps members, students work together to address urgent needs of the community by researching issues and designing projects to tackle those issues. This year, students met weekly to plan service projects to address five key issues in our community: dropout prevention, homelessness, neighborhood beautification, teen pregnancy, and violence.
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ollowing Philadelphia’s AmeriCorps Week Rally at City Hall, students and staff dispersed to participate in one of five projects:
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Dropout Prevention
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t Wakisha Charter School, YouthBuild students presented a video of testimonials to 7th grade students and facilitated a discussion about academic engagement. Students created the video about their own educational backgrounds, including their decisions to drop out and then reclaim their education. YouthBuild students paired with Wakisha students to discuss their personal and academic challenges, and supports they need to persist in school.
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STAY CONNECTED: Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ youthbuildphiladelphia Follow us on Twitter: @youthbuildphily Share photos on Flickr: www.flickr.com/ youthbuildphilly See videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/ YBPCS
Homelessness
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he class hosted a picnic in partnership with the Joy of Sox, a local organization that provides socks for the homeless. YouthBuild students packaged socks and served lunch to over 30 homeless shelter residents and members of Back on My Feet, a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of those experiencing homelessness by engaging them in running. “I felt good about the cookout because we got to know the residents of the shelters personally,” said student Amika Miller.
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Neighborhood Beautification
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outhBuild students worked with a fellow AmeriCorps program, Education Works, to clean and plant a community garden at John F Hartranft Elementary School Recreation Center. Over the course of the year, they created an outdoor classroom for students in Hartranft’s Go-Green
YouthBuild students package socks for the Joy of Sox to distribute to residents of homeless shelters in Philadelphia.
afterschool program. The 5th grade students worked alongside YouthBuild students to complete the garden during the AmeriCorps Week event.
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Teen Pregnancy
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Violence Prevention
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t YouthBuild, the service class hosted a Sexual Health Awareness Day for community members to raise awareness about issues plaguing Philadelphia. The students presented an original play about the struggles of teen parenthood, and facilitated an activity about STD prevention.
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tudents produced tiles for a mosaic walkway at Hartranft Middle School telling personal stories about urban violence. They recreated poems, letters, and short stories in a new art form, then shared their personal stories with the Hartranft students. “My peers in the class were very helpful,” said student Japonica Edwards. “They talked about their experiences and explained why violence doesn’t just affect them, but also their families and communities.”
SUPPORTERS “VOTE FOR YOUTHBUILD PHILLY” AT CITY HALL RALLY YouthBuild launched a Facebook voting campaign at the City Hall rally on May 19. A computer station was set up for friends and fellow AmeriCorps members to cast their vote for YouthBuild to win the Chase Community Giving Competition. Read more about the campaign and exciting results on page 3.
EXCELLENCE * RESPECT * PERSEVERANCE
Service Learning: YouthBuild celebrates AmeriCorps Week with projects impacting our community.
Fiesta at Philly’s Magic Gardens
SUMMER 2010 NEWSLETTER
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
SUMMER 2011 NEWSLETTER
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WHERE I’M FROM by Sharnise Miller Class of 2011 I’m from the woman who raised me from the ground up. Being a single mother she is and proud of. Also from a father of a man. Who’s been playing the same role as the seasons in the year. I’m from a ball of clay. Molded by the hands of God. Designed and chosen through every disuse. I’m from a cocoon to become a butterfly. Being a drop-out and becoming a drop in. From a question mark to a defiant answer. Becoming a woman from a young lady.
Staff Q&A: Michael Imperato, Director of Transition Services What brought you to YouthBuild and what do you bring to the program and position? My background is in education, career advising, and workforce development. I bring a perspective from my experience in higher education and I see where the pipeline is going. Similarly, from working with employers through WorkReady Philadelphia, I know what they are looking for in our students. Working in the WorkReady system, I heard so many positive things about YouthBuild. I knew that I wanted to focus on postsecondary education, and also be more connected to students. I never pictured myself working in a high school, but it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made. Why? What is your favorite part of working at YouthBuild? The dynamic nature of our roles means that I could be participating in community service, meeting with employers through the Chamber of Commerce, working with a college, and coaching an individual student on interview strategies all in the same day. It is a very collaborative environment, with a lot of moving parts. I like trying to figure out how we can connect all those pieces and maximize it. What are you most looking forward to? Creating a strategy around integrating post-secondary planning into all aspects of the YouthBuild student experience. When the entire staff takes a role in the planning process, students are better prepared. Everyone is already having these conversations with students and alumni and we are able to provide additional content and resources to support their experience with students. Every staff member will be able to give accurate advice and guidance that makes sense for the individual student. Read more about Imperato’s long term goals for the Transition Services program on our blog at www.youthbuildphilly.org
ALUMNI UPDATES: CLASS OF 2010 Elliot Brown (Salutatorian) recently completed EMT training at JEFFStat EMT Training Center and is now a certified Emergency Medical Technician. He plans to work as an EMT and continue his education. Jessica Brown is enrolled at the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology in the Medical Assistant Career Certificate Program. She began her externship for the program this summer and is expected to graduate in August. While in school, she has also been working as a Nurse Aide at Park Pleasant Nursing Home. Aurelia Garvin (Valedictorian) began a Medical Assistance Associate’s Degree program at Lincoln Technical Institute in February. She is thoroughly enjoying the program, and earning high marks in every module. She plans to transfer to a four year university in Atlanta after she completes the program at Lincoln Tech. Tyrik Gass recently completed his first year at Johnson College in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He is working toward an associate degree and enjoyed a successful first season on the basketball team. Sharif Nelson, Zyheme Roberson, and Marshall Opher plan to attend Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology this fall after completing a summer program at the school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Tynisha Phillips is attending Empire Beauty School for Cosmetology. She is expected to graduate in October and pursue employment in her field.
Programs and Partnerships
Student Submission
Student & Staff Spotlight
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Students Travel South to Serve and Learn THANK YOU TRIP SPONSORS! Alex Beauchamp William Becker Martin Brigham Heather Cox Timothy Daniel and Gabrielle Halko Mark DeSouza Maureen Farragher Nancy Forbriger Tim Forbriger Arthur Forbriger John Andrew Gallery Christopher Gee Helen MacMurray Mary Mayo
Students and staff pause for a picture during the service project with Camp Victor in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The group traveled to the Gulf Coast for Spring Break, April 16-22, 2011.
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wenty-seven students and seven staff members traveled to the Gulf Coast for a service learning alternative spring break trip. Students experienced a new area of the country - many leaving Philadelphia for the first time - and supported continuing recovery efforts for Mississippi homeowners.
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he spring break trip is an annual highlight of YouthBuild’s service learning program. Students have joined Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts three times since Hurricane Katrina, and this year’s service project focused on sustaining the ongoing rehabilitation efforts. Students worked on a new home for Camp Victor, a host to thousands of volunteers each year working to rebuild the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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I really enjoyed staying at Camp Victor and working with them,” said YouthBuild student Takara Harris. “It was a great experience of giving to each other. They gave us an opportunity to be in Mississippi, and we gave them the chance to have a future home for more volunteers.”
Tony and Kay Mayo Rick and Sara Mayo Christine Navarro Sam Olshin Manly and Vikki Parks Sylvie Piquet Dina Pokedoff Ann Ricksecker Kate Ritchie S & S Resources, Inc. Kevin Stauffer Dorothy Stoneman Megan Strenski Jeff Trotier Eugenie Vitale
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he group also visited multiple cities during the bus ride to Mississippi. Students were moved and inspired by a private visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
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Birmingham was a good experience because I learned a lot at the museum,” said YouthBuild student Amir Johnson. “That was a group of people that fought for our rights, and changed the way we live now.”
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ost importantly, the students say that the trip allowed them to grow and learn about themselves in a new setting. As Johnson said, “It was so quiet there and nothing to worry about. You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. I had the chance to grow as a person and improve myself.”
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o see photos of the trip, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/YouthBuildPhiladelphia. To learn about Camp Victor and volunteer opportunities, please visit http://www.futuresforfamilies.org/
YouthBuild Philly wins $25,000 from Chase Community Giving Students, staff, partners, and friends rally thousands of votes for Facebook competition
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hanks to all of our supporters, YouthBuild Philadelphia finished 45th out of thousands of organizations participating in the Chase Community Giving competition on Facebook.
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outhBuild will be able to contribute the $25,000 prize money toward our post-secondary initiative. This funding will help staff better serve our students and graduates as they prepare and transition to college, trade schools, and careers.
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outhBuild was thrilled over the outpouring of support from our friends in Philadelphia and around the world. Each vote was a vote of confidence for the future of these young people, and each vote truly made a difference!
YouthBuild students led the campaign for votes on Facebook and (pictured here) at the AmeriCorps Week Rally at City Hall on May 19, the first day of round two of the competition.