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LAYC Youth Honored with Leadership AwardSandra Quel, who attends YouthBuild Public Charter School and has been active in several LAYC programs, including the Teen Health Promoters Programs and the Art & Media House, was honored in April for her leadership, receiving Leadership Greater Washington’s Freddie Mac Youth Leadership Award. Through the Teen Health Promoters (THP) program, Sandra and her fellow THPers have been trained to staff a teen clinic at Mary’s Center and Health Street at Unity Health Care, Upper Cardozo Clinics. There, they take patients’ basic vital signs and assist with other aspects of the clinic, serving as role models for their peers. At the Art & Media House, Sandra has demonstrated great interest and ability in both documentary video and the creation of audio pieces and commentaries. Last spring, she was selected as one of two Art & Media House students to take part in Mountainfilm, a film festival in Telluride, Colorado focused on the power of the arts to bring about social change. Additionally, Sandra created a commentary this past year about Spanish-Language TV, which aired on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. Congratulations to Sandra for her leadership and for her award. |
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Free Cone Day a Hit at LAYC’s Two Ben & Jerry’s
Five LAYC Students Win New Futures ScholarshipsFive LAYC youth have been awarded New Futures scholarships to pursue their post-secondary education. New Futures Scholarships are awarded to young people who have obtained either their high school diploma or GED and are planning to pursue college, community college, vocational education or a professional certification program. New Futures Scholarships (formerly called the Allen Gould Scholarships) enable highly- motivated young people from low-income families to realize their dreams of going to college or attending shorter non-college certification programs. New Futures partners with LAYC and other community organizations, such as Covenant House and For the Love of Children. The community organizations nominate youth for the New Futures Scholarship, while also mentoring, supporting and monitoring the young people throughout their post-secondary education. Congratulations to Jeovanny Paz, Lothar Frenz, Jr., Brenda Aviles, Marina Iraheta and Shelia Jean. Each of the young people will receive $8000 toward their education. YouthBuild Public Charter School Students Shine in Essay ContestSeveral YouthBuild students were recognized for essays they submitted in the DC LEARNs 2007 Women’s History Month Essay Contest. The annual contest highlights the writing skills of students in adult education programs across the city. This year’s contest was focused on the theme, “Hold Fast to Dreams: Dreaming for Ourselves and Others,” and asked students to write about their dreams and hopes for the future. Sandra Quel won first prize; Junior Ripal was honored as a finalist; and several students – Jannie Dansby, Cathy Rivera, James Sprattley, Jr., Alex Vasquez and Tawan Warrick -- received honorable mention. DC LEARNs is a literacy coalition in DC made up of more than 80 members most of whom provide adult, family and children’s literacy services to DC residents. Congratulations to the YouthBuild Students. Community Comes Out for Master Peace Garden PartySpring made it to Prince George’s County just in time for the first annual Master Peace Community Garden Party on April 21st at the Center for Educational Partnership (CEP) in Riverdale. The event featured food, planting and games and introduced the CEP to members of the Riverdale community. The Center for Educitonal Partnership is a collaboration between LAYC’s Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers and the University of Maryland’s Engaged University Initiative. Last summer, CEP offered a summer gardening and cooking class to students from William Wirt Middle School. From that initiative emerged The Master Peace Community Garden. Stay tuned for more news about the Center.
MMYC’s Job Fair Connects Youth with Employers
Held at the Montgomery College Rockville Campus Gymnasium, the Job fair matched employers in the county with youth and young adults, providing 16-21 year olds with one-stop exposure to employment opportunities, internships and apprenticeship information. Luisa Montero, Managing Director of LAYC’s Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers, said, “We couldn’t be more pleased with the Job Fair. Turnout was terrific. Employers and youth were very pleased with the opportunities available through the fair. Employers enjoyed easy access to engaged, committed employees and more than 300 youth lined up follow-up interviews through the fair. It was great to work with the Montgomery County Youth Council, employers in the county, and other community organizations to offer the Job Fair. The county deserves a lot of credit for focusing on employment opportunities for young people.” YouthBuild Students Rebuild Houses Destroyed by Hurricane KatrinaEight YouthBuild students departed on Monday, April 23rd for two weeks in Gulfport, Mississippi where they are rebuilding houses destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The YouthBuild students are repairing roofs and floors, cleaning debris and doing mold abatement. Said Patricia Bravo, YouthBuild’s Executive Director, “This is just one more example of how these young people are doing something positive, not only for their own community by rebuilding housing here in the District, but for our country, by assisting with the rebuilding of the Gulf region. Contributing to community transformation assists them with their own personal transformation.” News From The Next StepDiana Valle, a Step 6 Next Step student, passed the GED!!! Congratulations Diana! Four more students are scheduled to take the GED in the next few weeks. The Next Step participated in an outdoor "challenge by choice" education program at Hemlock Overlook in Fairfax, Virginia. It was a huge success - students and staff worked through many challenges together and had a great time. The Next Step and LAYC's IT team are installing several new computers in two classrooms. The Next Step will now have one complete computer lab and two mini-computer labs, enabling the school to integrate technology throughout the curriculum. LAYC’s Pancho Gonzalez Youth Tennis Academy Hosts Cinco de Mayo Tennis Fiesta Friday May 4, 2007 at Powell Elementary School
As part of the celebration, young people will able to watch an exhibition match between Gustavo Castillo and Raul Iriarte and play tennis on the two new tennis courts at Powell Elementary School, which the Pancho Gonzalez Youth Tennis Academy is creating in coordination with DC Public Schools. The Pancho Gonzalez Youth Tennis Academy offers tennis opportunities year-round to low-income immigrant and minority youth in the District of Columbia. It is named in honor of the first Hispanic to be the number one tennis player in the world, introducing young people to the sport of tennis and exposing them to all the healthy fitness and nutrition habits that come with it. Greg Gonzales, Pancho’s nephew and honorary chairman of The Pancho Gonzalez Youth Tennis Academy, and Pancho’s second eldest son Michael will be on hand for the celebration, which will include the viewing of a documentary on Pancho Gonzalez’s life. This winter, students at MacFarland Middle School have received after-school tennis instruction through the Pancho Gonzalez Youth Tennis Academy. Students at MacFarland and Powell Elementary School have been instructed during the school day as part of their physical education program. In the summer, tennis will be offered through LAYC’s Summer Enrichment Camps in both Ward I and Ward IV. Additionally, LAYC will make scholarships available to youth to participate in area tennis camps and programs. “The Cinco de Mayo Tennis Fiesta is a great way to celebrate both Cinco de Mayo and the wonderful opportunities available through the Pancho Gonzalez Youth Tennis Academy,” said Lori Kaplan, Executive Director of the Latin American Youth Center. “We’re very excited to introduce tennis to young people in our community and the new courts at Powell will make it very easy for youth to play the game.”
The LAYC Family of Organizations is a network of youth centers, schools, and social enterprises with a shared commitment to helping youth become successful and happy young adults, with the skills they need to succeed educationally, professionally and personally. For more information, please go to www.layc-dc.org. |
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There is something about free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream – no matter how cold the April weather – that gets people hopping. And hundreds of folks came out on Tuesday, April 17th to take a bite out of Free Cone Day. LAYC owns and operates two Ben & Jerry’s in DC – one at Eastern Market and the other in NW DC, on Connecticut Avenue next to the Avalon Theatre – to provide job training and employment opportunities for young people.
More than 650 youth and 65 employers in Montgomery County took part in the “Let’s Get It Started Job Fair for Youth” on Saturday, April 14th, hosted by LAYC’s Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers and the Montgomery County Youth Council.
The Latin American Youth Center’s Pancho Gonzalez Youth Tennis Academy is hosting a Cinco de Mayo Tennis Fiesta at Powell Elementary School on May 4, 2007 from 4:00 -7:00 PM. The event is free and open to the public.