Black Self Help Information

Helping Youth Lead Fuller Lives

Helping Youth Lead Fuller Lives

Youth who live in Springhill Lake in Greenbelt say they are grateful for the free mentoring programs offered by husband-and-wife team Brian and Camille Butler.

Jarrell Jefferson, 14, of Springhill Lake in Greenbelt said the programs, which include community projects and field trips, have helped to broaden his horizons.

‘‘I do look up to [Mr. Butler] as an older role model because he’s always trying to [help us] become better people. He’s always encouraging us,” Jefferson said.

Greenbelt resident Patricia Clark, 14, said youth in Springhill Lake could use more people like Brian.

‘‘Springhill Lake is a very big area. He’s limited in how many people he can help,” Clark said.

Camille, 30, and Brian, 32, who lived in Springhill Lake Apartments in 1999, said they created the mentoring programs to enrich, educate and instill respect in young peoples’ lives through field trips, community service projects and group discussions. Brian said the lack of black role models in the youth’s homes prompted him to start a mentoring program.

‘‘I knew just for that simple fact that I was an example. Positive or negative, it is really important for youth to see a black male in a positive light,” Brian said.

More at the link provided.

Peaceoholics

Peaceoholics

Peaceoholics is Non-Profit organization that is committed to the youth and families of the District of Columbia. Through the various activities of Peaceoholics, youth will be transformed into drug-free and crime-free productive members of their communities. Activities include:

• Designing & Operating Youth Programs.
• Developing a Network of Peace-Minded Individuals.
• Participating in Youth Events Sponsored by Schools, Government Agencies & Non-Profit Organizations.
• Training and Workshops.
• Producing & Distributing Information.

Essence Cares

ESSENCE CARES

Heeding our children's desperate cry for help, we have launched ESSENCE CARES: A National Mentoring Movement and a coalition with some of the most trusted organizations in the nation: the National Urban League; 100 Black Men of America; The Links, Incorporated; and the YWCA.

Our critical call to action simply asks this: that every able Black adult put his or her guiding hand on a vulnerable young person's shoulder. So many of our young people-our treasure and our future-are in peril. At this moment, the negative forces claiming our children are more powerful than our community's and country's efforts to secure them.

A thousand blessings to you for your willingness and commitment to help change that, and for joining with ESSENCE CARES to become part of the solution.

On this site we will connect you to mentoring organizations in your community that have men and women working to create a new world for our young people. Together we will end this state of emergency in Black America. Linking arms and aims, we will open wide the pathways to happiness, wholeness and high achievement for our struggling youngsters.

Our beloved children are waiting for us.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. sponsors mentoring program

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. sponsors mentoring program

Vineyard Court Nursing Center residents were just getting started Saturday morning as the local Delta Academy girls from Hunt Intermediate and Lee Middle schools caroled them into the noon hour.

“This is something we always try to do with the girls at different nursing homes to show them that Christmas is more than just the commercialism of buying gifts. It's a time to think of others and give of yourself - especially to those who most need it,” said group leader and local attorney Monique Montgomery.

The group of about 80 girls ages 11 to 14 is a mentoring program in the local schools sponsored by national sorority Delta Sigma Theta.

But the girls aren't the only ones who get something tangible from their holiday public service experience.

Columbus native Victor Jones stood by the wheelchair of his 73-year-old mother, Gladys, and sang together with her as the residents joined in for a round of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” before the girls handed out gifts.

Urban Playdates

Urban Play Dates

        Your Key to the Village       

Launch in 2006 Urbanplaydates is the premier virtual village for parents and caregivers who are raising children of color. Our FREE website was created to be an interactive, easy-to-use Internet community and comprehensive source of information.
       
Founder and CEO, Njeri Santana wanted to create a broad-based effort that brought a wide-array of viewpoints and perspectives. “I knew that there were a host of “mom” websites, in fact, I joined many of them. But, I still didn’t feel totally apart of the group. While there are universal issues in raising children the reality is that there are unique issues in raising children of color. I also found that these “mom” sites had limited participation from fathers, family, and friends.” The reality is that it truly does take a village to raise a child and I wanted to develop a place where the village could connect.
       
Urbanplaydates’ mission is to provide visitors with a key to that village that opens doors to resources, information, tools and support for parents and caregivers. It is a village where you can share opinions, forge friendships, network and learn about each other's similarities and differences. The village is open to parents and caregivers who are male, female, young, old, separated, divorced, widowed, single, grand, foster, stay at home, new or have adopted. Whew! That should cover everybody. The ultimate goal of Urbanplaydates is to facilitate a community where real issues facing individuals and families of color are discussed in an open and frank way.

Ready To Teach (UPDATE)

Ready To Teach (Updated website)

Howard University’s Ready to Teach (RtT) Program is a unique program designed for those who have previously earned a Bachelor’s Degree and now seek to make a career transition into the teaching profession. The RtT Program prepares qualified candidates to teach for high-needs schools in:

Chicago (IL), Clayton County (GA), Houston (TX), Prince George’s County (MD), and Washington (DC).

Our website has the application (applications due on March 3, 2008!) as well as the requirements for enrollment in RtT.

Anyone who wants more information about the program can email us here.

Black Men on the Move visit local elementary schools in costume

Black Men on the Move visit local elementary schools in costume

Wright State organization Black Men on the Move visited the Fairborn Primary School and WSU's Mini-University on Tuesday, Oct. 23, dressed as Disney characters in an effort to mentor children in kindergarten through the third grade.

Seven members of Black Men on the Move dressed up as characters such as Scooby-Doo, Mr. Incredible, Blues Clues, the Cat in the Hat, Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Sully from Monsters, Inc to speak with the children about the importance of staying in school, staying away from strangers, calling 911 and to address other issues that are important to America's youth.

"The goal of this event was to establish a positive message with the children and we thought that they might respond to our messages better if we dressed up as popular characters that appeal to them and could serve as role models," said Vice President Anthony Martin, a sophomore psychology major.
Black Men on the Move worked with staff from the Fairborn Primary School including Principal Nancy Machmann and Counselor Ernest Sheeler to plan the mentoring event, which included a total 14 members of the organization, said Tremayne Miller, Black Men on the Move president.

"Our organization wanted to work with kids in our community. We felt that before an event like this could be successful throughout the city, we needed to start at home with our community and work our way out to the city of Dayton, which will be done by the end of the year," said Miller.

Black Male Initiative Worth Duplicating

Black Male Initiative Worth Duplicating

After a summer visit to the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Long Island, N.Y., Shawn Mitchell couldn�t wait to plan a future career in technology.

 

�There were so many inspirational speakers there � they talked about not just the aspect of technology and science but about life and life�s struggles,� says Mitchell, 20, a sophomore at the New York City College of Technology, a branch of the City University of New York (CUNY) also known as City Tech. �It was just very inspiring, very eye-opening (and) I saw and experienced stuff that I never experienced before.�

 

Laboratory visits are one of many methods used by City Tech�s Black Male Initiative (BMI) program that engages Black male students in the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The BMI program, which targets both potential and existing City Tech students, was recently named one of nine U.S. Model Replication Institutions by NASA and the National Science Foundation for its innovative approaches in attacking the problem of Black male student enrollment and retention.

 

City Tech�s strategies will be replicated at other schools across the country as part of an initiative being administered by the Institute of Higher Education Policy (IHEP). IHEP officials say this initiative is designed to expand access in the STEM fields for students at minority-serving institutions.

Young men seek keys to future with Project Y.E.S.

Young men seek keys to future with Project Y.E.S.

For 20 young black males, Project Y.E.S. has been instrumental in their saying "yes" to their dreams.

"I thought it was about getting big, so I was excited about coming," said Darius Walker, 15. "We've had a lot of speakers who know where we're coming from and they tell us how to be successful. It put a thought into my mind that I can be successful too, so when I think about it, Project Y.E.S. is about getting big in a way."

Project Youths Exemplifying Success began in July through a collaboration between Shiloh Comprehensive Community Center and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

"When I came to Shiloh, we didn't have a youth male program," said Tonda Booker, the executive director of the community center. "I wanted to think of something that was not just another program out there, but something that's going to make a difference."

The youths, ages 10-18, attend the program twice a week for tutoring, test preparation and mentoring. Each week, a different black role model from the community speaks to the youths.

"We have honor roll students now. We have students who look forward to going to school and coming to Project Y.E.S. They are doing very well. It's been a success," she said.

For the tutors who also act as mentors for the youths, seeing them succeed is rewarding.

"It makes us put things in perspective. When you hear a guy say that he has gone from being a D student to being a B-plus student, it lets you know that you are in the right place and you are making a difference," said Jarvis Ellis, a tutor and mentor.

Beyond academics, the goal of Project Y.E.S. is to teach the youths to dream and to plan to achieve their dreams, Ms. Booker said.