INSIDE THIS ISSUEService Learning:

YouthBuild celebrates AmeriCorps Week with projects impacting our community.

Spring Break:

Students offer their skills and service to homeowners on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Alumni Updates:

Recent graduates of the Class of 2010 thrive at college and trade schools.

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. Raffl e winners took home prizes including Phillies tickets with a jersey, vouchers for the Philadelphia Theatre Company and Arden Theatre, and a gift certifi cate 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!

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

1231 N. Broad St., 3rd FloorPhiladelphia, PA 19122

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YouthBuild Philadelphia students led five community service projects on May 19,

2011 as part of National AmeriCorps Week and the culmination of their service learn-ing classes.

As part-time AmeriCorps members, stu-dents 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 preven-tion, homelessness, neighborhood beautifi-cation, teen pregnancy, and violence.

Following Philadelphia’s AmeriCorps Week Rally at City Hall, students and

staff dispersed to participate in one of five projects:

*Dropout Prevention

At Wakisha Charter School, Youth-Build 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 chal-lenges, and supports they need to persist in school.

*Homelessness

The class hosted a picnic in partner-ship with the Joy of Sox, a local

organization that provides socks for the homeless. YouthBuild students packaged socks and served lunch to over 30 home-less shelter residents and members of Back on My Feet, a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of those experiencing homelessness by engag-ing them in running. “I felt good about the cookout because we got to know the residents of the shelters personally,” said student Amika Miller.

*Neighborhood Beautification

YouthBuild students worked with a fellow AmeriCorps program, Educa-

tion 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 class-room for students in Hartranft’s Go-Green

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

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Service Learning Courses Culminate with Community Engagement and Volunteer Projects

REBUILDING LIVES AND COMMUNITIES SINCE 1992Issue #6 1

1231 N. Broad St., 3rd Fl.

Philadelphia, PA 19122

215.627.8671

215.763.5774 (fax)

info@youthbuildphilly.org

www.youthbuildphilly.org

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.

Fiesta at Philly’s Magic Gardens

YouthBuild students package socks for the Joy

of Sox to distribute to residents of homeless

shelters in Philadelphia.

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afterschool program. The 5th grade students worked alongside YouthBuild students to complete the garden during the AmeriCorps Week event.

*Teen Pregnancy

At YouthBuild, the service class hosted a Sexual Health Aware-

ness 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.

*Violence Prevention

Students produced tiles for a mo-saic 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 vio-lence doesn’t just affect them, but also their families and communities.”

THANK YOU TRIP SPONSORS!Alex BeauchampWilliam BeckerMartin BrighamHeather CoxTimothy Daniel and Gabrielle HalkoMark DeSouzaMaureen FarragherNancy ForbrigerTim ForbrigerArthur ForbrigerJohn Andrew GalleryChristopher GeeHelen MacMurrayMary Mayo

Tony and Kay MayoRick and Sara MayoChristine NavarroSam OlshinManly and Vikki ParksSylvie PiquetDina Pokedoff Ann RickseckerKate RitchieS & S Resources, Inc.Kevin Stauff erDorothy StonemanMegan StrenskiJeff TrotierEugenie Vitale

Student Submission

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Twenty-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.

The 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.

“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.”

Students Travel South to Serve and Learn

Students and staff pause for a picture during the service proj-ect with Camp Victor in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The group traveled to the Gulf Coast for Spring Break, April 16-22, 2011.

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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 butterfl y.Being a drop-out and becoming a drop in.From a question mark to a defi ant answer.Becoming a woman from a young lady.

WHERE I’M FROMby Sharnise MillerClass of 2011

ALUMNI UPDATES: CLASS OF 2010Elliot Brown (Salutatorian) recently completed EMT training at JEFFStat EMT Training Center and is now a certified Emer-gency 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 pro-gram at Lincoln Technical Institute in Febru-ary. 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 com-

pleting 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.

Staff Q&A: Michael Imperato, Director of Transition ServicesWhat brought you to YouthBuild and what do you bring

to the program and position?

My background is in education, career advising, and work-force development. I bring a perspective from my experi-ence 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 con-nected 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 fi gure 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 plan-ning 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

Thanks to all of our supporters, YouthBuild Philadel-phia finished 45th out of thousands of organiza-

tions participating in the Chase Community Giving competition on Facebook.

YouthBuild 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 col-lege, trade schools, and careers.

YouthBuild was thrilled over the outpouring of sup-port 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 Philly wins $25,000 from Chase Community Giving Students, staff, partners, and friends rally thousands of votes for Facebook competition

The group also visited multiple cities during the bus ride to Mississippi. Students were moved and in-

spired by a private visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

“Birmingham was a good experience because I learned a lot at the museum,” said YouthBuild stu-

dent Amir Johnson. “That was a group of people that fought for our rights, and changed the way we live now.”

Most importantly, the students say that the trip al-lowed 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.”

To see photos of the trip, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/YouthBuildPhiladelphia.

To learn about Camp Victor and volunteer opportuni-ties, please visit http://www.futuresforfamilies.org/

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.