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East End serves a community where teens face many obstacles to success,
especially with the recent increase in unemployment and increase in
poverty related to the recession.
The Streetpeace program
provides youth with the opportunity to better understand themselves and
their community. Youth become involved in services projects connected
to a social justice academy. Last year, the youth from Ruskin PreK-8
Neighborhood School Center were involved with streetpeace service
projects working with the elderly, doing a creative writing project with
homeless persons at Target Ministries, doing service projects at
Hospice, helping the elderly and performing neighborhood beautification
projects. The youth are also involved in test prep for the Ohio
Achievement Tests. this program is funded by local grants
and the 21st Century grant from the Ohio Department of Education.
The youth have been involved
in a wide array of projects, including advocacy for issues that they
care about in the neighborhood. The youth created a Neighborhood
Investment Bank that resulted in area businesses and organizations
sponsoring projects that were completed by the students.
The Streetpeace youth have
also been involved in speaking out to local leaders about needs in the
community, including providing testimony before the City Commissioners
and attending hearings regarding liquor licenses.
The Youth Center
provides a safe, welcoming place there they can participate in programs
afterschool, during the evening and during the summer. In a community
challenged by poverty, these youth are changing their neighborhood
through service.
Our teen program uses best practices for youth development which
emphasizes that teens and young adults need to acquire personal assets
in order to succeed. Studies completed by the Search Institute have
identified 40 developmental assets that are associated with responsible
behavior and academic success. Through participation at the Youth
Center, pre-teens, adolescents and young adults are building crucial
skills, assets and resiliency factors that will help them make positive
decisions.
All Youth Programs focuses on the following...
Prevention Programs:
The youth attend a wide array of structured groups and activities that
help them make healthy choices and avoid risky behaviors like teen
pregnancy, drug use, dropping out of school, etc. In this groups,
youth learn about how to resist peer pressure, handle conflict without
violence, what are healthy and unhealthy relationships and other life
skills. The structured learning is broken into segments and reinforced
by fun activities that promote bonding.
Academic Programs:
Through tutoring and educational enrichment, teens are assisted in
achieving academic success. Our goal is to work with youth to find the
learning environment and supports that best match their preferences and
needs so that they will succeed. Teens learn while having fun.
Recently, our teens completed their own video. A computer lab helps
youth learn and practice the technological skills that will prepare them
for the future.
Future
Success:
Through visits to colleges, pre-employment skills training, and actual
work experiences, youth are prepared to become self-sufficient adults.
More than 93 percent of our youth report that they would like to attend
college.

Cultural
Programming:
Youth benefit from programs that promote creative expression. In
partnership with City Folk, artists help teens learn about different
cultures and build tolerance and respect. The youth have taken a lead in
participating in such events as the Martin Luther King March and the
Dayton Dialogue on Race.
Sports, Fitness and Recreation:
Studies have shown that participation in recreational and athletic
programs have significant benefits for youth and reduce the likelihood
that they will engage in risky behavior. We offer a wide range of
opportunities , including open time for youth simply to gather and
engage in informal sports or games.
Service:
Throughout the year, numerous service projects help youth feel that
they are connected to improving their neighborhood and the broader
community. The youth benefit from the chance to give back to others and
to learn that they are needed by the neighborhood. They have completed
a wide range of projects, including recent fundraiser for a child that
was critically injured in a bike accident.
Outcomes:
Our results show that youth are increasing in developmental assets and
the protective factors that lead to resiliency. The numbers of teens
that report the goal of going to college is steadily increasing. Youth
are making progress towards finishing schools and avoiding risky
behaviors.
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