Ellen London Named DC Trust President and CEO

NPR Features Carrera Trust Program as Obama-Supported Model Pregnancy Prevention Program

New Partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs Provides Support to DC Homeless Youth

The Trust Becomes New Administrator of DC Opportunity Scholarship Program

School's Out, Summer Programs Are In!

Trust Seeks Proposals for OST Programs for the 2010-11 School Year

Trust's Kendall Joyner Speaks Alongside Author Wes Moore

Ellen London Named DC Trust President and CEO

Ellen London

The board of the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation has named Ellen London its new president and CEO. Since November 2009, London has served as the Trust’s interim president and CEO. Prior to that, London served as vice president of communications and community engagement. Through her decade of experience at the Trust, she brings extensive knowledge of the Trust’s initiatives, partnerships and operations, ensuring that the Trust will continue to serve children, youth and their families in the District.

During her tenure, London has played an integral role in developing and implementing programs such as the Wallace Foundation-funded Project My Time, DC Summer Fun and numerous citywide summer strategy sessions; developing partnerships both within the District and nationally; and building the Trust’s reputation as the District’s leading resource for out-of-school time programs and youth development.

“We are proud to have Ellen’s continued leadership in ensuring successful outcomes for District children and youth,” said Lisa Simpson, board chair. “She brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and dedication that will strengthen the Trust’s work as we move forward.”
 

NPR Features Carrera Trust Program as Obama-Supported Model Pregnancy Prevention Program

On June 6, NPR’s “All Things Considered” highlighted the Carrera Trust program at Arts and Technology Academy as a prime example of evidence-based pregnancy prevention programs – which are receiving more than $114 million in this year’s federal budget.

Since 2007, the Trust has partnered with the Children’s Aid Society to provide a unique program combining academic enrichment, career exploration, arts, sports and sexuality education as a means of comprehensively preventing teen pregnancy.

Guided by a philosophy that sees youth as “at promise” instead of “at risk,” the Carrera Trust program takes a holistic approach to develop each participant’s capacity and desire to avoid pregnancy during their teen years and to complete their education and move on to higher education or career opportunities. The program works with youth during school, weekends, and summers for seven years, beginning in 5th grade and extending through high school graduation.

To listen to the story, click here.
 

New Partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs Provides Support to DC Homeless Youth

H2O program offers fun and enrichment for youth from homeless shelter. (Photo © Jonathan Howell)

For youth temporarily living in a DC shelter for homeless families, the Hope 2 Opportunity (H2O) initiative serves as a gateway to high-quality fun and enrichment for three hours a day, Monday through Friday. From karate and chess to homework help and character development sessions, the H2O program offers a variety of activities for up to 75 youth ages 6-18 at The Richard England Clubhouse 14, located in Northeast Washington.

The Trust partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to launch H2O, which allows youth to spend time with their peers in an enriching environment while keeping them engaged, learning and having fun. As featured on WAMU 88.5 FM on June 10, H2O will continue through the summer, providing overnight camp opportunities to youth under 12 for one week at BGCGW’s 168-acre Camp Brown in Southern Maryland. Teens will have the chance to participate in one weekend camp stay.

Youth participating in the program are transported from the emergency shelter at DC General Hospital to the site by passenger van, thanks to the generous support of the Department of Human Services. By joining the Boys & Girls Club, the young people will automatically be members of the club in any neighborhood in the District, anchoring them to their new community when they transition to stable housing.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, BGCGW’s parent company, will match The Trust’s $35,000 for a grant totaling $70,000 allocated to H20 activities and programming.

“We applaud the Trust and BGCGW for taking the initiative to provide fun and meaningful after-school activities for youth at the Family Emergency Shelter,” said DC Department of Human Services Director Clarence H. Carter. “Thanks to this partnership, youth from the shelter will have an exciting new opportunity to participate in high-quality programming and enrich their lives in a safe, nurturing space.”

To listen to the story on WAMU, please click here (Real Audio) or here (Windows Media).
 

The Trust Becomes New Administrator of DC Opportunity Scholarship Program

On May 14, the Trust assumed the role of administrator for the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to more than 1,300 students attending 46 schools in the District of Columbia. The program previously was administered for six years by the Washington Scholarship Fund, which is preparing to close at the end of June.

The DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, which no longer is accepting new applications, has provided school choice for low-income families in the form of scholarships for children to attend K-12 non-public schools within the District’s boundaries. Currently 55 schools participate in the program. The scholarships, which total as much as $7,500 per child, are for families living at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level (about $40,000 for a family of four). The scholarship covers most or all of families’ costs for tuition, transportation and school fees.


School’s Out, Summer Programs Are In!

As students across the District clean up their desks and close up their lockers for the year, summer programs are gearing up to offer the best in fun and enriching activities to keep youth engaged. Starting this month, DC youth can participate in high-quality summer programs in their own neighborhoods.

The Trust is funding high-quality programs at nearly 100 sites, with a diverse array of engaging activities, including fashion and sewing, dance, baseball, martial arts, tutoring, community service, rugby and music for youth all across DC. Programs serve a varying range of ages from 5 to 24.

To find a program near you and find more information about specific programs, use our new online program locator: www.cyitc.org/youth/dirlisting.asp.


Trust Seeks Proposals for OST Programs for the 2010-11 School Year

The Trust is pleased to announce a request for proposals for high-quality out-of-school time programs serving children and youth ages 5-24 during the 2010-11 school year. The Trust is committed to supporting organizations employing the positive youth development philosophy to ensure successful outcomes for District youth. Applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply by June 9 and must attend a Grant Technical Assistance session before submitting a proposal.

Completed proposals are due by 4 p.m., Friday, June 18. For more information, please
click here.


Trust’s Kendall Joyner Speaks Alongside Author Wes Moore

At a May 19 book reading and panel discussion at Politics and Prose in Cleveland Park, the Trust’s Kendall Joyner spoke to an audience of nearly 100 with author Wes Moore and representatives from City Year and U.S. Dream Academy. Joyner, who serves as senior director of training and policy support at the Trust, shared the Trust’s philosophy of youth development and the importance of providing youth with the support they need to succeed in life – a theme echoed throughout Moore’s book, “The Other Wes Moore.”

An acclaimed memoir, “The Other Wes Moore” follows the lives of two boys of the same name who grew up fatherless in challenging Baltimore neighborhoods -- the author, who went on to become successful investment banker, Rhodes Scholar and army veteran, and “the other Wes Moore” who was convicted of killing a policeman and serves a life sentence in prison. Author Moore credits his mother, caring mentors and an effective support network for helping him succeed, and he praises the work service organizations around the country are doing on behalf of families, single parents, kids and veterans.

At the end of the book, a list of resources from major cities across the country includes the Trust as a source of support for youth and families.

“Wes Moore’s story highlights the potential for success when youth have access to opportunities, make the right choices and have the right supports in place,” Joyner said. “This is a message the Trust believes in wholeheartedly.”