Summer Marks 10 Years of Continued Success

“Expanding Our Reach” Brings Support and Training to New Grantees

Project My Time Concludes After Three Years in DC

Trust Awards New Grants for FY 2010

Mark Your Calendars

 -Lights on Afterschool

-Youth Council Hearings

 

With the new 2009/2010 school year underway, the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation is pleased to reflect on a successful season of enriching the lives of youth, young adults and families across the District of Columbia.

Youth mappers at the White house

This summer, the Trust funded 76 programs in schools, recreation centers and community-based sites that offered children a wide range of engaging activities from kung fu to graphic arts, while also enhancing their academic skills. In addition to supporting many of the District’s best summer programs, the Trust also partnered with the Department of Employment Services Summer Youth Employment Program to offer 1,250 District youth the valuable opportunity to serve their communities while earning money through their involvement with the Summer Youth Service Corps. With additional support from DOES, 200 teens at 10 sites throughout the city participated in the city’s community youth mapping project, a project that enabled young people to work as ethnographers (community researchers) in their own neighborhoods and in neighboring communities, seeking out programs, opportunities and resources available for youth and families.

Beautifying the Trinidad Recreation Center

To further promote the opportunities available during the summer and to address the challenge of preventing summer learning loss in students, the Trust partnered with the National Center for Summer Learning to hold a “Celebration of Summer Learning and Community Service” on July 15.  Hundreds of youth gathered to beautify the Trinidad Recreation Center and present their summer projects, which included an excerpt from the hip-hop ballet, “AlleyCats,” performed by the Northeast Performing Arts Group, DJing (mixing and scratching) by young people from Words, Beats and Life and a soccer clinic provided by DC Scores. Speakers included Millicent Williams, president and CEO of the Trust; Ron Fairchild, executive director of the National Center for Summer Learning; Scott Richardson, K-12 program coordinator of Learn and Serve America, Corporation for National and Community Service; and Harry Thomas, Jr., DC Councilmember, Ward 5.  As a special guest, the Trust was pleased to present Grammy award winner, Raheem DeVaughn who provided encouraging words to the community and introduced his new artist Phil Ade’.  The event drew significant media coverage, including a photo on the front page of the Washington Post Metro section and a story in the Washington Times.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" at the Fishing School

In August, the Trust joined Tom Lewis, founder, and Leo Givs, executive director of the Fishing School, for the reveal of their new facility that was provided by the popular ABC television show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The Trust awarded the northeast DC organization with competitive grants (OST and Parent Center) totaling $50,000 to support the programming of the organization.  The Trust was pleased to be able to join in the outpouring of community support for the community pillar that has met the need for high-quality services for children and families for more than 20 years. The show will air this fall.

“Expanding Our Reach” Brings Support and Training to New Grantees

In September, the Trust engaged its FY 2010 grantees in a two-day convening designed to help organizations ensure that their programs deliver high-quality services that meet the needs of children, youth and families. Expanding Our Reach: The 2009 Grantee Institute took place on September 18 and 19 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and demonstrated the Trust’s commitment to supporting and bolstering high-quality organizations that make a difference in the lives of DC youth. The Institute was designed to share the necessary tools to successfully manage grants, provide useful resources and increase organizations’ capacity to meet baseline standards of effectiveness. Sessions featured inspiring words and innovative strategies from local political leaders, out-of-school time advocates and leaders in the field.
 

Project My Time Concludes After Three Years in DC

Since 2006, the Trust has led an unprecedented effort to expand high-quality out-of-school time programming in the District of Columbia. Support from The Wallace Foundation helped us launch Project My Time to engage youth when many studies indicate that they are most vulnerable – in their middle school years – and to provide them with enriching after-school and summer experiences that build on lessons from the school day.

In three years, Project My Time expanded from three schools to nine, leaving a footprint in nearly every ward in DC and in more than half of all middle schools. From DJing to tennis, chess to hip-hop, Project My Time brought free, fun, educational activities to more than 1,000 students across the District.

We asked the young people in each school what kind of activities appealed to them, and our staff carefully selected community-based organizations and providers based on each school’s needs. Full-time site directors monitored the programs, provided operations manuals and conducted trainings to help improve coordination between the school day and after-school programs. On average, a third of each school’s population enrolled in these programs, drawn by a variety of creative outreach strategies.

Project My Time evolved, expanded and adapted during three years that saw dramatic changes in public school system – both centrally and locally. Through this process, we have shared our successes and challenges and are proud to see the Project My Time model emulated in the new “DC ONE” after-school program for DCPS.

We are continuing to work with our partners on the next phase of Project My Time. In a few months, we will produce a critical assessment of the project that we will use to develop future plans for this exciting model. We will look to our partners – public and private – for their creativity and support of our shared vision of improved outcomes for our children and youth.

Trust Awards New Grants for FY 2010

The Trust is pleased to announce 108 new grants for FY 2010 that will fund high-quality out-of-school time programs and parent centers throughout the District. We received more than 190 proposals that were reviewed by 64 independent reviewers. We greatly appreciate the reviewers who volunteered their time and expertise to provide thoughtful consideration of each proposal.

Of the grants, 86 were awarded to OST programs for children and youth ages 5 to 24:

• 47 community-based organizations sites
• 7 DC Department of Parks and Recreation sites
• 32 at DC Public School sites

Additionally, 22 grants were awarded for parent center programs in three categories: parenting, family wellness and school and community outreach.

Mark Your Calendars...

Lights On Afterschool

The Trust was a partner with the Afterschool Alliance at the national kick-off for Lights On Afterschool on October 6^th.  Education Secretary Arne Duncan was in attendance for the release of new nationwide data on America After 3PM.  The Trust will observe the official Lights on Afterschool celebration on Thursday, October 22^nd  with a cross-city tennis event for young people in after-school programs that offer team tennis instruction  through our partnership with USTA.  Check our website for further details.

Youth Council Hearings

Youth Council hearings start again in October!  On the second Saturday of every month, youth will have the opportunity to speak directly to members of the DC Council.  We are fortunate to live in a city that values our young people and welcomes their ideas. The first hearing will take place this Saturday, October 10^th at 11 a.m. at the Wilson Building.  For more information, visit www.dccouncil.us/youthhearings.