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Spotlight on a Project My Time Student: DJ
Magic Mike Spins Music and Success
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| Lincoln sixth-grader Mike
McMillian (left) practices on a turntable after
school with instruction from DJ 2Tone (center) of
Words, Beats and Life. |
When sixth-grader Mike McMillian heard the familiar beats
blaring through the speakers during recess, he knew the song
right away even though his peers had never heard it. “I listen
to a lot of old school music,” he said. “It was Rakim and Eric
B. ‘I Know You Got Soul.’”
The Lincoln Middle School recess DJ demonstration by Words,
Beats and Life was part of a Project My Time effort to show
students the exciting enrichment opportunities available after
school. The chance to pursue his love of music in a DJing class
hooked 11-year-old Mike.
“On the first day, it was just me,” says Mike, who learned how
to use the fader and mixer, how to “scratch” and how to
manipulate records. Soon, lured by the sound of music, other
students began to join.
Now, every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, the young DJ Magic
Mike practices his skills on the turntables and “battles,” or
competes, against other students. On other days, Mike still
stays after school to complete homework and have fun. Since the
start of Project My Time in the fall, Mike only missed two days.
And it shows — both in his grades and in his DJing abilities.
“People tell me, ‘Hey Mike, you’re getting good,'" he said. “I
think I’m the greatest.”
Before Project My Time, Mike typically went straight home after
school. Though he had heard about other Project My Time programs
like martial arts and drumming, it wasn’t until he found Words,
Beats and Life and met the instructor, DJ 2Tone, that he felt
compelled to join.
“When this opportunity came, it inspired him…and now we see him
all the time,” said Brodrick Clarke, the Lincoln site director.
“That says a lot about the quality of the provider and also a
lot about the strategy of identifying student interests and
making that dictate the type of programs we offer.”
Thanks to Project My Time, Mike now has a fun after-school
program to look forward to and also a new mentor in his
instructor. “DJ 2Tone tells us how to act better and some days
he helps me out with homework,” Mike said. “I think he’s a good
role model. The best.”
Introducing... Jefferson Junior High Principal
MenSa Ankh Maa
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| Principal MenSa Ankh Maa of
Jefferson Junior High School |
Long before he was principal of Jefferson Junior High School,
MenSa Ankh Maa knew the benefits and fun offered by after-school
programs. Starting in elementary school and through middle and
high school, Maa dabbled in numerous activities, mastering a few
along the way. He played football, tennis and swimming, sang for
a church choir, played the violin and worked as a lifeguard
during his summer breaks.
Maa’s enthusiasm for out-of-school time continues with Project
My Time at Jefferson today. Project My Time not only adds to the
variety of extracurricular programs at Jefferson, but also
strengthens the academic program, he said.
“I believe that kids are completing more homework than before,”
Maa said. “Many children need a quiet place and/or some
assistance in completing their assignments. Project My Time
provides this structure for those who attend.”
Creativity, Contests, Demos Attract
New Students to Project My Time
Since the start of this school
year’s second semester, Project My Time directors have focused
hard on reaching more students, sparking interest and boosting
enrollment in programs. And the effort is paying off. Through
intensive efforts at all sites during January, nearly 100 new
students were enrolled.
As two of Project My Time’s newest schools, Jefferson and
MacFarland took extra steps to appeal to students and get them
involved. At Jefferson, students learned about providers like
Capitol Hill Computer Corner and the KanKouran West African
Dance Company through lunchtime presentations and performances.
Students also were encouraged to recruit five friends to be
eligible for a contest awarding free movie passes. Outreach
extended to teachers and parents, thanking them for their
continued support and reminding them of enrollment deadlines.
MacFarland held a roundtable discussion for students to provide
input on how they wanted to structure after-school time.
Students also had the chance to learn more about providers like
the Latin American Youth Center and Young Playwrights Theatre
through an interactive after-school open house. A kickoff party
for enrolled students set the tone of fun and enrichment for the
rest of the semester.
At Hart, students learned about the variety of Project My Time
activities during school-day assemblies. At Lincoln, Kelly
Miller and MacFarland, students had the chance to sign up at
tables set up by providers for lunchtime recruitment. During a
recess demonstration, students at Lincoln were hooked by a DJ
performance by Words, Beats and Life, and in March, Lincoln
students will be able to showcase their own skills honed through
Project My Time.
Though the intensity of recruitment efforts increases with the
start of each semester, directors will continue to reach out to
students and work to build enrollment throughout the school
year.
The Wallace Foundation Builds Support in
December Visit to DC
 At the end of last year, the DC
Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation hosted a visit
from officials from The Wallace Foundation that affirmed
citywide support for out-of-school time. Representatives from
The Wallace Foundation, which funds Project My Time, met with
Mayor Adrian Fenty, Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Council
Chairman Vincent Gray, Councilman Tommy Wells and local funders.
The meeting was a chance for officials from The Wallace
Foundation to meet with the new mayor and chancellor who said
they supported building a high-quality out-of-school-time
system. “Cities
across the nation want better ways to provide high-quality
out-of-school learning opportunities to children who need it
most,” said Nancy Devine, director of communities at The Wallace
Foundation. “To do that requires the involvement of city
government and school leaders. We are pleased that the new
leaders in the District recognize that too and are committed to
building a system that provides engaging after-school
opportunities for DC children.”
Coming to an Arena Near You... Outstanding
Students from Project My Time and Carrera Trust
Kelly Miller students practice
their dance routines before making their public debut at
a March 8 Washington Wizards basketball game. |
On March 8, hundreds of students participating in Project
My Time and the Carrera Trust program will descend upon the
Verizon Center. More than 200 students will receive free tickets
to a basketball game of the Washington Wizards as a reward for
frequent attendance and participation in the DC Children and
Youth Investment Trust Corporation’s two signature out-of-school
time programs.
In addition to watching the Wizards’ evening game against the
Charlotte Bobcats, the students will get to see their peers
perform a modern dance routine at half-time, led by PMT provider
CityDance. CityDance has led after-school dance instruction
since the beginning of the school year at Kelly Miller Middle
School. The young dancers have practiced extensively and look
forward to wowing the Wizards’ audience!
Research: After-School Programs Promote
Positive Youth Development
 Two
new research briefs from Child Trends examine the positive
impact of after-school activities on youth's lives. In "Ways
to Promote the Positive Development of Children and Youth,"
researchers found that youth involved in multiple organized
after-school activities fare better developmentally than peers
that remained uninvolved or are engaged in only one activity.
Another brief, "The
Over-Scheduling Myth," rejects the popular notion that
children today are over-scheduled with activities and suffering
as a result. Researchers find that less than one in 10 youth
could be described as over-scheduled and that only six in 10
youth participate in organized after-school activities at any
given time, though it benefits child and family well-being.
Project
My Time is an initiative of the DC Children and Youth Investment
Trust Corporation. For more information, visit
www.projectmytime.org. |
