JUNE 20 FOR GULF SOUTH SUMMER YOUTH CORPS SUMMER ACTION CAMP IN NEW ORLEANS The GulfSouth Youth Action Corps web site: http://www.thegyac.org For more information, contact Dr. Webster at (504) 529-1922 When: TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 5:30 TO 9 P.M. Where: Ashe Cultural Center, 1712 Oretha H. Castle Blvd. Who: Dr. Kyshun Webster, President, Operation Reach Nancy Freeman, Institute for Mental Hygiene Dr. Judith Myers-Wall, Development Studies, Purdue University Parents of 200 Students Entered in Summer Camps College students will staff recreational and academic camps for New Orleans middle school children, thanks to Operation Reach and a partnership with New Orleans Recreation Department. Registration for the free program has already been held. The Parent Orientation is a mandatory meeting. A member of Volunteers of America will be on hand to take family assessments for disaster/family needs. Operation Reach's GulfSouth Summer Youth Action Corps, a national network of college students dedicated to inspiring and educating New Orleans children, will operate a six-week academic and recreational enrichment day-camp for approximately 300 middle school children one eastbank and one westbank locations, in cooperation with the New Orleans Recreation Department. The camp will last from June 26 to August 4, with activities scheduled every Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m."We are working with the City's New Orleans Recreation Department to restore normal youth camp activity, though NORD has lost 90 percent of its staff and a majority of its facilities," said ORI CEO Dr. Kyshun Webster. The “Paying It Forward” Community Service Award is a prestigious service-grant awarded by Operation REACH, Inc. to promote greater community philanthropy among college students. Click here for details.

REGISTRATION OPENS THIS WEEK FOR GULF SOUTH SUMMER YOUTH CORPS SUMMER ACTION CAMP IN NEW ORLEANS EASTBANK Wed., June 14 3:30 to 6 p.m. Watson Memorial 4400 St. Charles (at Napoleon) WESTBANK Fri., June 16 3:30 to 6 p.m. CutOff Recreational Center 6600 Bellegrade St. College students will staff recreational and academic camps for New Orleans middle school children, thanks to Operation Reach and a partnership with New Orleans Recreation Department Registration is now open for free recreational and academic summer camps for rising fifth to eighth graders who live in Orleans Parish, announced Dr. Kyshun Webster, President/CEO, Operation Reach Inc. Parents must register their children in person this Wednesday, June 14, 3:30 to 6 p.m., Watson Memorial, 4400 St. Charles Ave., (eastbank) or this Friday, June 16, 3:30 to 6 p.m., Cutoff Rec Center, 6600 Bellegrade St. (westbank) Parents should bring proof of residency in Orleans Parish. Children will be enrolled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Three camp t-shirts are available per child. Operation Reach's GulfSouth Summer Youth Action Corps, a national network of college students dedicated to inspiring and educating New Orleans children, will operate a six-week academic and recreational enrichment day-camp for approximately 300 middle school children at the two locations, in cooperation with the New Orleans Recreation Department. The camp will last from June 26 to August 4, with activities scheduled every Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. "We are working with the City's New Orleans Recreation Department to restore normal youth camp activity, though NORD has lost 90 percent of its staff and a majority of its facilities," said ORI CEO Dr. Kyshun Webster. Dr. Webster said the summer camp program will be staffed by college students from around the country who passed a rigorous selection process to serve as camp faculty and become members of the GulfSouth Summer Youth Corps. "Operation Reach has utilized college students for years now to bring quality, expanded tutoring programs to local public school students who needed help with their studies. This is a wonderful partnership between young adults who have everything to give and young teens who need quality instructors and role models," said Dr. Webster. Training for the camp counselors will be conducted at Xavier University June 19 to June 23. The intensive and on-going training of the camp counselors by Operation Reach Inc. includes how to help students with traditional subjects, as well as grow by gaining new analytical, self-expression and social consciousness skills. "We had a great deal of interest from students across America who wanted to work with young people from New Orleans and help them rebuild their lives," said Dr. Webster. "We like to think we are offering New Orleans middle school students a seriously fun summer that will be intellectually stimulating." For more information, contact Dr. Webster at (504) 529-1922

PARENTAL EDUCATION REVIEW BOARD (PERB)

There is increasing national and state pressure for individual schools and school districts to involve parents, regardless of their socio-economic background, in a meaningful partnership to improve student academic performance. The mission of PERB is to work with parents, local school districts, and state agencies to create an environment within schools that both welcomes and fosters parental participation. PERB is a completely volunteer effort to train parents, teachers and administrators in effective parental involvement strategies and techniques. The goal is to build family-friendly school environments. PERB provides trained parent teams to evaluate a school site's parental involvement efforts, initiate improvements, and monitor implementation.

2005 Update: PERB holds regular parent-educator trainings. The State of Louisiana is working to establish the full PERB model in two school districts, one urban and one rural.

PEACE IN THE CITY TEEN PROGRAM

Targeting teenagers aged 13 to 17 who live in more than 9,000 households in the city's highest crime areas, this program will utilize music and entertainment activities in after-school programs at five middle and high schools to reduce crime, youth violence and conflict in a positive, safe environment. The program will promote critical consciousness about crime and violence in the targeted sites through the power of music and creative activity. Participating students will participate in rap sessions, spoken word and other recording opportunities, rallies and public presentation of their work at local events. Partners with Operation REACH in this program are U.S. Attorney Jim Letten and the New Orleans Police Department.

2005 Program Locations to be determined.

21st CENTURY LEADERSHIP ARTS CAMP

21st Century Arts Camp is a rigorous program that utilizes a disciplined-based arts education approach to instruction. Professional and practicing artists work directly with participants, highlighting principles of leadership and character development by exploring artistic media.

Program locations:

• Langston Hughes Elementary
• NORD Summer Camps at Cutoff, Stern Tennis, and Joe Brown

      

COLLEGE BOUND

Operation REACH coordinates an intensive eight-week ACT/college prep program where local high school students are instructed in core elements of the college entrance exam and prepared to take an actual ACT test at the University of New Orleans. Students tour local and state historically Black colleges and universities and are introduced to one-on-on tutoring, financial aid programs, the college entrance process, and college life.

Program graduates as of 2005: 60 students