The youth of Newburgh on the Rise will be graduating from their 12 week summer youth employment program on September 30TH, 2009. On July 13TH 2009 48 youth were given the opportunity to work paid jobs for 6 weeks under the Department of Human Service’s youth bureau for the City of Newburgh. 48 youth ages 19-24 were given hands on training, in construction, filming/ photography, event planning and Urban Landscaping, while also receiving professional development skills training from Best Resources. Throughout the 6 weeks the youth assisted in the greening of several city owned properties while working closely with The Department of Public Works, they built and designed their own gardens while in partnership with professional arborists, volunteers from the tree commission and staff at Downing park. The youth also engaged themselves in their own community project called The Block Building Movement, in which they dedicated 5 hand pieced raised tree boxes to the community with over 200 names of people who passed burnt into the wood. Each name was registered in person as the youth Ambassadors went door to door, than passed on the names to their peers who burnt in every name by hand. This successful 6 week program was celebrated and presented to the public on August 16TH where well over 100 people showed up to thank the youth for their efforts in the community and to watch a draft of their film describing the whole process.
On August 24TH, 2009 because of the Newburgh On The Rise’s success 18 of the 48 youth ambassadors were extended for another 5 weeks by Orange County E.T.A. Over the past 5 weeks not only have the youth exceeded the expectations of community partners but they have also exceeded their own. In only 25 days with less then 20 Youth Ambassadors, Newburgh on The Rise has been able to assist in the metamorphic change towards a greener Newburgh. The first couple of weeks on the job the youth ambassadors started to tear down walls literally and figuratively as they teamed up with the City of Newburgh Police to renovate the old court house and police station, helping to build a stronger bond between the police and the community. Over the following weeks the youth finished the final editing of their 25 minute short film, built their own miniature raised bed gardens and maintained over 40 trees some of which they planted themselves. They also received training in Blogging, Urban Farming, Green Construction & Building, Permaculture, Horticulture, Culinary from the Culinary Institute and local restaurants all while still attending their professional development courses at Best Resources. All of their hard work will be celebrated at 4:00PM on September the 30TH at Newburgh’s Recreation Center. The Celebration will begin with a bus tour of all of their achievements around the City of Newburgh and will continue on at the recreation center, where their film and blog will be shown. Please come out and celebrate with our youth ambassadors and show them you care.
Maria
"I learned a positive experience in the last 12 weeks and I did things that I would never do."
Le'Metrius
"It was the greatest experience I’ve ever had."
Brandon
"I learned construction for the past 12 week the 1st experience was my best one."
Taniqua
"Being apart of the summer youth program was a good thing for me. I feel like I accomplished something, not for myself, but for everyone. If there was more people like the ambassador’s in Newburgh our city would look a lot better if we cared."
Tanisha
"What I learned from the past 12 weeks was how to work with a group of people. Some people argued or didn’t want to do nothing, but we did what we had to do and we got the job done and for the past 12 weeks it has been a success."
Sierra
"This program was a great positive experience and it feels good to become a part of a change within the community that I live. I’ve learned to care more about my community and the people who live in it."
Natasha
"What I learned from this program is that I could do a lot of things if I put my mind to it. I never thought I would experience and do the things that I did."
Ashley
"During the past 12 weeks I learned a lot of new things and I accomplished several different projects. I feel that this program was a wonderful experience."
"Newburgh on the rise means that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, you can do anything."
Rahsean
Latishia
"I’ve learned to have patience and be more considerate. I’ve also learned to take it to the next level and I can do anything if I put my mind into it. Newburgh on the Rise means a lot to me because it has taught me to overcome my fears and accomplish my goals. I feel I’ve better myself in so many different ways, one ways is I accomplished my goals."
Manny
"This program has taught me to be a better person all around, and has opened my eyes a lot. Newburgh on the rise taught me so much. Thank you all for this whole experience"
Tiffany
"Newburgh on the rise has been a great learning experience for me. I will take the skills I have learned and put them to good use."
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