Program News 2008
Having Fun All Summer Long
Summer 2008 already seems far away as we settle into a new school year, but our program staff and volunteers provided our youth with a memorable season.
Our four Bronx Day Camps, which served over 600 young people between the ages of 6 and 13, joined together for a Summer Olympics in August. The games were coordinated by Sports Instructors from all four camps, who prepared the campers for the various events throughout the summer. Youth competed in the running long jump, Frisbee throw, fitness challenge and the 100 meter dash and 400 meter dash.
The Automotive High School YABC held a summer barbeque for their students. Earlier in the season, our corporate partners at Credit Suisse joined with Crossroads at Automotive to beautify the school campus by planting rose bushes and various annuals. Credit Suisse also organized the 5th Annual Reach for the Stars summertime group mentoring program where volunteers from the firm work with our teenagers on job readiness and employment issues. Originally provided to youth in our Residential and Foster Boarding Home (FBH) programs, Reach for the Stars was expanded this year to include youth from Automotive, the Grace Doge YABC and ACCESS GED Manhattan.
The Annual Youth Leadership Special Achievement Awards was also expanded this year to include FBH as well as Residential adolescents, making it the first joint awards ceremony for these programs. Good Shepherd staff, foster parents, birth parents, mentors and other volunteers gathered at the Times Square Hotel to honor youth for achievement in academics, preparing for adulthood, community service, personal courage and leadership. The assembled crowd was addressed by Executive Director Sr. Paulette LoMonaco and a former resident of the Chelsea Foyer, who is currently working as a Counselor in our LIFE program.
Finally, the Architects Union once again spent a day building sandcastles at Coney Island Beach with our children and young people. This is the sixth year in a row that the volunteer Architects have given the children of the Red Hook Community Center Beacon a chance to learn about design, architecture and construction while participating in a fun group activity. This year's ‘Castles in the Sand' was the biggest ever, involving youth from our PS 27 Summer Camp as well as the Beacon.
September 19, 2008
