YouthBridge-NY
Events
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YouthBridge-NY Orientation Retreat 2006
Hidden in a remote corner of New York’s Rockland County
at The Stony Point Retreat Center, the YouthBridge-NY Fellows
kicked off the year with their annual Orientation retreat. The
program included an assorted lineup of guest speakers including
YouthBridge-NY Executive Director Bob Kaplan, Board member
Lorraine Watson, and youth facilitators Sarah Nadeau from
the New York Tolerance Center and Don Kao from Project Reach. Students
participated in various team building workshops, creative
expression activities, group sports, and intense group dialogue
allowing them to freely articulate their interests and priorities
to each other during the course of their stay.
Highlights included Don Kao’s powerful Boat exercise
on diversity, decision making, and creative problem solving
as well as the now traditional group sharing circle and talent
showcase.
This year’s retreat not only served to introduce the
mission of YouthBridge-NY, it also strengthened this year’s
35 Bridge Fellows with trust and understanding for their
peers and instilled in them the confidence to carry out the
tasks set forth for the 2006-2007 year.
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CityKids Foundation
Public Speaking Workshop
September 12, 2006
I want to start a revolution.....
To kick off the year, the Bridge Fellows jumped
right in with a dynamic public speaking workshop facilitated
by CityKids Director of Programs Taina McField and Director
of the BridgeBuilder Initiative, Lauren Schell. The
meeting consisted of various warm up exercises where students
brainstormed on the skills necessary for effective public
speaking. Issues like confidence, posture, eye contact,
and projection were used as a framework for peer critiquing. During
small group interaction, the students took a few minutes
to improvise speeches on issues like diversity in music,
gas versus alternate fuels, and the Patriot Act. They also
took the time to critique each other and improve on their
original approaches to the content of their speeches. Implementing
the theme of Setting the Agenda, the
meeting also guided students in formulating a proposal
for action in support of their cause. Overall, the
meeting eliminated any uncertainties and mystery behind
public speaking and by the end, with stars in their eyes;
the Bridge Fellows were all requesting their own personal
soapboxes.
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YouthBridge-NY Announces Its Annual Awards
Breakfast!
YOUTH SUMMIT 2006
Friday, June 9
Honoring Founding Directors and
Alumnus
Virginia Kee, Founding Member, Chinese-American
Planning Council, Inc.
Serafin U. Mariel,
NYNB Bank
Ira M.Millstein,
Senior Partner, Weil, Gotshal & Manges
LLP
Honorable Dennis M. Walcott,
Deputy Mayor for Education and
Community Development, City of
New York
Teddy Otobo-Sheriff,
YouthBridge-NY Alumnus
YouthBridge-NY's vision is
to change attitudes toward diversity, acceptance and appreciation.
Through its mission YouthBridge-NY
engages high school age youth and educators in a collaborative
program to unite the diverse ethnic communities of New York
City through engendering respect and understanding.
The Bridge Fellowship is a
forum for twenty-five high school students, who will one day
become the future lay and professional leadership of New York
City, to receive training in the art of intergroup collaboration
and coalition building. This project is significant
for its investment in our youth and in building, broadening,
and strengthening ethnic ties in New York City. We teach
young leaders that if they can come together to work on and
improve quality of life issues, everyone benefits.
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Roundtable Discussion with
Channel 2 News Anchor Roz Abrams
February 28, 2006
Immediately following her 5:00 p.m. broadcast, Ms. Abrams rushed
to meet with the Bridge Fellows for a roundtable discussion
on media and freedom of speech. Ms. Abrams infectious enthusiasm
permeated around the room as she delivered solid advice on
a variety of ways to influence the media. By the end of the
discussion the Fellows were determined to begin focusing on
advocating for their opinions and concerns utilizing different
media outlets.
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Shared Resources for a Shared Future
February 16, 2006
Committee members met with two representatives of New York
City's top Public Relations firms; Lorraine Watson, Rubenstein & Associates
and Michael Gill, Gillwright Group. During this meeting they
received valuable insider tips on self-promotion and how
to raise community awareness concerning your priorities.
The fellows also had their Request for Proposal flyer evaluated
and critiqued, using the information to move forward on the
final stages of their grant project.
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Thirteen/WNET New York
Understanding the Role of Media
January 17, 2006
A panel discussion with top editors and journalists from the
ethnic media heated up this Bridge meeting. With topics ranging
from the image of youth in the media to the importance of preserving
ethnic visibility, the Fellows listened and countered with
a vast array of opinions.
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CityKids Foundation
December 20. 2005
This very exciting meeting involved the Bridge Fellows
in a Public Speaking workshop. Through a series of improvisational
exercises and group discussion, the Fellows gained the confidence
necessary to confront issues concerning teens in the media.
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New York Tolerance Center
October 11, 2005
Bridge Fellows interact and take a tour of the visual artifacts
of racism housed within the New York Tolerance Center; including
interviews, propaganda films, and advertising.
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Council of People’s Organization-Brooklyn-Coney
Island Avenue
September 27, 2005
Students listen attentively listen to Debbie Almontaser’s
personal experiences as both an educator and community leader.
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Shared Resources for a Shared Future Committee Meeting
September 22, 2005
Shared Resources Committee members assemble with trainer
from the 21st Century Fund, Rev. John Vaughn for their initial
philanthropy, fundraising, and grant-making meeting.
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