the village news
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Strong Communities AgendaTRANSCRIPT
RACINE Y AWARDS SIXTH
JOSEPH BUCHANAN SCHLORSHIP!
Ashley Sims is the sixth
recipient of the Joseph
Buchanan Scholarship. The
Joseph Buchanan Scholarship
is a four year, full-tuition
scholarship to Carthage
College for a minority high
school student from Racine
that: 1) Graduated from the
Young Leaders Academy and/
or actively participated in
the Y’s Teen Achievers
program during their Junior and Senior years, 2) Has
been accepted for admission to Carthage College, and
3) Has demonstrated the Y’s Core Values of Honesty,
Respect, Responsibility and Caring.
Ashley graduated from Horlick High School 57th in her
class of 415. She has been an active member of the
Y’s Teen Achievers Program and has been a
volunteer, mentor, and role model for members of the
Young Leaders Academy at Wadewitz Elementary
School. In addition, Ashley has also been active in
Yearbook, Student Treasury, and Girls with Goals.
These experiences has given Ashley the tools to
cultivate her ambitions to achieve further education
and be a productive member of her society.
Ashley plans on majoring in Accounting and Computer
Development. Congratulations to Ashley’s parents,
Jermaine and Tina Barry, for rearing a mature,
intelligent, dynamic, and personable young lady who
will continue the efforts of improving herself and the
community around her while attending Carthage.
Previous Joseph Buchanan Scholarship Winners:
Anthony Coleman, Kadeem Liggins, Jamel Garrett,
Olivia Jimenez, and DaZahn Wilkerson.
June 2012
PREVIOUS JOSEPH BUCHANAN
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS GRADUATE!
Congratulations to Kadeem Liggins (left) and Jamel
Garrett on graduating from Carthage College.
Kadeem is a graduate of the Racine Youth Leadership
Academy (currently the Young Leaders Academy) and
was in the RYLA from 3rd through 8th grade. Jamel
participated in the RYLA from 3rd through 6th grade
and was an active member in the Y’s Teen Achievers
Program. Kadeem graduated with a degree in Sports
Management and Jamel earned a degree in History.
FORMER Y TEEN ACHIEVER IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE! For Melvin “MJ” Bridges, Teen Achiever Graduating Class of 2006, triumph and
resilience can define the last six months of his life. May 4, 2012, MJ earned his Master
degree! MJ wrote in an email to the Y, “I cannot help but to think how far I have come
from in my personal life and my upbringing in Racine, WI.”
After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Alabama State University,
MJ moved to Indianapolis to earn his Master of Arts in education at the University of
Indianapolis as a 2010 mathematics fellow for the Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Teaching Fellowship Program. While earning is Masters Degree, MJ learned how to
become an effective urban high school mathematics teacher.
Th i s s choo l yea r , MJ taught a t th ree schoo l s ; two
traditional schools and one online school. He teaches full-time for Indiana’s largest high school and part-time at
the other two schools. At the online school, which is Indiana’s first public virtual high school, MJ received the
Teacher Make a Difference Award twice and was recently named Teacher of the Year!
During his spare time, MJ is working towards the launch of his new organization, I.am.myHBCU. His
organization’s mission will be to expose African-American male students to Historically Black Colleges by
sponsoring an annual college tour for specific college bound students. MJ plans to have a satellite
location of this organization in Racine fall of 2013.
His ultimate goal is to become a college Professor, Dean or President. MJ plans to continue to teach and return to
school to earn his Ph.D.
Y-USA HELPS HISPANIC FAMILIES
DEVELOP HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES
The Racine Family Y received a small grant from the
YMCA of the USA to pilot Salsa Sabor y Salud (SSyS)
for Racine’s Hispanic Community. Ssys was developed
to improve awareness of habits leading to better
nutrition and increased physical activity for Latino
families with children 12 and younger.
The Racine Y’s first group started April 7th with over
50 Hispanic participants enrolled and ended June 2nd.
The next session will begin July 7th. The goal is to
reach at least 100 Hispanics with SSyS to celebrate
traditions, talk about the foods they eat every day.
For more information, call 262-880-1412.
$30,000 RAISED AT EVENING
FUNDRAISER
The Y’s Strong Communities Agenda Advisory Board
raised $30,000 at an evening fundraiser held at the
Johnson Foundation at Wingspread on November 12,
2011. The purpose of this fundraiser was to raise funds
to support the Y’s Urban Programming Initiative called
the Strong Communities Agenda.
The Strong Communities Agenda provides a range of
programs dedicated to increasing the strength and
effectiveness of community life and improving local
conditions, especially for youth in disadvantage
situations. Funds raised will help expand the Young
Leaders Academy and the Focus on Fathers Initiative.
For more information about the Y’s Strong Communities
Agenda, please call Zakee Darr at 262-898-4762.