Seeking Skyland Neighborhood Youth
Voices on Canvas (VOC), is seeking 4th and 5th graders form Barrette Elementary, Columbine Elementary and Excel Institute to take part in an after school program. The program’s goal is to have our neighborhood youth develop a Youth Community Action Plan. First the students will be introduced to the Neighborhood Guidebook by the students and teachers of Columbine Elementary School produced in collaboration with Children, Youth and Environments Center of Research and Design, at the University of Colorado, 2006. VOC were approach by the Neighborhood Resource Center of Colorado to take on the next step, which is creating an action plan. The students will not only learn how to identify community matters, but how to identify and work with city agencies in negotiating steps involved in goal setting to resolve community issues. They will identify one or two unresolved issues sited by the Columbine students and produce an action plan working closely with neighborhood leaders and city agencies. This Skyland Neighborhood Youth Action Plan will become part of a public website, documenting children who make a difference. In generating a network system that solves problems, this teaches youth communication and civic skills and in doing so they strengthens the public health of a community. Children are great problem solvers if we adults just listen.
The project begins Saturday March 21st, April 25th, each session is between 9:30am – 12:00pm at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. We hope to enlist between ten – twenty students. The project is about having fun while producing a positive result in the community in which they live. The students will receive a certificate of completion followed by a celebration of participation and prizes. The program is at no cost to you or your children, but just requiring a dedication of time and participation. Please contact Ms. Casteel with VOC, 303-329-4625. Also don’t forget to save the date of Saturday August 1st, 2009 for the Skyland neighborhood’s annual Youth Art Festival, sponsored by VOC.
Filed under: Community Assistance, Education, Get Involved Tagged: | youth activities
