In this issue: view upcoming MyCom events; remember to "March into Kindergarten" and register for school; find out about the skills Kindergarten teachers are looking for; learn how to become a True2U mentor; get excited about Hip-Hop Therapy founder Tomās Alvarez's upcoming visit to Cleveland; don't miss the MyCom Annual Meeting with Stedman Graham; register for the Summer of Sisterhood; read about the White House's Summer Opportunity Initiative; view an infographic on the effect of youth unemployment on an aging society; and celebrate "Talk Like Shakespeare Day!"

April 19, 2016

MYCOM UPCOMING EVENTS

Check out the upcoming events across the MyCom Network!

Youth Opportunities Unlimited Green Jobs Training: April 25
East Cleveland MyCom Neighborhood Meeting: April 26
Broadway Collaborative Meeting: April 27
"We are the Majority" Rally: April 28
Summer of Sisterhood & Techie Camp Applications Deadline: April 29
Mt. Pleasant Youth-Serving Partners Meeting: May 2
ULGC Youth Staff Training on Cooperative Learning: May 10
True2U End-of-Year Event: May 12
MyCom Annual Meeting: May 13

Get the details!

Now is the time to register your child for Kindergarten or a new school!

Dial 2-1-1 to connect with your local school district.

Visit the March Into Kindergarten Website Today!

Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?

Five teachers tell you what preschoolers really need for next year.

(Reprinted from ScholasticParents.com)

If your child's preschool years are coming to an end, your thoughts are probably turning toward kindergarten. But is your child ready to move on to the "big" school? What skills do kindergarten teachers expect their new students to have? To help answer those questions (and ease your mind), we've asked highly regarded kindergarten teachers from around the country to share their insights on helping your child gain the right mix of kindergarten-readiness skills.

The skill sets they are looking for might surprise you. Because of the national focus on improving education and meeting standards, you might think that it's most important for children to enter kindergarten knowing their ABCs, numbers, shapes, and colors so they can keep up with the curriculum. While teachers would love children to come in with some letter and number recognition, they don't want you to drill your kids on academic skills. There are equally - if not more - important readiness skills that set the stage for your child's learning. Raising an eager learner is the goal, and it can be achieved easily through play and day-to-day activities.

What follows are the top readiness skills that kindergarten teachers look for.

Enthusiasm Toward Learning
Solid Oral-Language Skills
The Ability to Listen
The Desire to Be Independent
The Ability to Play Well with Others
Strong Fine-Motor Skills
Basic Letter and Number Recognition

Read more here.

True2U Youth Mentoring Initiative is Recruiting!

Join over 180 mentors and support a youth in Cleveland.

Imagine you're an eighth-grader in Cleveland facing the decision of where to attend to high school. You know your selection is extremely important because it will impact your educational opportunities after graduation and even your future career opportunities. Having to make so many critical decisions at this age can be daunting, especially if you feel alone, confused, and unsure of what is right for you!

The True2U program is an innovative mentoring and career awareness program that prepares eighth grade students for the transition from middle school to high school. Caring adults are needed to help these young people discover their unique interests, attributes, and skills and how they might be developed through high school, post-secondary education, and eventually a career. Training and support are provided.

Learn more about becoming a True2U Youth Mentor!

Ashoka Fellow and CNN Hero, Tomās Alvarez III to Keynote Community Partnership for Arts & Culture (CPAC's) second Creative Intersections event, "Empowering Youth"

Event will be held May 19, 2016 at the Bohemian National Hall in Cleveland's

Slavic Village neighborhood.


	Tomās Alvarez III

Fueled by his discontent with traditional mental health systems, Alvarez set out to reimagine mental health for boys and men of color.

In 2004 while working as a school social worker he pioneered one of the first Hip-Hop Therapy programs in an effort to engage youth turned off by traditional forms of therapy. In 2011, he founded the nonprofits Beats Rhymes and Life, Inc. and served as its CEO until 2015. In 2012, his efforts using Hip-Hop Therapy in Oakland were the focus of an award-winning documentary film (A Lovely Day).

In 2012 NBC Latino named Tomās Alvarez III one of the country's Top 20 Innovators, whose work is changing their fields. In 2014 Alvarez was selected as a lifetime fellow by Ashoka, an international organization that identifies and supports social entrepreneurs whose bold ideas have the power to transform patterns in society. Currently, he is a SEERS fellow at Stanford University's Program on Social Entrepreneurship where he is working to launch a global institute for Hip-Hop Therapy.

Event tickets are on sale now: $25 per person.

Don't Miss the MyCom Annual Meeting!


	Stedman Graham

Making Connections

Keynote Speaker Stedman Graham

Friday, May 13, 2016

Windows on the River

8:30am-11:00am

Click here to purchase tickets.

MyCom Future Leaders of the World Travel to Flint

FLOW youth take action and bring clean water to Flint, Michigan

Twenty-eight youth members of Future Leaders of the World (FLOW) gathered over 5,000 bottles of water including 68 cases of water from R & R Ministries and 40 cases of water from HandsAcrossCleveland. In addition, $491 was raised to purchase additional water bottles. The youth then traveled to Flint on March 29 to deliver the water and funds in person.

Lead causes profound neurologic an developmental damage, especially in children. The youth participants, in grades eight to twelve, were inspired by the idea that they each have one hand to help themselves, and one hand to help others.

"I am very proud and inspired by the FLOW youth. They saw a need and strategically planned 'FLOW to Flint!' to occur in March when Flint's water crisis would begin to fade from the news. They researched, made calls to Flint, talked with residents, collected water, and traveled to Flint. All I had to do was get on the bus. Their guiding thought is, " I have two hands-one to help myself and one to help others," admired Dontč Gibbs, the FLOW Program Manager.

FLOW challenges youth to take an active role in political processes, experience civics through active engagement in democratic activities outside the classroom, and transform schools, neighborhoods and cities through their insight and expertise. It is presented by Neighborhood Leadership Institute in partnership with MyCom.

Learn more about FLOW

Download the Application Here!

Application Deadline is April 29, 2016 @ 6:00pm

White House Announces New Summer Opportunity Project

The Summer Opportunity Project will give young people access to their First Job and encourage investment in programs supporting summer meals and learning.

"Let's make sure every young person knows that in America, we're all committed to helping them achieve

their dreams."

-President Barack Obama

For many young Americans summer is the time to look for a first job -- an important step in building skills and experience for the future. Summer opportunities have been shown to divert youth from criminal involvement and to reduce overall violence, while also offering a chance for young people to get their first exposure to the workplace and build the financial skills they will need throughout their lives.

But these benefits are only possible if young people can find those opportunities. For a young person with a blank resume, limited education, and no meaningful connections to employers, the prospect of finding a job can be daunting. A study found that last summer nearly 46 percent of youth who applied for summer jobs were turned down. The summer "opportunity gap" between young people with early work experience and those without can contribute to gaps in achievement, employment, and college and career success, particularly for low-income students who also lose access to critical supports in summer that keep them safe, healthy, and engaged during the school year.

The Summer Opportunity Project aims to significantly increase the percentage of youth in evidence-based summer opportunity programs, decrease the percentage of youth experiencing violence over the summer, and-more broadly-make sure that young Americans have the support they need to get their first job.