The Vine Students Make a Awesome Mural!
The Vine, which is our after-school program in Humboldt Park, has been digging into art and exploring different concepts to express our creativity. Last month we brainstormed, planned, and completed a classroom mural that incorporated Dr. Seuss’ birthday with everything we have been learning about Heaven. The mural started out as a land straight out of Dr. Seuss books, then it expanded into what we think Heaven will look like. There were many helping hands, lots of cooperation and teamwork that went into this project. Discussion about what they are looking forward to in Heaven and how bright and brilliant the colors need to be to show God’s perfect place for us was like music to our ears. The process was simply beautiful.
Running Forward Participates in their First 5K Color Run
Running season has officially started and our first run was the Fun Run in Color in Wheaton, IL. The youth had a blast and the cold weather didn't stop them from enjoying the event. For many of the Running Forward youth, this was their first race and they are encouraged to participate in more throughout the year. Enjoy the pictures!
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Circle Up!
Every person has a need to belong to someone and something. We were designed and placed on earth to live and thrive in community and with every community there are values. Over these last few weeks we have been spending our time at Biedler and Piccolo middle schools teaching our young men this truth. During our time together, the community phrase “Circle Up!” has emerged as a battle call for us to return back to our intended design of live in community with shared values. With the charge “Circle Up!” came a set of values that we have called our C.A.U.S.E. - Character, Awareness, Unity, Sacrifice, and Eternity. Our young men are quickly adapting to the rally of our C.A.U.S.E. with an innate intuition of someone and something bigger calling them together and upward. They are embracing that we can go farther, faster and longer together as a unit and have committed to “Circle Up!” in order to do so. Stay tuned as we venture to bring the power of our unity to the community of Garfield and Humboldt Park.
La Semilla Teaching Students to Trust in God
This semester at La Semilla After-School Program the students have been learning about the life and ministry of Jesus. One week they focused on the story of Jesus calming the storm on the lake, and the students re-enacted the story with boats they had created. They also drew a picture of a moment when they were afraid, and on the other side of the paper, wrote a Bible verse about trusting God - to help them conquer their fear. The students were encouraged to take the verse home so that they could have a daily reminder to rely on God when they are afraid. The next day one of the 3rd graders excitedly shared with the leaders, “You know that verse you had us do? It really helped me last night when I felt afraid!”
Basketball Team Enjoys Competition and Fellowship in Tony Aguirre Tournament
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The Little Village basketball team participated in the Tony Aguirre Tournament for the third year in a row and had a great time! There were teams that came from the states of Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa to compete. The tournament is named after Tony who was an athletic director from Kansas City that worked with youth for over 50 years to help them reach their full potential. His love and commitment to the youth has inspired many in the Latino community and the tournament has continued in his honor for 66 years.
Joining us on the trip was Dr. Claudio Rivera, a clinical community psychologist, who shared with our players about his work and the affects of trauma on the ride to Kansas City. The youth were able to compete all weekend and eat some of the best barbecue that Kansas City has to offer. Another highlight of the trip was witnessing the upperclassmen in high school teaching the younger youth about personal and social responsibility through conversations about peer pressure and other problems that arise in school and life. Praise God for the opportunity to fellowship and show the youth another part of the country!
Urban Life Skills Partners with SGA To Give Youth on Probation a New Experience
The Urban Life Skills Juvenile Justice program is striving to not only teach our young people essential life skills such as anger management or substance abuse intervention; but also, to give them the opportunity to experience different things and meet new people. That is why we are excited to begin our collaboration with SGA Youth and Family Services and participate in their drum making curriculum. Our youth were able to learn about Puerto Rican culture through music and experience the therapeutic process of making their own drums. We are excited for this partnership and look forward to teaming up with more agencies throughout the city to provide our participants with as many pro-social connections as possible.
Urban Life Skills Receives National Gold Star Mentoring Recognition Award
We were honored to receive the National Gold Star Mentoring Recognition Award for our top quality standards in mentoring. Jorge Roque, our Mentoring Director, was on hand to receive the award.
We are very proud of the hard work that the Urban Life Skills team has invested in order to receive this recognition. Thanks to all of you who continue to support this important work!
Arise Creations Empowers Young Women to Become Leaders
New Life Centers is raising up powerful young women to be the future leaders of our community. We’ve taken to heart that walking alongside the girls in our community can change the direction of our youth. Arise is a youth-fueled, creative business that seeks to empower, encourage and educate youth through the vehicles of entrepreneurship and discipleship. Our hope is to see the youth achieve these goals through creating and selling handmade jewelry.
Our signature piece which is called Urban Hope, is a creation of broken glass wrapped in wire. The inspiration behind this piece came about when a New Life Centers employee was waiting at a bus stop that had recently been shot out due to gang activity in the community and they overheard a young girl comment that the broken glass looked like gemstones. What was broken, suddenly was found beautiful and of great value. The girls in Arise carefully wrap each piece of glass as a reminder that God is taking each of us in our brokenness and sin and re-purposing us into something new.
Through making and selling handmade jewelry, each one of the youth that enter the program learn, create and sell their pieces, equipping them with job skills while giving them a safe space to express themselves and grow. Each day these young women are being empowered to be agents of change in their own community.
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Boxing Program Teaches Discipline Both In and Out of the Ring
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Our boxing program has grown as we have been given the opportunity to partner with new schools and expand our in-school mentoring program. As a result, our boxing program attendance has doubled in the past two months. In the month of January, participants set goals for themselves which will help foster discipline and perseverance. We have been focusing on teaching basic breathing techniques to help them relax and control themselves in the ring. They were also taught that these same techniques can be applied outside of the ring when they are in difficult life situations.
Girls Program Celebrates Christmas and Reflects on a Great Year
On December 15th, the Urban Life Skills Girls Program gathered together for a Christmas party. Girls from both our high school and middle school programs came together to celebrate the end of the year. We ate tamales, drank champurrado and played games. We spent some time reflecting on their experience with ULS. Paloma, who has been a participant since she was 11 years old, stated that “ULS has changed her life” and encouraged the younger girls to stay involved with the program. Ximena shared that she really enjoyed the Christmas party because she was able to meet new people. In total we had 35 girls celebrating and enjoying each others company.
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