Why Human Services are Vital to the Community Pt I

Within the past few years, there has been discussion of the role that human services play in the lives of people and whether such services are actually healthy for individuals and families. As a result, many human services such as school and community health centers, after-school programs, and early childhood care and educations centers get targeted for budget cuts and even ridiculed for helping the less fortunate. And while there are people who will leech, other disadvantaged residents, such as children, the homeless, those living in or near poverty, and those with disabilities use the services as a vital lifeline.

An important fact about human services that is often overlooked is that they are extremely wise investments. According to the Social Impact Research Center at Heartland Alliance in Chicago, human services stave off future costs to the community if many of the issues in the community were left unchecked. Here are a few examples of those costs:

• Child poverty costs the US economy $500 billion per year when considering lost earnings, crime, and health care costs.
• The costs of low education attainment come in the form of lost productivity and earnings potential. The median annual income of someone with less than a high school diploma is 2.6 times less than someone with a bachelor's degree. This translates into lost taxable income and purchasing power.
• The cost of retaining students who are not promoted to the next grade costs $18 billion annually
• The potential economic value to be gained in better health outcomes if all Americans had health coverage is estimated to be between $65 and 130 billion each year
• The annual net burden of crime, including costs of incarceration and the legal system, lost wages, costs to victims, crime prevention organizations, lost opportunity costs, fear of being victimized, and cost of private deterrence, is estimated at over $1 trillion
• The monetary value of saving a single high-risk youth from turning to criminal activity is $1.7 to $2.3 million.

There is no question that human services help people mitigate many of the hardships in life, but they can also mitigate the economic impact of simply ignoring them. How so?  The next post will answer that.

Resident Spotlight: Matthew Odom

Recently, Promise Neighborhoods had the opportunity to sit down and chat briefly with a resident many inside of the MPN may not know of. However, the rest of the city, the state and cities like Chicago, Illinois know him very well. Matthew Odom is a successful local photographer that is pushing the limits of professional photography in the Macon and Middle Georgia area. His work has gotten so much attention that a piece of his work is on display at an art exhibition in Atlanta, Ga. What many don't know about Matthew is that he not only grew up in the Unionville neighborhood but he in fact still lives in the neighborhood.

Matthew holds the piece that will get exhibited at the Peachtree Photography Roots Studio Exhibition

MPN: "So tell us about your neighborhood."

Matt: "Well I grew up in Unionville and still stay there. There are good people in the neighborhood but right now, its just stagnant. It's hard to put a finger on it sometimes. And although its better than it was when I was growing up, the mindset of many who live in the neighborhood isn't one that can push the neighborhood forward. Or better yet push THEMSELVES forward."

MPN: "Well speak on growing up a little. What sort of things did you have to overcome to become as successful as you are. (Matthew owns a VERY successful photography business along with an successful internet based smooth jazz radio station)."

Matt: "Well I lost my mother when I was a young boy so my grandparents raised me and after my grandfather died, it was just my grandma and myself. There was a point when the neighborhood got pretty rough with a rise in gang activity and violence but I never took heed to the peer pressure that the gangs brought with them. I was also very involved in sports and I loved video games; still do! *laughs* But with a strong family along with effective mentors and positive friends, I kept everything on the straight and narrow."

MPN: *laughing* "I can definitely understand where you're coming from with video games and sports. Can you talk about some ways you think that residents in Univionville can, sort of, help themselves get out of many of the situations they are in. You know, change the "culture" that is in place in the neighborhood." 

Matt: Well to me its simple. The key is to educate themselves AND to make sure that their children take their education seriously. Knowledge is the new currency and many people who do well are the ones with the knowledge and know-how to get things done. The neighborhood simply has to educate itself.

Wise words.

See some of Matthew's work at Matt Odom Photography

Teaching computer programming to children: could this really work?

Recently, there has been a lot of buzz around the education and tech communities regarding a recent video released by code.org.  In the video, various people ranging from Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates to NBA star Chris Bosh and pop star Will.I.Am all promote the idea of teaching computer programming to everyone. And I dont mean people interested in computers.

Everyone.

This includes young children and there may be a number of useful nuggets that come out of it in regards to education. However, the one essential nugget that everyone should understand is this:
we should not teach our children how to code for coding's sake. We shouldn't teach our children how to code because computer programming is the most demanded profession in the country. We should teach our children how to code for the cognitive development of their minds. We don't teach children math or how to read just so that they know how to crunch numbers; we teach them these skills with the end result of creating better thinkers in mind. Computer programming can do just that. It can help develop computational skills in young children. It can teach the basics of logic and algorithms. It can develop better problem solving skills. The list goes on and on.

In addition to developing their minds, teaching code will force children to learn how much of the amazing technology of our day truly works. Many of our children can pick up how to use the Internet, video conference with friends, and operate an iPhone fairly quickly (for example, before my daughter turned 3, she knew how to unlock my iPhone, find the games folder, choose a game and play it. If I moved the game, she would still find it and play it). However, many of our children do not understand how this technology actually works, and this is entirely more important than knowing how to use it itself. It's akin to not only knowing how to use a toilet, but fixing one (this skill in itself can save a person a world of trouble).

Teaching children to learn how to code has the potential to create an army of powerful and efficient thinkers in our society. However, lets be careful to not make the end result of this initiative simply more programmers or more code. Lets make the end result more efficient problem solvers.

Chatting with a resident.

Every now and again, the Neighborhood Advocates speak with the residents of the MPN to not only meet new people, but to get a sense of what’s going on in the neighborhood. Many times the conversations are short and sweet. However, more often than not, some can shed light on what its like to live in the Promise Neighborhood. Take a recent chat that one of our Neighborhood Advocates had with a resident in the MPN.

One of the residents, who we will call “Shannon”, is a 28 year old who lives with her husband and two children in the Houston Ave. area of the MPN. She works as a caregiver at Headstart while her husband is a driver for a pizza chain. What started out as a light chat about the weather turned into a discussion on living in general. Here is a portion of our chat:

MPN: So what is the biggest concern that you have as far living? What makes you lose sleep at night?


Shannon: Trying to pay bills and make ends meet; it's from paycheck to paycheck.


MPN: Are you on any government assistance or anything like that?


Shannon: Yea, food stamps and Medicaid


MPN: Do the food stamps help much?


Shannon: No its not very many, but it helps a little bit.


MPN: So are food stamps essential to living? Would it hurt that much if you didn’t have them?


Shannon: Well not really, I [didn't have them] before and treated it as another bill but after I had my second child, they gave them back to me.


MPN: What makes it so hard to make ends meet, then? What are some of the barriers that keep you from doing that?


Shannon: Well sometimes I have to put off paying one bill to pay another


MPN: Both of you work full time, but you still have to put off some bills to pay others. You ever thought about going into another field or back to school....


Shannon: Well I'm going back to Central Ga Tech this summer for early childhood education.


MPN: What do you plan on doing afterwards?


Shannon: I want to be a teacher.


MPN: So what exactly caused you to stop going in the past?


Shannon: I had to put it off for my family. Its kind of hectic to go back to school with them. I’m trying to work it out with their schedule, my work schedule, and my husbands schedule.


MPN: Yea I can imagine. Did you have transportation then?


Shannon: No.


MPN: How’d you get around?


Shannon: At the time I was staying with my Grandmother and she would take me back and forth to school. But we have one car so that will help a lot.

Mpn: No bus?

Shannon: *Laughing* I'd take it if it ain't take so long to get to campus.
Shannon is typical of many of the residents in the MPN. She is a hard-working, married, mother of two. She cooks meals for her family, helps her daughter with her homework, and tries to help others in her neighborhood in anyway she can. The work in the MPN can have a huge impact on the lives of residents like Shannon and that’s why the work continues.

Look out for more interviews with residents in the coming weeks.

Infographic: Poverty by the Numbers

As the economy continues to try to pick up some steam, there are still those who will never come out of it. Below is poverty by the numbers taken from NPR's series on poverty in America (click the NPR link for a larger image).

What our partners are up to

Yesterday evening, we had a great and informative Partners Council meeting. The meeting cleared up some of the confusion surrounding Macon Promise Neighborhood recently, but more importantly featured the impact that a few of our pilot solutions have experienced. Two of the partners gave their experiences along with one of our neighborhood advocates explaining what the neighborhood advocates have been up to.

Katherine McCleod, executive director of First Choice Primary Care, a health care center in downtown Macon, described how the $500,000 received for the construction of a school based health center will be used. "There is a pediatrician on staff but they don't see a lot of action because not many children use our facility." Part of this is due to children and their families not being able to come downtown due to lack of adequate transportation. Unfortunately, this is a reality for many families across the nation. A school based health center at Ingram-Pye Elementary School will make healthcare more accessible to the residents of the MPN due to it being located within the MPN. In turn, this will help make the neighborhood a much healthier place.

Taryn Collinsword, the executive director of Communities in Schools of Middle Ga, spoke about the work done inside of the target schools by Communities in Schools. Last year, 70 Mercer students worked in after-school programs in the target schools of the MPN. All but one student that received this tutoring were promoted to the next grade. Also, site coordinators have been placed at Ingram-Pye Elementary and Ballard Hudson Middle to provide services to about 350 children that have been determined to be in the most need.

Lastly, Joel Chambliss, a neighborhood advocate, described the impact that the neighborhood advocates have had so far on the neighborhood. Because the people in the neighborhood don't have clear connections with each other, neighborhood advocates often hold living room chats inside of resident's homes. The purpose of these chats aren't only to keep an ear to the neighborhood but also to develop and facilitate relationships between neighbors. This has allowed the dynamic of the neighborhood to begin to change and many relationships in the neighborhood are being cultivated and made stronger.

The above examples are only a tip of the iceberg of the work that has MPN has been doing inside of the neighborhood. The work is gaining momentum and with continued support from the community, partners, and Macon, tangible progress in the neighborhood and target schools will be seen.

*picture courtesy of 13 WMAZ

MPN Pilot Solutions

During the previous planning period, Macon Promise Neighborhood and its partners piloted several new strategies in the zone that not only continues the mission of supporting the children of the Unionville and Tindal Heights communities, but also integrate services and share accountability for results. The strategies include the following:

• Big Brothers Big sisters of the Heart of Georgia is utilizing Mercer's Office of Leadership and Volunteerism to train and place 60 Mercer students as mentors for neighborhood children.
• Mercer University has partnered with Communities in Schools to provide 78 tutors in reading and math and Ingram-Pye Elementary School, Monday-Friday. Last school year, 96% of the students were promoted to the next grade.
• Communities in Schools has placed site coordinators at two of the four MPN schools (Ingram-Pye and Ballard Hudson Middle School) to coordinate intensive support services for the 10% of students identified by the schools as the highest need population
• The BCSD Gear Up program has partnered with Mercer professors to train and engage 106 Mercer students as tutors in AVID programs at 4 middle schools, including Ballard Hudson and Bloomfield.
• In partnership with the Workforce Investment Board, Southwest High School counselors, and the local business community, MPN partners have implemented a year-long internship and mentor program for 21 11th grade students at Southwest High School.
• Central Georgia Technical College has partnered with Communities in Schools to offer adult learning opportunities to the parents or older siblings of at-risk children identified and served by Communities in Schools site coordinators in elementary and middle schools.
• The Macon-Bibb County Economic Opportunity Council and Tift College of Education are working together to organize and resource a neighborhood childcare network focused on early learning.
• Tift College of Education and Ingram-Pye teachers are beginning the first steps towards developing the MPN target schools as Professional Development sites.

These pilot programs are only the first steps in improving children's achievement in school and ending generational poverty in the Macon Promise Neighborhood.  

A Fresh Start (Juvenile Justice pt 2)

It is the beginning of a new year. Most of us have spent the holidays with loved ones, got some much needed rest, and have reflected on the past year. Many of us have come into the new year with a sense of renewal and new purpose. We make resolutions such as spending more time with our families, starting a business, becoming healthier, or becoming more spiritual. We do this because we understand the value of second chances and being able to change. Our children who are involved in the justice system need to feel this same sense of change.

In the summer of last year, the Supreme Court barred mandatory life sentences for minors.  In the same vein of this decision, it is important to remember that there are children in our community who have been involved in the justice system and they need to be afforded second chances not only by the state, but also in terms of how we as citizens interact with them. It is a disservice to those children to deny them the chance to become productive members of society when they have reached adulthood because of the mistakes they have made in their childhood and it is important that they understand that the mistakes they made as children may not determine where they end up in life. 

How can we help them get back on the right track? Here are some ideas:

• Help them get extra help in terms of education
• Help them find a mentor
• Hold a professional dress seminar or take them to a store and show them how to dress professionally
• Get them involved in sports or other extracurricular activities
• Help them find a productive way to relieve stress and manage anger (exercise, martial arts/boxing, writing poetry, etc)
• If need be, help them enroll in a drug/alcohol rehabilitation program.

We cannot simply expect the juvenile justice system to effectively give these children a sense of hope. The families and communities of these children can make a bigger difference in their lives. The ideas above are just a few ways to help the kids. What they really need is love, someone to tell them that they are important, and ways to start becoming more productive. All in all, they are the future and we must invest in them.

*picture courtesy of the Nature Conservancy*

Juvenile Justice part 1

Juvenile crime is at its lowest since 1987. Part of this success is due to the deterrence of tough on crime laws that were put into effect during the crack epidemic of the late 80s and early 90s. Drug and gang prevention and education programs were implemented inside of the schools. After school specials helped with deterrence also. Much of this success, however, is due to the decline of actual detention rates with states having lower rates having much lower crime than those that didn't. And while this is good news, there is another aspect of juvenile justice that we cannot lose sight of because it answers the question, "What goes on on the inside?"

The photo blog Juvenile in Justice gives us a peek at what many detention centers across the country look like. Some pictures show promise. Others display what unfolds to be a very traumatic and hopeless experience. Here are only a few of the more popular pictures (taken from various centers across the country).

Return for part 2: "Why the reentry program is vital for juvenile offenders"

Communities of Practice and Promise Neighborhoods

When introducing Macon Promise Neighborhood to people who have never heard of it before, they will tend to ask the same questions such as: "What exactly do you all do", "Why just that neighborhood?", "Where are you located", and every now and then "Are you hiring?" However, after explaining the purpose of the Promise Neighborhood and how it operates, the response may include "Wow, that's neat. Maybe you all can actually accomplish something around here." Although there are a number of organizations existing to accomplish many of the same goals as Macon Promise Neighborhood, Macon Promise Neighborhood sets itself apart from other initiatives and organizations with its use of a layered "communities of practice" approach within the actual neighborhoods, its partners and among other Promise Neighborhoods.

A community of practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common concern, set of problems or interest in a topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals; it is shared learning in its simplest definition. The theory has been used one way or another since the beginning of recorded history and is used extensively in a wide variety of fields (for instance, teachers who teach the same or similar subjects readily share content, materials, and best practices among each other). Promise Neighborhoods are no exception. Within a Promise Neighborhood, residents may meet to discuss ways to identify and approach a problem within the community, to share issues with Promise Neighborhoods, or simply to fellowship with others who share a similar hobby. Outside of the neighborhood, Promise Neighborhoods collaborate with local agencies to help direct a concentrated effort to establish and achieve goals.

Macon Promise Neighborhood (MPN) uses the Community of Promise theory extensively. In an interview with the Magnet Schools Assistance Program, Project Director Ebony Harris explains how MPN works to establish buy-in, feedback, and participation among partners, “We try to
make sure that we cross sectors as much as possible to help everybody see all levels of participation and all perspectives on how this work is moving forward.” MPN has also made sure that there is feedback and participation at each and every layer of the project, ranging from neighborhood advocates arranging and attending meetings inside of residents homes, to having a council made up of the partners of MPN that meets periodically to measure and monitor MPN's progress. MPN has also begun to collaborate with the other Promise neighborhoods in the state (Atlanta, Athens, and Savannah) in order to share resources and best practices. For instance, through working with the other Promise Neighborhoods in the state, MPN was able to create a web-based data system that was then shared with with the other sites in the state. It's not about competition but more about "resource sharing and lessons learned" says Ebony.

Being a part of a Community of Practice is an excellent way of sharing knowledge, solving problems, forging working relationships and sharing resources. It has allowed MPN to be a lot more efficient in terms of using methods that work along with becoming a source real value to to the community. All in all, more organizations should adopt the CoP theory to become leaner and more efficient in their work.

Poverty's Role in America's Education Conundrum

Within the past ten years, there has been a grand effort in the United States to invigorate its education systems with sweeping changes being implemented. For instance, standardization of learning outcomes ensures that all children will learn the same material. Rigor has increased. Student achievement is quantified and the data drives decisions regarding curriculum and instruction. Teachers, schools, and school systems are being held more accountable for student achievement. Swaths of legislation, education programs, and volunteer efforts have attempted to tackle the issue. This "reform" of sort has brought much success to struggling schools and school districts.  However, time and time again, many efforts still miss the mark, and the country's educational system still lags behind much of the developed world. One reason for this may not be an issue with the educational system but more so of child poverty.

Earlier this year, UNICEF published a report detailing child poverty rates in the richest countries of the world. Interestingly enough, the United States, with 23.1% of its children living in relative poverty, ranks the 2nd highest among the world's 35 richest countries in terms of children living in poverty. If this is the case, it is no wonder that many failing schools exist in poor areas and much of our efforts need to be focused on the eradication of poverty in those school zones.

How exactly does poverty affect learning? Children raised in poverty encounter a number of external stressors that children living outside of poverty don't come into contact with: they receive less cognitive stimulation other than what goes on in school, emotional and social challenges of parents lead to children not having many of their crucial needs met, and they receive insufficient nutrition and healthcare. Each of these stressors are detrimental to the developing brain, and the combination of two or more of them working in tandem generally results in poor behavior and/or academic performance in school. It is no wonder then that there is a gulf in achievement between more affluent students and those living in poverty.

As we can see, the answer to the country's conundrum in regards to academic achievement may not solely be one that concerns the education systems. With a sizable population of school-aged children living in poverty, there seriously needs to be an effort to relieve and eradicate poverty and its effects in zones of failing schools.

The New Adult Education

In years past, when people heard the words "Adult Education", a certain stereotypical image came to mind. One pictured a high school dropout who finally had come back to school in order to obtain a GED. These students accomplished this by going to night school at a small technical institution in a program that may have ranged from a few weeks to a few months. At the end of the program, the students took the GED exam and, upon completion, received a diploma.

While there is no doubt that these students still exist today, "Adult Education" has evolved into something much broader that includes the following:

• Adult basic education programs- these include General Education Development (GED) programs along with adult high school programs.
• ESL (English as Second Language) programs- these include classes for adults who's main language is not English and need to learn the language in order to pursue the job or career of their choice
• Vocational and technical diploma/certification programs- these programs prepare students to work in a specific trade, craft, or technology.
• Apprenticeship programs- formal, on the job training leading to journeyman status in a skilled craft or trade
• Work related learning- classes designed to increase the efficiency of employees 
• College and university degree programs- classes are designed to count towards a degree ranging from an associates to terminal degrees.

Along with being able to serve the learning needs of almost any adult, Adult Education programs have become extremely streamlined in helping students reach career goals. Providers now create highly specialized programs that focus on desired segments of a local population. This increased specialization in turn creates opportunities for people that may not have been available without the program along with increasing the level of education of the population as a whole. One such institution that has streamlined its programs is Central Georgia Technical College. Boasting 190 certificate, diploma, and degree programs, campuses and centers in 7 counties in Georgia, and online and distance learning programs, CGTC can offer courses in just about any industry imaginable. 

However, one program that CGTC offers mirrors a trend in a number of other cities. At no cost, the PowerUp program helps students earn their GED in 6 months along with assisting them with jumpstarting a career. CGTC understands that there are many environmental issues that may block students from participating and the PowerUp program offers eligible students childcare, meals, transportation, and more. Many Adult Education programs are doing the same by recognizing that people aren't completing their educations due to lack of competence. More often than not, those who participate in the programs drop out because of happenings outside of school. Schools realize that if they can help students remove or simply get around those barriers, then they may have a chance of changing a few lives.

And that, in itself, is good.

Macon Big Sister Receives National Award

Shatia Y. Edwards was named as the national Big Sister of the Year recently at a national conference in Dallas, Texas. 29-year-old Edwards has been a mentor and Big Sister to her Little Sister, Ka' Necia for the last eight years since she was a student at Mercer University looking to get involved in her community. According to the article Shatia's little sister said, “I was really bad; I used to always get in trouble. When I met Shatia, I trusted her right away. I realized I was acting out to get attention. I get all the attention I need from Shatia. I’m really thankful; I don’t know what kind of person I would be if I didn’t have my Big Sister." Ka'Necia's mother agreed saying, Where we live, there’s a lot of crime and violence. When you expand a child’s opportunities it makes a difference." This fall Ka'Necia enters Spellman College on a full scholarship, attributing her success largely to the relationship she build with her big sister Shatia. Below is a photo of Shatia and Ka'Necia at the Big Brothers Big Sisters banquet in Dallas, TX after selected as Big Sister of the Year.

Recently, however Shatia and her Little Sister Ka'Necia received what might be an even bigger honor--an opportunity to meet with President Obama in the Oval office. The 2011 and 2012 Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Year traveled to Washington, DC last week to meet with the president and be recognized for their success. Below is a photo of all the award recipients outside the White House. We will show you pictures from inside President Obama's office soon!

Read the full article here.

Federal MPN Funding Increase for FY 2013

We just got some very exciting news!

According to the Promise Neighborhood Institute website, "the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $80 million for Promise Neighborhoods in the FY 2013 budget." This is a huge step for Promise Neighborhood, although the budget must still be approved by the House next week.

This bring us one step closer to President Obama's request of $100 million toward the Promise Neighborhood Initiative. According to the article, "The Promise Neighborhoods program, initiated in 2010 with $10 million, received $30 million in 2011, and $60 million this year. The FY 2013 appropriations amount approved by the Senate would be an increase of $20 million from the FY 2012 appropriation...."

With a $20 million increase over last year, the timing couldn't be better for us to apply for a Promise Neighborhood Implementation Grant! Our application is due in just over a month and we are working hard here at MPN to prepare for several more successful years in Macon.

Memorandum to create School Conflict Diversion Committee Signed

According to a recent article in the Macon Telegraph, we can hope to see fewer students in juvenile court soon. Many judges, law officials and others signed a memorandum of understanding aiming to send fewer students who commit non-felony offenses to juvenile court. “We hope (it) will bring a great outcome, not only for the youth who will come through this protocol, but for the school system in general and in the Bibb County community as well,” said attorney Veronica McClendon with the Georgia Legal Services Program, which helped put the agreement together.

According to the article, this agreement states that students who commit minor infractions, such as schoolyard fights, would be sent to a School Conflict Diversion Committee (made up of several of Promise Neighborhood's partners) School Superintendant, Romain Dallemand, emphasized that this new program does not condone or excuse negative behavior, but gives students a second chance at staying out of the court system. Normal felony charges would be handled by local officials. District Attorney, Greg Winters, agrees. “This isn’t giving a blank check to students at our school,” he said. “I wouldn’t allow that, and I wouldn’t be a part of that.”Clayton County issued a similar program in 2004 with great results. It is said that 70 percent fewer weapons were reported on campus, 87 percent decrease in fights and 20 percent in graduation rates.

Takeyah, our summer intern agrees. "Macon Promise Neighborhood would agree with everybody going for the memorandum because it shows that students make mistakes and the should have a chance to redeem their self. Even though this is a work in progress it will soon be finalized." With one of the overarching goals of Promise Neighborhood to increase graduation rates, this could prove a very successful program. According to McClendon, having any interaction with the court system increases the likelihood of a second encounter. We want our students off the streets, out of the courts, and in school. This program is a step in the right direction.

Read the full story here to hear more from our very own Veronica McClendon, a member of the Promise Neighborhood Partner's Council and co-chair of the Health and Safety committee.

Bibb County Mentors Project

Our Macon Promise Neighborhood intern, Takeyah, has been helping us blog about things happening in the Promise Neighborhood! Here's what she had to say about a few big events in our neighborhood:

Bibb County's Mentors Project had 20 out of 23 seniors graduate from high school this year. This is a record setting number of students with 87% of seniors in the Mentors Project graduating from high school. Additionally, two local students received National Merit Scholarships based on their academic achievements. One student was given a scholarship to attending Auburn University and another was given a scholarship to attend Georgia Tech. 

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/05/27/2040333/eighty-seven-percent-of-mentors.html#storylink=cpy
ead more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/05/27/2040333/eighty-seven-percent-of-mentors.html#storylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/05/27/2040333/eighty-seven-percent-of-mentors.html#storylink=cpy

Four free D.A.R.E. camps are available to children ages 9-15 this summer thanks to the Macon Police Department, Bibb County Schools, and Central Georgia Technical College (all MPN partners). During the free summer camps, Bibb county students can learn about drug and violence prevention. The camps will include free breakfast and lunch and a field trip! The schedule for the camps is as follows:

June 4-8: Appling Middle School

June 11-15: Weaver Middle School

June 18-22: Ballard Middle School

June 25-29: Central Georgia Technical College’s sports facility

According to the article, "For more information or to register, contact Macon Police’s Youth and Intervention Unit at (478) 803-2700."

"Actions like this are definitely what the Macon Promise Neighborhood stands for," said Takeyah. "In the MPN, they're basically striving to help the disadvantaged neighborhood become the ideal community to live in and the Mentors Project just proved it was possible." Read the full story here.

MPN Summer Internship Program

Promise Neighborhood According to our interns:
"...it gives you an opportunity to get more involved in your community."
"...it teaches your how to have a job and keep one."
"...it provides you with help for your future."
"Promise Neighborhood gives minors a chance to experience their career in real-life situations"
"...it helps students get a head start on their careers...."
"It is a plan to promise children good things and keep them away from trouble."
"Promise Neighborhood mean helping out the community, teaching teenagers what its like to have a job.... Its a good way to keep kids out of trouble and to have them doing something positive this summer."

Our summer interns started work last week with several community organizations including First Choice Primary Care, Mercer University's Tift College of Education, Boys and Girls Club, Macon Housing Authority, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and Centenary Church. Our 22 interns will work for four weeks doing a variety of tasks from office work to assisting with summer camps.

"I am an office assistant at Big Brothers Big Sisters Heart of Georgia," said Kevin, "and the best part of my job is learning business tips and communication ideas." Tanaji, who also works at Big Brothers Big Sisters said that her favorite part of her job was learning new things and helping out in the office. Interns agree that their jobs are teaching them valuable work and life skills that will assist them later in life. When asked what Promise Neighborhood means to her, Shoterricka said that, "it means a lot to me because it is preparing me for my future and getting me ready for the real world."

All of our summer interns live (and now work) in the Promise Neighborhood and hope to go to college after they graduate from high school. Our interns' career aspirations include everything from a firefighters to an engineer, a cosmetologist, a CSI investigator, and a pharmacist. We can't wait to see what the future holds for our interns!

Macon Promise Neighborhood Blog

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