My Craigslist Car and the Poverty Cycle

I bought my ’98 Cavalier for just over $1000 on Craigslist. 

This is the first car I can truly call my own; I saved up the money, put in several hours of research, and met with the previous owner in a Dollar General parking lot to exchange my hard-earned cash for a set of wheels. 
When I first got my license, my trial vehicle was our beat up baby-blue family van that eventually stuttered to a permanent stop on a back road in my hometown when I turned 17.  Dad gave me his work truck after that, which was totaled when a middle-aged woman T-boned me on 16^th street.  I then acquired a retired police Chevy Impala with the insurance money, and later sold it when my meager bank account began to dwindle. 

I took IndyGo bus 25 from home to work to school and back home for half a year.  I thought of my bus rides as hour-long adventures, prime people watching.  I made friends with the regulars; I became a regular.  However, I grew sick of the hard, plastic seats and the lack of air conditioning in many of the buses.  I hated the way some businessmen and women looked at the bus stop with loathing—some even crossed the street to avoid us.  And I couldn’t help but to feel like a stranger to the people who stood waiting with me.  Here were people who pushed old grocery carts with their belongings around the city.  Here were young mothers nursing their crying babies in the middle of a crowded bus.  Here were middle-aged women with aprons who went to work an hour early every day and left an hour late every evening.  I, on the other hand, am a student from a lower middle-class family who will likely never know the true struggles of a poverty-level life. 

When I bought my Chevy Cavalier, although it was old with high mileage, I couldn’t help but to feel a sense of empowerment—that I was moving up in the world, and that I deserved this car.  I needed it; I wanted to go places on my own time.  I was no longer going to stand riding on that gross bus anymore.

So this weekend when I took my beloved car to the auto shop and they told me the repairs might cost upwards of $800 dollars, I lost it.  I make under poverty-level income as an AmeriCorps VISTA, and that $800 dollars is a full month of pay.  How can I afford to fix my car and pay my rent?  Groceries?  Utilities?  My phone bill?  Many of my days begin at 8 a.m. and end at 9 p.m. with school and work, and I can’t fathom how a bus will fit into that equation.  Plus, I love my car.  I love the freedom of driving it to my buddy’s place on the weekends, and my favorite picnic spot for lunch.  My mother sent me a text earlier that said, Please tell us how much this will cost.  We can help pay.  In the meantime, we can drive you to and from work. My boyfriend’s family offered to let me drive their extra Ford Focus while my car gets repaired.  Everyone I talked to this weekend offered up their support in one way or another, sometimes at the expense of their own comfort.

My panic subsided this morning as I drove the borrowed Ford Focus to work.  The ride is so smooth, and unlike my Cavalier I didn’t hear the roar of the muffler every time I accelerated.  I won’t have to ride the bus after all.  I am so thankful for the family and friends who will help support me, and for the money that I can eventually save up to buy a nice vehicle.  But in the back of my mind, I think about all the bus-goers who travel to minimum-wage jobs, and who might not have a solid support system.  Where is the fairness in that?  I am lucky enough to have help out of a tough situation because I’m not stuck in the cycle of poverty.  I chose a job that puts me at poverty-level income for a year, but I still have my family to fall back on, my student waivers, my friends and loved ones who are more than willing to lend a hand. 

Here’s the bottom line: I work as a VISTA because I want to decrease the disparity between classes. I know firsthand the struggles of being without a car, and I don’t want to go back.  Many Indianapolis residents have no choice.  

My challenge to readers is this: next time you walk past a bus stop, try not to stigmatize.  Imagine yourself without a vehicle, and with no means of getting your hands on another.  Imagine the lack of freedom that comes with this, the weight of the groceries that you must carry from stop to stop. 

How do you help?  Sometimes a simple smile will do, or any small show of support.  If you find yourself truly passionate about making a change, I recommend looking up AmeriCorps VISTA, whose mission is to break the cycle.  Here’s a link: www.nationalservice.gov/program/americorps/americorps-vista

Why Dreamers Love Indianapolis

Why Dreamers Love Indianapolis

Last Friday, I walked into the old City Hall, an imposing edifice downtown built from Indiana limestone.  Now transformed into The Hall, the building has played an important role in Indy’s history.  Constructed in the early 1900s to symbolize “the stability and achievements of the city,” the Hall housed government offices, the State Museum, and Central Library.  It was an essential building until 2008, when after almost 100 years of use it sat vacant.  Thanks to a local nonprofit, in 2014 old City Hall became The Hall and now serves as a meeting space for community-based initiatives.

Now, I am a city girl through and through.  I have a Vonnegut doll, a penchant for eating too much Bazbeaux pizza, and a passion for promoting progress in Naptown.  That's how I found myself at The Hall for Indy 5X5 – re:Purpose, an event that's part of a bigger plan to strengthen the community.  

Here's the rundown: Indy 5X5 chooses five presenters to share their ideas for “repurposing urban waste into assets,” community members vote for a favorite, and the winner walks away with $10,000 toward his/her project.  Sounds riveting, right?  As much as I thought this was an awesome way to spend my Friday evening, I was hardly expecting a large crowd. 

Boy, was I mistaken.  Every folding chair on the expansive marble floor was occupied; small groups stood along the back wall and in doorways leading to halls under construction.  Around the room, community members networked and spoke of Indy's potential.  When it was time for 5X5, we all squeezed into the dense rows of flimsy chairs and held tight our voting tickets for the end of the evening.

The presenters’ projects varied in size and scope, but shared a common vision of community collaboration.  The winning park project, E.N.G.I.N.E, centers on repurposing a Bonneville into artwork that celebrates the community’s Hispanic heritage.  This park project fills a spot that has been long empty, and will allow youth in the Near Westside to have both a safe place to play and a space that embraces culture.

When I got home, I sat at my small kitchen table, looked at my limestone Indiana paperweight, and began to dream up my own projects for the city.

So why do dreamers love Indianapolis?  Because when I walked into The Hall on Friday, I saw a community gathered together for a noble cause.  I saw The Hall repurposed from a vacant building into a haven for innovative pursuits.  Finally, I saw a start-up group with a great idea given the opportunity to benefit its neighborhood in a big way!

Our vast network of nonprofits and committed government officials allows community members with great ideas to uniquely repurpose Indianapolis. 

I am proud to be part of one such nonprofit that is encouraging and innovative in its community pursuits.  As we speak, MCCOY is working on some very exciting stuff including a revamped Youth Advocacy Council, the Family Access Network services center, and of course much, much more!

For more information, visit www.mccoyouth.org :)

City Hall References:

Historical information regarding Old Indianapolis City Hall retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/indianapolis/oldcityhall.htm National Park Service. "Old Indianapolis City Hall." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, n.d. Web. 01 July 2014.

Photo Credit:

People for Urban Progress website: http://www.peopleup.org/right-now/tag/indianapolis "The Hall-- New Life for Old City Hall." People for Urban Progress. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 July 2014.Indy 5X5 website: http://5x5indy.org/index.php/repurpose/ "5×5 Indy » Re:Purpose." Arts, Innovation, 5X5 Indianapolis. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 July 2014.

Make the choice, get involved

Written by: Amelia Allen

In school, I was the quiet, shy girl. I wasn’t good at sports. I didn’t have the money the other kids had. I wasn’t popular. Most of all, I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. The world today is not a nice place to grow up in. More and more kids and even adults are making bad decisions, life-altering decisions simply because, like me, they don’t feel like they belong anywhere. The day that I stopped feeling like this was the day that I made an effort, a conscious decision to get involved.

 

Color guard is one thing that most people don’t know about. They are the people they see on the football field but never give a second thought to. I was the exact same way until an opportunity presented itself to me and I jumped.

For those of you who don’t have any idea what color guard (guard) is, it’s a group of people, both female and male, that perform for an audience using flags, rifles, sabers, and dance. It may sound arbitrary, boring, or even stupid (which believe me are all things that I have heard before), but to me it meant for the first time in my life, I belonged somewhere.

Personally, guard not only gave me a sense of belonging, but it also gave me opportunity. It gave me the opportunity to break out of my shell. For the first time in my life, I opened up to new people, made new friends with people I wouldn’t have ever known before, and I felt good about myself. Joining a team was a scary thing for me, but it taught me that I could rely on other people, I could ask for help, and I finally had someone other than my family to look up to. Working with the older girls and guys gave me confidence and also comfort. Through these new found relationships, I gained mentors in not only the guard world, but my everyday life as well. I made ever lasting friendships, friendships that even now, six years later, I still hold dear.

One other (though not the last, I assure you) thing that I was able to learn from my experience with color guard was leadership. As I grew more confident in myself and my abilities, I was granted more leadership positions. One thing that this new found leadership did for me was give me confidence. Finally, I was able to help someone else, be a mentor to someone else and feel good doing it.

When I look back at my experience, I can never forget everything that color guard was able to give to and instill in me. Because of my color guard world, I can finally see myself as successful, outgoing, and beautiful. Color guard gave me the hope and the courage to belong. It gave me the courage to get involved. Life long friends. Life long memories. Life long experience. For me, it was guard but for you, it could be anything.

They Say We Stand For Nothing and There’s No Way We Ever Could

The past month I have been so involved in democracy that I dream about bills and manage to turn every conversation into one about legislation. It’s annoying and yet I’m hooked. I soak it all up. Yesterday I attended COBI—Children…Our Best Investment, which is a day where students can hear speakers talk about current issues, form messages for their legislators, have lunch with Senators and Representatives, and go to the Statehouse for tours and conversations with legislators. I was so impressed to see young people soaking it up just like I do.

They asked panelists tough questions that forced them to get to the heart of the issues. When legislators came to lunch, they brought up problems in education that they are facing and asked how the current bills are going to address the issues. If answers from panelists or legislators were not up to snuff, they said, “But what about this…” Everything from gang activity in schools, to undocumented immigrants getting a college education, to how far schools can go in suspending and expelling students, to restructuring the Indianapolis Public School system were brought up and spoken about not only with passion, but with poise, knowledge, and confidence.

At the Statehouse later in the day I saw students talking with their legislators, grilling legislative assistants about how they got their jobs and what degree was needed, and introducing themselves as “Future Senator So-and-So” and “Future Governor”.

If this is the face of Indiana’s future, we are in good hands. These high school students want to know the answers. They ask good questions. They’re not interested in simply identifying a problem; they’re interested in coming up with solutions and making them happen. I’m confident that even in a highly partisan political climate that is discouraging many, these students will keep their drive and optimism and become great leaders.

One day our generation is gonna rule the population, so stop Waiting on the World to Change. These youth did.

Interested in having your voice heard? Join MCCOY’s Youth Advocacy Council.
Want to stay updated on the legislative session and other advocacy updates? Follow MCCOY_Advocacy on Twitter.


 

I Have a Dream...

...that one day I will be a senator or representative deftly writing policy, thoughtfully listening to my constituents, and boldly crossing party lines to do what is best for the state of Indiana or even the United States.  But right now, I am a nervous intern whose legs shake and palms sweat as I stand in front of committee members giving testimony on a bill. Obviously, I have a ways to go.
   
Just two short weeks into my time here at MCCOY, I was given the opportunity to take the lead on presenting testimony on behalf of MCCOY. While I was excited and prepared--I had typed out my talking points--I was also intimidated by the company I was in. Seasoned lobbyists and veteran senators surrounded me as I stood and began, "Good evening Chairman Kruse and committee members" (I don't think it hurt that I mentioned that I was a student. Perhaps that explained the quiver in my voice.)

However, as I began to speak, I gained my confidence. I looked up from my paper and I met the eyes of Senators Kruse and Schneider, who may or may not have been listening, but who were watching me attentively. I made my points, I thanked them, and I walked to my seat, confident that I had done my best to participate in the legislative process.

I know the camera on my phone is blurry—it’s not a smart phone—but this is what it looks like waiting to give testimony.

February is Youth Leadership Month, so as January comes to a close, start thinking of ways to encourage the young people you work with to get involved in the legislative process. Or if you are a young person reading this, go let your voice be heard! YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Own your power. There is still much to be done in the 2012 Legislative Session.

Interested in being kept up to date on bills that affect youth? Follow MCCOY_Advocacy on Twitter.
Want to own your power? Join the Youth Advocacy Council.

Help MCCOY Prevent Child Sexual Abuse!

One in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18. What does this mean for you as a community member?

It means…
• … that Indiana spends nearly $48 million for the direct and immediate costs of child sexual abuse
• … that the long-term costs and losses are over $500 million dollars annually.

Except for murder, child sexual abuse is the most expensive victim crime in the U.S.

Let’s stop child sexual abuse before it happens!
• It only costs $10.53 to train an adult to improve their child-protective behaviors.
• Research suggests that the average trained adult will better protect at least ten children from sexual abuse in the years after training.
• The money saved by preventing just one substantiated case of child sexual abuse would pay for prevention training for 1,362 adults.
• That training would result in 13,620 children better protected from abuse.

Please help MCCOY train 500 adults for FREE through Stewards of Children. Stewards of Children is a sexual abuse prevention program that educates adults to prevent, recognize, react responsibly and take courageous action against child sexual abuse.

If you are interested in attending a training, scheduling a training for your staff, clients, family members, church members, or other adults please contact Shanna Martin at shanna.martin@mccoyouth.org or 317-921-1233.

Here is what attendees have said about the training:
“Loved it! I think it was very informative. I learned a lot and plan to advocate to see this training done in my organization.”
“Very well done and I’m very thankful this was offered at no charge.”
“Great info. Very eye-opening.”
“I will use the tools and become even more of an advocate for children and be a resource for my staff as they work with children.”

** MCCOY has committed to being a "Partner in Prevention" by training 90% of our staff in Stewards of Children. Please contact Shanna to learn more about how you can become a "Partner in Prevention" site as well.**

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Do something!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is next Monday January 17. I love that we take a day to honor this great American leader on his birthday. It’s important. It shows a national commitment to community service, justice, civic engagement, peace, and equality. Unfortunately, it also shows a national commitment to sleeping in, cleaning out closets, shopping, and indulgent television watching. If you are lucky enough to have an employer who honors this holiday by closing your office, I encourage you to honor this holiday by doing something in the memory of Dr. King.

Martin Luther King Day: “A Day On, Not A Day Off.” Brilliant, huh? I didn’t make it up, but I really like it.

Some resources for you:

The Office of Community Service at IUPUI is hosting a community service day. Monday the 17^th. 8am

http://ocs-iupui.blogspot.com/2010/11/mlk-day-of-service-2011.html

The Peace Learning Center is hosting its annual MLK Day Community Festival. Saturday the 15^th. 11am at the Christian Theological Seminary

http://www.peacelearningcenter.org/whats_new

Check out this great national resource to search for other projects!

http://mlkday.gov/

And if events aren’t your style, there are many other ways to celebrate the vision of Dr. King. Watch a documentary with your children about MLK. Shovel your neighbor’s driveway. Call your grandma and ask about her memories of the Civil Rights movement. Sign up to volunteer with a local nonprofit. Write your congressman. Thank your congressman. Sit down with your spouse and make your philanthropic giving plans for 2011. Take your mentee or little cousin to the Power of Children Exhibit at the Children’s Museum. Take your boyfriend to the Power of Children Exhibit (It’s really good!)

The possibilities are obviously endless. Don’t make this just another 3 day weekend. And please, tell us what you will be doing to honor Dr. King!

Community Change Initiative- EIP

Community change initiatives “mobilize the community for action; strengthen the capacity of residents and organizations; build and improve neighborhoods; and the lay the groundwork for future progress”. MCCOY’s Early Intervention and Prevention (EIP) Initiative is a community change initiative currently in play in Marion County. The overall goal of the Initiative is to reduce child abuse, neglect and delinquency in our community through comprehensive community efforts that coordinate, build capacity and advocate for high-quality early intervention and prevention services in Marion County. MCCOY staff are not naïve enough to think we can tackle this issue or make a large positive impact without the support of the community’s residents, including its leaders, families and youth. By better coordinating community efforts, improving neighborhoods and the capacity of residents to better parent their children we hope to build a future for Marion County where all children are free from abuse or neglect receiving the care, support and resources they need to grow into healthy and fully contributing members of society. Will you help us?

If you have not been involved in this community change initiative but would like to learn more or get involved, please attend the all EIP Team Meeting on Monday, November 22nd from 9am-12pm at the United Way building (3901 N. Meridian Street), RCI room. During this meeting you will learn about accomplishments and progress of the Initiative to date, future projects and plans, and be able to spend time working in a work group to begin to lay the foundation for moving the work forward in 2011. Your support, assistance, and expertise would be greatly appreciated!

To ask any questions or to learn more about the EIP Initiative please feel free to contact Shanna Malott, Early Intervention Community Coordinator, at 317-921-1233 or shanna.malott@mccoyouth.org.

Real Change will Happen only through Informed Voters

Aside from the extremely tough economic times, our country seems to be in a deep state of political turmoil. It seems as though politicians have lost their way and have forgotten the purpose of holding an elected office – to effectively serve their constituents. Members of the Democratic and Republican parties have strayed from the fundamental basics of a two-party system. This system was designed to reflect differing opinions and interests on the role and scope of the federal government and liberalism versus conservatism on social and economic issues, among others. The ideal would be to have all interests represented, with agreement on policies that reflect the best interests of the majority of Americans.

What is happening instead is lowbrow political campaigning, with a large focus on fear and little focus on critical issues that our country is facing. There are mudslinging battles between parties that result in little being accomplished to bring the country back to a better place both on the domestic and international fronts.

The result to a large percentage of American voters has been confusion, apathy and misguided decisions of which candidates are best suited to represent them in local, state, and federal government. But, Americans have the power to change this trend by becoming informed voters who analyze candidates not through the skewed political ads and partisan political analysts, but through non-partisan research of their stance on the issues. With so much negative campaigning and influence of special interests, it is hard to sift through what is fact and what is fiction. How do we know what the candidate really believes?

The key to being an informed voter is taking everything that the opponent says with a grain of salt. Most claims of political opponents are exaggerations of the truth, distortions of the truth by taking statements out of context, and sometimes just blatant lies. Do your own research and understand the partisan leanings of the media source from which you obtain your information. Most media outlets, whether openly or not, lean conservative or liberal on most issues. These influences affect the way they report stories and what information they choose to share or withhold from their stories.

Two great websites that I have found to be useful and non-partisan are www.factcheck.org and www.votesmart.org. Factcheck.org is a non-profit project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The site analyzes the factual accuracy of political ads, debates, speeches, etc. Votesmart.org is a non-profit organization made up largely of volunteers representing the entire political spectrum. The site provides information on federal and state candidates as well as current elected officials. You can search the site to find information such as key votes on issues, recent speeches and even current endorsements and campaign finance.

Being a country founded on democracy in which the citizens have a voice in the functioning of their government, Americans have the inherent right and fundamental duty to make informed decisions about how that government serves them. It’s time to step up and take charge of that power. Let’s let politicians know that we’re paying attention.

Accessible and Accurate Resources

Back in February MCCOY’s EIP team hosted a very successful community roundtable to begin to the lay the foundation for the creation of the EIP strategic plan. The plan, Early Intervention and Prevention: Building a Foundation for Family and Community Success, was launched in June of 2010. During the community roundtable a group of community stakeholders in attendance, including school personnel, students, front-line staff, health educators, and many others, focused on the following topics:
• Discuss the concept of a well‐functioning, coordinated early intervention system that promotes efficiency and avoids duplication.
• What ideal purpose or benefit does a well‐functioning, coordinated and efficient early intervention system provide a community?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the current early intervention system in Marion County? Is the current system coordinated, efficient and non‐duplicative?

Here is some of what was said:
• Our target population is going to self‐identify only when they’re in the crisis. We need to figure out how to access these folks with services before they’re in the crisis situation.
• We need a one‐stop shop. Shouldn’t make this so difficult for a parent trying to find help.
• Have you ever called for help, and you get the receptionist and you get passed down the line to many different people until you get to the last one and you never get any help at all? We need to make sure if we’re sending people to certain agencies that there is help, the need is met at the end of the line.
• We need to work together to solve this problem.
• 2‐1‐1 doesn’t list all the agencies. I don’t have any resources for other nonprofits where I could refer my own clients.
• We need to clarify what EIP services are; we need to understand who else is out there and what everyone else is doing. We need a clearinghouse.
• I think one of the reasons it doesn’t come together is because we’re all competing for the same funding. If there were some way we could all apply for funding together… lead organization with partner organizations that provide services.
• We need a big, master list.
• How do we get the services to our target population that may not have access to the internet?
• How can we get to the folks who are unaware about the possibilities and the choices available?
• Partnership and collaboration are the main themes
• How can we equip all providers with a centralized, comprehensive repository of information?
• A Database with centralized information to make sure we don’t duplicate. What you find in 2‐1‐1 you might not find in the EASY book. We need a comprehensive database.

The second edition of “We Can Do Better- Child Abuse Deaths in America,” released in 2010 tells a grim story about the 1,740 children who died as a result of abuse or neglect in our nation in 2008. It talks about the harsh reality that current child protection systems, charged with taking the lead on protecting our children, are stretched too thin as a harsh economy has resulted in many states slashing child protection spending at unprecedented rates, thus, putting more children at risk.

The EIP Initiative aims to change these grim facts for Marion County’s children by focusing efforts on preventing child abuse and neglect and placing responsibility for protecting children on ALL adults, particularly those who serve youth and families and have the opportunity to prevent and/or intervene early.

Folks in attendance at the EIP Community Roundtable made it clear that having resources that are accessible to both families and service providers is essential to protecting children from harm in our community. To that end, the EIP strategic plan includes a strategy, Strategy #3: Accessible, Accurate Resources, focused on integrating current systems that provide valuable information and resources to families and referring agencies. The implementation steps for the strategy are:
• Form a task force to lead the project.
• Convene local funders and database providers to discuss concerns shared during the community assessment process and determine appropriate next steps.
• Identify funding streams to assist in the capacity building of an integrated system.
• Develop a comprehensive plan resulting in the coordination of currently existing databases to ensure that the most comprehensive information is accessible.
• Promote the usage of the resource database to professionals, service organizations and to the community at-large.

Additionally, MCCOY’s EIP staff continues to gather information regarding current assets and gaps in availability and accessibility for early intervention and prevention services for children and families in Marion County. To let us know what you think, please take 5-10 minutes to complete a brief survey by clicking on the following link:
http://www.survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e30sfei0gdxfqp95/start(if you are a youth serving professional) or
http://www.survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e317lpecgebrpjq8/start (if you are a community member not providing direct services to youth.).

To learn more about the EIP Initiative or to get involved in implementation of the EIP Strategic Plan, please contact Shanna Malott at 317-921-1233 or shanna.malott@mccoyout.org.

Improving Student Success in Marion County

Since the beginning of this school year many changes have been made, or proposed to be made, in order to help improve the graduation rate and student performance. Dr. Tony Bennett, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, delivered the first State of Education address outlining his thoughts and plans to improve Indiana’s education system by evaluating teachers and administrators based on the performance of their students. Research shows that the top two factors for student success are a high quality teacher and attendance, so it’s important that both of these issues rise to the top of our priority list.

Dr. Eugene White, Superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, proposes that one of the best ways to address student absences and/or tardiness is to contact Child Protective Services to report the parents for educational neglect. This may be a scare tactic, but is it really going to lead to increased attendance? White was quoted as saying, “If we report it, then that puts the ball in their court.” What responsibility are the schools taking for lack of student attendance? What efforts are being made to engage parents to find out why students are late or tardy before CPS is contacted? Weekly reports on attendance are being made available to parents online. Have all parents been made aware of this resource and how they should respond if they discover their child is chronically absent or tardy? And what about those parents who don’t have easy access to the internet?

In the same article where Dr. White talks about contacting CPS, Northwest High School is highlighted for the efforts they have made to maintain an attendance rate of approximately 97% for several years. They have accomplished this by implementing weekly in-school court to handle tardiness cases, hall sweeps to ensure students are in class, and providing an environment to make students feel safe and cared for. Why are these strategies not being implemented throughout other IPS schools?

The Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY) is heading up two initiatives—Early Intervention and Prevention (EIP) Initiative and Drop-out Prevention/Student Success—focused on improving outcomes for children, including reducing and preventing child abuse, neglect and delinquency, and increasing student success and graduation rates. The work of both of these initiatives has focused on identifying best practices, highlighting assets in our community, and noting the things that are proving to be effective in our school systems.

There are many youth serving organizations in Marion County that are able and willing to partner with school systems to focus on attendance and other behavioral issues. For example, Reach for Youth collaborated with a middle school last year to operate a Teen Court program on-site monthly to address behavioral issues that would have typically resulted in suspension. Using Teen Court as an alternative to suspension yielded outstanding results. Throughout the school year 19 youth were served and the school reported that 17 of the students completed all consequences and had no further school behavioral problems and in most cases academic performance improved. Parents and youth participants indicated over 90% satisfaction with the program on the post-evaluation survey. In fact, the program was so successful that officials from the middle school have asked Reach for Youth to increase programming in the 2010-2011 school year to serve 54 students. Are other schools interested in having this model replicated in their school?

The Early Intervention and Prevention (EIP) Initiative has been working with a group of school representatives since January 2010. The school representatives have provided the EIP staff with invaluable insights into the positives, strengths, and challenges faced by the school systems. They have highlighted best practice models, as well as discussed practices they would like to see implemented that would ultimately impact their students positively. A three-year strategic plan has been developed including a strategy and task force specifically recognizing the very important role school teachers, administrators, and staff play in keeping kids safe, engaged, healthy, happy and successful.

Terry Spradlin from the IU’s Center for Evaluation & Education Policy has put forth several recommendations from an April 2010 report on truancy from the Finn Institute for Public Safety:
• consistent attendance policies, known to all students, parents, staff and community agencies;
• a continuum of prevention and intervention services;
• meaningful parental involvement;
• data-driven decision making;
• quasi-judicial proceedings; and
• public awareness campaigns

Between the EIP Initiative and the Student Success Team, MCCOY is making efforts to ensure that all of the above is implemented throughout all of the school systems in Marion County.

To learn more or join in MCCOY’s efforts please contact Shanna Malott, Early Intervention Community Coordinator @ shanna.malott@mccoyouth.org.

EIP Provider Fair- REGISTRATION ENDS JUNE 7th!!

300 individuals representing more than 100 organizations that serve youths and families will come together on June 15, 2010, to learn more about community-based early intervention and prevention services that are available in Marion County. Through an interactive “speed-dating” process, attendees will learn about 30 lesser-known organizations that offer programs and services that address many issues that negatively impact children and families. The following agencies will be exhibiting:

About Special Kids
Best Buddies Indiana
Children's Bureau
Connections, Inc.
Day Nursery Association
Ella, Inc.
EmberWood Center
Exodus Refugee Immigration
Families Reaching for Rainbows, Inc.
Family Development Services-Head Start
Indianapolis Healthy Start
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
IRCIL
Midtown Community Mental Health Center
N.O.A.H. INC.
Outreach, Inc.
Password Community Mentoring
Planned Parenthood of Indiana
Reach For Youth, Inc.
Riley Hospital for Children
Safe Families for Children
St. Mary's Child Center
St. Vincent Hospital
Stopover, Inc.
The Villages

By spending just a short amount of time at each exhibit table, attendees will learn key information that will allow them to better coordinate services and pursue partnerships. The event (including lunch, refreshments and activities) will be offered at no charge to make sure it is accessible to all nonprofits.

Additionally, during a lunch-time session, MCCOY will unveil the strategic plan for the Early Intervention and Prevention (EIP) Initiative. The EIP Initiative will improve coordination of community-based services for children and families to improve physical and mental health outcomes, promote education and self-sufficiency, and reduce the need for child welfare and juvenile justice interventions.

The keynote speakers for the Provider Fair are Debra Medeiros and Ann Marie Grimberg from The Strengthening At-Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children Initiative. The Initiative aims to improve the housing, health, and development of homeless and at-risk young families while underscoring the need for comprehensive, community based systems to make real and lasting systemic change. The Initiative targets at-risk and homeless mothers 18-25 years old who have at least one child 5 years or younger. The goals of the initiative are to improve the housing, health, and development of homeless and at-risk young families.

Please join us for this first annual event. REGISTRATION ENDS JUNE 7th so please register now at http://www.rsvpbook.com/event.php?465437. You can learn more about the event by visiting the MCCOY website at www.mccoyouth.org or click on the following link: http://www.mccoyouth.org/our-impact.aspx?id=156&sid=183&pid=156.

Rally for IndyGo Funding: Thursday May 20th

Now is your opportunity to show your support for IndyGo, the only transit option for many of the families in our community.  Lack of transportation options limits access to potential job opportunities, as well as the programs and services that are critical to positive youth development.

IndyGo is facing a $3 million shortfall in funding for 2010. If this deficit is not eliminated, IndyGo will be forced to make further service cuts, leaving many Indianapolis residents, including those with disabilities, without transportation to work and community services, and leaving Indianapolis businesses with employees who can't get to work. The IndyGo cuts will come even as bus ridership has grown in the first quarter of this year, and city residents and businesses are still struggling to recover from the economic recession.

When: Thursday, May 20th, 4:45pm - 5:30pm. (IndyGo hearing follows rally at 5:30 pm)
Where: Indianapolis Convention Center- Capitol Street entrance
Who: Indiana Citizens' Alliance for Transit and all citizens interested in public transit in Marion County

The Indiana Citizens' Alliance for Transit is calling on Mayor Ballard, the Indianapolis Marion County City-County Council, and IndyGo management to maintain current IndyGo funding and service levels.

For more information, contact:

• Kelly Kuhn, Hoosier Environmental Council, 317-685-8800, ext. 108, kkuhn@hecweb.org
• John Marron, Indiana Association for Community Economic Development, 317-920-2300, ext. 21, jmarron@iaced.org
• Kim Irwin, Health by Design, 317-352-3844, kirwin@acsm.org

Do You Know Someone Making a Difference in the Lives of Central Indiana Youth?

Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY) has announced a new awards program that promotes the work of youth development professionals. The Champions for Youth Awards recognize youth workers who have made a significant impact in the lives of young people.

The Champions for Youth Awards are designed to specifically honor excellence and impact from youth workers – those who show a unique and authentic commitment to supporting young people of any age. Youth development professionals like these approach their work in a number of ways, but have one thing in common: they combine high expectations with high levels of support to help young people discover success.

Through a competitive process, MCCOY is awarding $300 to the winning Champion and $200 to her or his organization, and two $100 awards for second and third places. The community decides; online voting begins next fall, but nominations begin now.

Do you know someone who you think would make a great Champion for Youth? Click here to get started.

Everyday Champion: Wanda Spann Roddy

This story is a part of our Everyday Champions series. Helping youth succeed takes commitment and action from our whole community. Everyday Champions are people who are committed and who act in small and big ways to support youth in central Indiana. Do you know someone who you think would make a great Champion for Youth? Click here to get started.

While the community has focused on reducing teen pregnancy, the fact remains that many teens in our community do get pregnant. Future Promises educates and advocates for pregnant and parenting teens, improving their health and life outcomes.

What is your profession or vocation? By education, I am a pediatric/adolescent nurse practitioner. After many years being a nurse, then becoming a nurse practitioner, I have had the great opportunity to take the knowledge and experience and my love for adolescent reproductive health to develop a comprehensive program for pregnant and parenting teens called “Future Promises – A Program for pregnant and parenting teens”.

How are you an Everyday Champion for Youth?
While teen pregnancy prevention advocates continue to place much needed attention on reducing teen pregnancy and teen birth rates, little emphasis has been placed on providing services for teens that are already pregnant and/or who have become parents. In an effort to address this gap, everyday I work hard at improving services, educating and advocating for the special needs of pregnant and parenting teens in order to improve their health and life outcomes and those of their children.

What impact do you hope to make on youth?
I hope that the work that I do, the young lives that I touch – even just everyday – demonstrates to youth that there are adults in this world that sees a promising future for them and will advocate and support them, either directly or indirectly, as they work to reach their dreams and their goals.

What’s the one thing that you wish an adult had told you when you were a young person? As I recall, when I was younger, I surrounded myself with positive people that gave me a lot of good advise and support. So I don’t know of any one thing that I wished an adult had told me. However, the two things that was said to me that I have never forgotten and continues to nudge me are

An 8th grade English teacher said – “You will never be good in English – not like your sister”

The Nursing School Dean told me that “… maybe you should change your major because you aren’t going to make it through nursing school or be a good nurse”.

It’s a good thing that I didn’t take to heart either of those negative comments –thanks to the supportive people around me and my courage and determination to prove them wrong. I frequently write long papers – mostly grants and make many public presentations with excellent feedback. I successfully graduated from nursing school, became a great nurse, received a graduate nursing degree with honors and have won awards for the work that I do. But yet those comments still haunt me 30 to 35 years later. Adults never know the impact of what they say to young people – so it should always be positive and show support.

What do you want to do next to support youth?
As I prepare for my next phase of life – retirement – I hope to spend these next few years preparing myself to be able to train others on developing youth programs that work. I have learned a lot over the past 30 years on youth development and program development. I have had lots of success developing a wide range of youth programs, particularly the “Future Promises Program” and I want to give young professionals who desire to work with youth, the skills and training that I have acquired that has made a difference in the lives of youth.

Everyday Champion: Rebekah Mazanowski

This story is a part of our Everyday Champions series. Helping youth succeed takes commitment and action from our whole community. Everyday Champions are people who are committed and who act in small and big ways to support youth in central Indiana. Do you know someone who you think would make a great Champion for Youth? Click here to get started.

We're excited to feature Rebekah Mazanowski in this edition of Everyday Champions. Rebekah, a Parent Liaison at Howe Community High School, is also the sister of Natalie Mazanowski, MCCOY's Communications Director. Rebekah appreciates the role that her parents and the community have had in helping her develop into the person she is today. Growing up in a large family, she understands that parents and families need the support of a strong and healthy community.

What is your profession or vocation?
I am a 2007 graduate of IUPUI with a degree in Sociology. I am currently the Parent Liaison for IPS school 420; Thomas Carr Howe Community High School. My job is to communicate with parents at home and within the school. I focus on increasing parent involvement in order to improve the chance of student success.

How are you an everyday Champion for Youth?
Working in a school and interacting on a daily basis with kids and teens enables me to visualize the things that are most beneficial to high school students today. Participation in sports and school activities inevitably gives kids a sense of purpose and accomplishment. I organize activities and club opportunities for the students. Additionally, parent involvement is essential to a child’s success. I facilitate workshops within the school strictly for parents. The workshops address ways for parents to help their child or they provide information and resources for parents to incorporate into their parenting role.

What impact do you hope to make on youth?
I hope to impact the students through parent involvement and/or parent interest in the child. Educating parents will directly effect youth. The more I can help a parent by providing knowledge and resources, the better off a child will be.

What is one thing you wish an adult had told you when you were a young person?
I think so much about life is figuring it out on your own, but I think it is good to tell young people to be explorative, try new things and venture out of comfort zones when thinking about future goals and educational plans. Think big and plan accordingly.

What do you want to do next to support youth?
I will continue my work with the Indianapolis Public School system. I host family reading nights every month at the school. I have noticed in the past that kids really enjoy discussing their most current read, whether it is for school or for pleasure. I would like to get some type of book club going where kids are free to read and discuss the books that they enjoy.

Everyday Champion: Trevor Holloway

This story is a part of our Everyday Champions series. Helping youth succeed takes commitment and action from our whole community. Everyday Champions are people who are committed and who act in small and big ways to support youth in central Indiana. Do you know someone who you think would make a great Champion for Youth? Click here to get started.

We're thrilled to feature Trevor Holloway in this edition of Everyday Champions. Trevor, a recent graduate of North Central High School, is also a MCCOY Board Member. This summer, in addition to getting ready to head off to college in Bloomington, Trevor has been assisting MCCOY staff with the upcoming Summit for Student Success. He's been a joy to have in the office, not only for his remarkable skills and fun personality, but also for his engagement and excitement for youth development.

What is your profession or vocation?
I’m a recent graduate of North Central High School and about to start my first year at the Kelley School of Business of Indiana University Bloomington. As a direct admit, I plan to study Public Policy Analysis and International Business. I plan to be a millionaire by age 27.

How are you an Everyday Champion for Youth?
I have been involved with MCCOY since my sophomore year of high school. I am a board member and serve on various committees. This summer I am volunteering at MCCOY helping out with various tasks. I also do some work with the JCC Teen House and David Waldman. It’s a good gig. Last summer I traveled between community centers and spoke to at-risk youth about life skills and values.

What impact do you hope to make on youth?
I don’t know if I’m really focused on one specific endeavor. I just understand the struggle that youth go through. No matter what background, being a youth is challenging and when I help by providing resources to make life easier for youth and their families, it is one of the most fulfilling things.

What’s one thing that you wish an adult had told you when you were a young person?
Hah. I am still young. I think I have had adults tell me plenty of good things but it was usually more of a challenge to get me to listen to what they were saying. Something that I wish an adult had told me and that I had listened to would be to think long-term.

What do you want to do next to support youth?
Well I plan to continue to work with MCCOY in some capacity even when I’m away at IU. But short-term I will continue to help out MCCOY staff members around the office, and long-term I will be the biggest philanthropist in the USA.

Everyday Champion: Chad Richards

This is the first in our new series, Everyday Champions. Helping youth succeed takes commitment and action from our whole community. Everyday Champions are people who are committed and who act in small and big ways to support youth in central Indiana. Find out more ways you can be a champion through our Community Compact for Youth.

Our first Everyday Champion is Chad Richards, an Account Manager at Firebelly Marketing. Leveraging his expertise as a marketing professional, Chad volunteers with youth and with organizations that support youth. In addition to his classroom volunteerism described below, Chad also contributed his internet marketing expertise at MCCOY's Social Media Marketing for Nonprofits training. He was also recently asked to join the Board of Directors of IndyDads.

How are you an Everyday Champion for Youth?
I originally went in to Mrs. Russo's business class at Westfield High School to talk to them about what I do, how I got here, Internet/social media marketing strategy, and to answer their questions. I was then invited back to help the students develop marketing campaigns for an end of the year project in which they each had to create a "healthy burger" and the marketing materials that would be used to promote said burger in restaurants.

What impact do you hope to make on youth?
Ha-ha. I don't know how much of an impact I've made... or will make. I enjoying working with young people. Their optimism is inspiring. I just want to encourage them and help them understand how to make themselves and their dreams more "marketable" if you will.

What’s one thing that you wish an adult had told you when you were a young person?
I was lucky. My parents were always incredibly supportive of me. They knew "not all who wander are lost." I was a late bloomer and needed time to figure out who I was and what I wanted to do with myself. I tried a lot of different things and finally found my place at 28. I wish more adults would tell young people "You don't have to have it all figured out by 18. Everyone's timeline is different. A destination can be reached from many different paths."

What do you want to do next to support youth?
Well I hope to return to Mrs. Russo's class in the Fall. She's doing amazing things with her students. I was also recently invited to join the Dads Inc. Board of Directors. The mission of Dads Inc. is to provide support and education for fathers in order for them to develop healthy relationships and involvement with their children.

Want to be a Champion for youth? Here's how.

It’s easy for us to say we value young people and the programs that provide them opportunities to grow, learn, and connect with the community. But sometimes it’s hard to put good intentions into action. That’s where MCCOY’s Community Compacts for Youth come in. They’re designed to help you discover concrete ways to improve how you or your organization supports youth development in central Indiana.

Maybe you’re in healthcare and want to improve the ways your staff interacts with youth? Check out your Compact here. Or maybe you work in a faith-based community and want to ensure the people in your organization know about high-quality youth programs. Click here for your Compact.

After you sign yours and send it in, MCCOY will soon offer you the tools you need to make your commitments realities. If you already serve youth, add a comment below and link others to your programs and projects – the ways that others can fulfill their commitments and support your work.

It's not just teachers and youth workers who improve opportunities for young people -- everyone plays a role. Check out our Compact page today.

Hoosiers Support Legislation to Coordinate Youth Services and Programs

MCCOY Urges Community to Support the Federal Youth Coordination Act by Joining the 36 Organizations and 100 Individuals Who Have Signed a Letter of Support

MCCOY is asking the community to sign a letter of support for the Federal Youth Coordination Act (H.R. 7004). This bill seeks to create a White House Office on Children and Youth, which would strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of youth programs and services. The letter is directed to Representative Mark Souder of Indiana's 3rd Congressional District, who is a member of the Education & Labor Committee. As of Tuesday, 100 individuals and 36 organizations have signed the letter of support.
Read full article.