A Summer Camp that has it all: Dance, Music, Sports and Graffiti, Education and Fun

By Sonia Ramos
LAYC’s Communications intern/Writer

Hello there you, remember me? I hope so because I am coming with a new story that I am sure you will find interesting.
In mid July, I visited the Latin American Youth Center’s Teen Stars Summer Camp, which takes place at Lincoln Middle School. Camp staff work with students from 5th to 8th grade and some from 9th grade who are interested in dance, music, sports and graffiti. Each youth gets placed in a track (or class) of their interest. Those you enjoy dancing and want to learn more attend the dance class and consequently.

Besides learning a field they enjoy students at the Teen Stars Summer Camp program, which emearged 7 years ago, always have something fun to do.

In addition to a fun and learning experience at Little Middle School, the students also do the same outside of the school. Camp participants go bowling, they go to Art Museums, and they learn A LOT about the specific topic they are interested in.
What are your interests? Do you sing, dance or paint? Or do you enjoy making new beats for songs? I love music – it helps me relax and stay motivated.

Beatriz, the coordinator of the Teen Stars Summer Camp says that “it is [enjoyable] to see the youth participate in activities they love and enjoy.”

It is certainly a benefit to have this kind of programs in the city because youth become well educated about the topic of their choice and receive opportunities to demonstrate their talents.

Just like any successful program, the Teen Stars Summer Camp wouldn’t be possible without the collaboration of staff members. Beatriz expressed her gratitude to those people who make the program possible.

Melissa Campos, a middle school student who found herself at home with nothing to stay busy with, came across the summer camp program through LAYC’s AmeriCorps program.

“The summer camp helped me stay busy and not in the streets,” she said. “It’s good to be here,” she added. Melissa likes to create new beats for songs; she enjoys listening to music and creating new sounds. Melissa is a very creative young woman who aspires to gain knowledge about the rap/ music industry and hopes to become a great beat maker.

At the camp, there are kids who love sports and enjoy being in a program where they can increase their skills in different fields like soccer, baseball, basketball and more. All 12 students at the soccer class are there for two particular reasons: “because it’s fun and I love soccer,” said each student when I asked them why they attended the class.

The best thing about the camp, is that you and your friends can join without paying a dime. Yes, you heard it right, it’s free!
By the way, my next report will be on the impact of graffiti in our community.

Well, got to go.

Until next time, have a great day!

Sonia Ramos is a communications intern through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Sonia graduated from Bell Multicultural High School, DC in June and will attend George Mason University beginning the fall to pursue communications/journalism studies.

Summer is Here! Come and Join the Fun

By Sonia Ramos, LAYC’s Communications Intern/ Writer

As summer begins many of us get excited because we can work to earn money, we can spend time with friends outside of school and we can also spend more time with family members. Summer is my favorite season because I am able to work and have fun with friends --- something that many of us love to do.

I am now working at the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). At LAYC’s communications department, I am working on exciting youth projects which include documenting student’s experiences at the SYEP program, attending events and writing for the youth section of the website. Isn’t that exciting? I enjoy speaking to other youth and being part of the programs they are involved in makes it even more fun.

For those who don’t know, SYEP is a city wide program that works with low income youth to prepare them for the real world – this includes job readiness, college preparatory information, and speaking skills classes that allows them to become young leaders – have you heard of the program before?

Whether you have heard about the SYEP or not here is a good example of one of the students that has had many accomplishments through the SYEP --- maybe you know him.

His name is Nelson Quintanilla, an open-minded student with a lot of energy and high level of motivation to accomplish his dreams and hopes. He is currently attending Columbia University, where he is looking forward on pursuing a degree on Business Management. Wow, I know a lot of people from my school Bell Multicultural who will be majoring on some kind of Business career.

As Nelson spends his days at LAYC, he is acquiring skills on business management by working in the finance office with professionals who share his same interest. I talked to Nelson last week; he mentioned that he feels grateful to be a participant of the SYEP because it opens many opportunities in one’s life. I agree with him. “SYEP takes you to the top,” he said.

“SYEP takes you to the top,”

Nelson also told me that without the SYEP he would have probably not made the same decisions and that he would not find himself doing something productive. Instead he would have spent his afternoons at his house --- isn’t that boring?

I do not like to stay home on a beautiful summer day. Do you? Fortunately, this is not Nelson’s situation because he is working with the SYEP and is a very busy young man. “The SYEP was a life changing experience,” he said. And it sure is, hey I am in the program too remember.

Nelson has been working in the SYEP for three years and sends YOU a message --- You should join the SYEP program next summer because it is fun and informative!

And with that informative goal in mind, LAYC participates in SYEP.

Nakia Lynch, the coordinator of the program at LAYC explains that “SYEP serves to expose youth between 14-21 to different careers and job experiences.”

Since I started working through the SYEP, I have become aware about different opportunities. I have maintained myself occupied and engaged. I mean, I love experiencing new things. I have gone on field trips, have met new people and in the process I am learning a whole bunch of new things.

For those who thought that the program is boring, I can now tell them that is absolutely not the case. Let me tell you why:

First, there are many different activities that you will enjoy.

Nakia says that participants in the program seem to find it fun. “It is definite that no one wants to spend their summer at some boring program,” Nakia told me and she added that the coordinators of the program “want them to have fun. Yes you can learn but we will make it fun.”

So, there it is. It is a learning environment mixed with laughs and enjoyment.

The SYEP is undoubtly a program that needs to remain available for years to come. Nelson and some other students I have spoken to see staff members and fellow participants as a second family. I am sure many more students to come will feel the same way.

This program has attracted the attention of youth like you today, something that can be difficult at times. Spread the word and maybe next year you and your friends can join.

Alright, so what do you think? Nice program isn’t it? Visit LAYC’s youth page each week because I will bring you the latest on the SYEP program, vibrant stories about other students like Nelson who are benefiting from the program and reports on everything I see and learn. Besides reporting on SYEP, I’ll also write about other topics.

Tell me, what are you doing this summer? Give a holler through LAYC facebook page. Talk to you soon!

Sonia Ramos is a communications intern through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Sonia graduated from Bell Multicultural High School, DC in June and will attend George Mason University beginning the fall to pursue communications/journalism studies.

Learning to Lead: My Experience at the Summer Leadership Institute

By Edgar Martinez, LAYC’s Communications Intern/Events Correspondent

I recently became a part of a special group of young adults who are dedicated to making a difference.

Through the newly launched Summer Leadership Institute, 25 low-income and minority youth will receive advocacy and public speaking training over the summer. The group of young people will set forth youth issues they want to address and will receive the tools needed to construct proactive campaigns for change.

The Summer Leadership Institute is collaboration between the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), Columbia Height’s recently opened Best Buy; and the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA).

Before I decided to join the program, I wasn’t really sure whether I really wanted to do. But I gave it a chance and honestly it’s a very interesting program. I really appreciate the opportunity they gave me to be a part of this youth movement.

During these past few weeks, I have attended several meetings where I have been introduced into the advocacy world. So far, this has been done through fun games and dialogue amongst ourselves. In the meetings, we have done several activities. In some of them we learn about other participants, in others we learn about ourselves.

I have learned that advocacy allows community members like you and I to make a difference in our communities and help fix problems that affects us all.

Most importantly, from what I have experienced thus far is that we have the unique opportunity to express ourselves and to elevate our voices on issues we care about.

One of the activities that we did was identifying problems that affects youth that we all thought needed to be addressed. Some of those issues were teen pregnancy, gang violence, drug prevention, youth employment, etc.

What I like about this group the most is that we are learning to work together as a team. Additionally, I and other participants are being introduced to media resources like blogs and learning how we can make a positive impact through them.

The staff is very dedicated to what they do. They motivate us to continue with the program so we could learn how to become great leaders within our communities.

My experience with the program has been astonishing. I have learned many skills that I could benefit from. Honestly, when I first started the program my expectations were low but after just a few weeks my mindset has changed.

I did not really think that I was going to dedicate myself to this but I really have taken a lot of interest into it.

After I complete the program, I will be more skillful and more open minded on the issues that the community is dealing with. Hopefully, that will enable I and the other youth to make a difference.

I’ll keep you up-to-date with what we do at the program through my weekly blogs.