New York Center for Interpersonal Development blog

Juvenile Justice Webinar To Examine Bullying and Suicide Prevention

2012-01-27T11:28:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, February 2, 2012, at 3 p.m. E.T., the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) will host the webinar, “Bullying and Suicide Prevention.”

Many schools and communities struggle to find effective ways to prevent both bullying and suicidal behavior among youth. This webinar will provide the latest research and science on the relationship between bullying and suicide and will outline some of the shared risk and protective factors. The webinar will also discuss the main principles of a comprehensive whole school approach to bullying prevention. This presentation will be interactive, with opportunities to ask questions.
Registration is available online

Resources:
Download the flyer for additional information about the webinar at http://www.ojjdp.gov/enews/flyer/webinar_invitation_bullying_suicide_prevention.pdf

.
To register, go to www1.gotomeeting.com/register/512217688

The Bach Family: Raising Young Philanthropists:

2011-11-16T12:06:00.001-05:00

Nine year-old Henry Bach (whoparticipates in our After-School Enrichment Program at P.S. 30 along with hissister Madelyn) pledged $100 to NYCID at our Annual Benefit this past June. We were so impressed with both Henry and hissister Madelyn's generosity that we asked them, and their father Ken, to sharetheir stories with us.

Henry

How old are you & what gradeare you in? I'm nine and I'm infourth grade.

What activities do youparticipate in through NYCID’s After-School Program? Idid fencing and Legos. Legos was kind of boring because it wasn't really Legosand fencing was awesome. I got to sword fight with some of my best friends andlearned that fencing is a lot like light sabers.

What are your favoritehobbies/subjects? My favoritehobbies include basketball and baseball. My favorite subject is social studiesbecause we get to learn about presidents and do interesting research on them.

How did you raise the money youdonated? I've made lemonadestands with my sister and I save my birthday money. If my dad offers me $5 tospend at the dollar store, I usually only spend one or two.

Why did you want to donate? Whatinspired you to want to give to NYCID? I wanted to donate becausemy dad works with people at NYCID and it helps my school. It helps me make friends in theprograms. I want to compliment Dominickand the man from Camelot on how nice they were.

What do you hope the money youdonated will accomplish? I hopethe money makes more programs to help more people and make them happy. I hopeit keeps people out of hobo shelters. Giving the money makes me a betterperson.

Madelyn made thewinning bid on the silent auction item for a party at the Staten Island Zoo

How old are you & what gradeare you in? I am ten years oldand I'm in fifth grade.

Madelyn Bach

What activities do youparticipate in through NYCID’s After-School Program? WhenI was in fourth grade I participated in the drama program. It was fun because Imade new friends. Also we did fun exercises. I learned “Bruno the Bear sits inthe sun munching lots of honey buns.” Wehad to say it in a funny voice to exercise our voices.

What are your favoritehobbies/subjects? I like to singand dance. My favorite subject is PE because you're sitting in a classroom allday and you get to exercise and hang out with your friends. I like art classbecause you learn about artists and you learn how to paint.

How did you raise the money youdonated? My friend and I soldlemonade from her front yard to the neighborhood and some really annoying andgross kids. But money is money! I also save my money from my birthday.

Why did you want to donate? Whatinspired you to want to give to NYCID? I donated money because I wanted to help support the program and helpfamilies in trouble and because I really wanted a Zoo party.

What do you hope the money youdonated will accomplish? I hopethe money I donated can help people.

Their Father, Ken Bach,Shares His Perspective

How did you teach your childrenabout charitable giving? Leadership by example is more than acatchphrase on a motivational poster. Children are amazing. They learn from every clue around them. I haven’t taught them about charitable giving– they have learned by what we do.

Through Rotary, Ihave been giving back to the community for many years. My children ask about Rotary and where I amgoing. I always tell them, “I am going out to change the world!” Later, as we drive around the island, I showthem where we’ve served holiday meals to the homeless, where we assembledturkey baskets and the neighborhoods we deliver to, and the parks that we helpmaintain. This year, they are both eagerto join me on these and other projects.

Often we get, “Whydo we need a babysitter again tonight?” Well, a frequent response begins with“Because Mommy and Daddy are going to a fundraiser.” We let them know the goal might be to helpraise scholarships for really smart students who can’t afford college or thelocal Boy Scout troop or children with autism. When they heard we were attending the NYCID event, and that it was theorganization that ran the after-school programs that touched their lives, therewas no keeping them away.

Ken and Henry Bach

Were you surprised by Madelyn& Henry’s actions at our benefit? I was surprised at howcomfortable they felt at the event, and that Henry actually chose to wear abutton down shirt without being asked. Madelyn was intrigued by the silent auction items, and I was proud thatshe came to us and informed us that she wrote her name on the item of herchoice. We approved her bid amount andshe was amazed she won, especially since Mom and Dad won nothing.

And yes, I was shocked by Henry’s energeticand unanticipated hand raising at the $1,000 challenge request, amused at hispersistence down the scale, and proud of his $100 contribution. They still talk about the event, furtherspreading the culture of giving with their friends.

Do you talk with them aboutpeople that need help? Given my job, family activities and ourcommunity, there are always conversations. Part of parenting is helping the children to make sense of the millionsof clues they need to assimilate. It isimportant my children acknowledge they may not have as many material goods assome, but that they do have more than many. They know when to accept help and when to provide help.

Is this the first time they’vemade charitable contributions? Henry and Madelyn have a long history of compassion and giving back,although this was the first time in such a sophisticated setting. While attending elementary school in upstateNY, Madelyn hosted a web-based TV show where she interviewed the administrationand staff. She was honored by the Cityof Kingston for her artwork, which was later placed into a gallery that helpedraise awareness of the dangers of swimming after the unfortunate drowning of aneight-year-old. Madelyn and Henry alsoorganized sledding parties where kids brought new, wrapped toys that wedelivered to local children in need. Recently, Madelyn hosted a lemonade stand to raise money for her CYObasketball team, and they both want to volunteer for the Parks Department.

Doyou have any advice for others? As you enjoy the company of friends, remember those who are lonely. As you embrace your family, remember thosewho are in conflict. As you sit down todinner, remember those without a meal. Donate and help make a difference. Volunteer and change a life. You may be surprised that the life thatmost benefits from the change is your own.

Is there anything else you wouldlike to share? NYCID’s outreachprograms provide a rich after-school curriculum to help expand a child’shorizons for working and stay-at-home parents, and their conflict managementprograms help people learn how to emerge victorious from a seemingly hopelesssituation.

Also, walk theGreenbelt. Look at the nighttime sky. Relearning our place in the universe is agreat way to put our existence into context.

Do you have some suggestions about how to grow young philanthropists? Please share them in the comments below.

Developing the Habit of Philanthropy in Children

2011-11-15T16:33:00.001-05:00

Here are some additional resources for helping to teach children about philanthropy:

10 Great Philanthropists Who Are Kids

You'll love these young philanthropists. They will inspire you, as they have inspired us.

Here's one of our favorites, #3 Timothy Hwang and Minsoo Han:

In 2007, Timothy Hwang and Minsoo Han started Operation Fly, when they were only 14 years old. Their non-profit business offers cut-rate tutoring services to inner city students, and then uses the revenues to distribute blankets, clothing and soap to Washington D.C.’s homeless. Their organization has since spread to five cities, involves over 800 volunteers and is entirely student-run. For his efforts, Ernst & Young and Junior Achievement named Timothy Hwang the 2009 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year for the Greater Washington Region.

Here are some additional links.

Learning to Give

Talk About Giving

Charity: How to Teach Your Kids To Give
From CBS Money Watch

9 Ways to Teach Your Child About Charity
From Parents Magazine

Not Your Parents’ Money Book
ByJean Chatzky of the Today Show

Five Great Ways to Teach Your Child About Philanthropy

65 Easy Ways For Kids to Make A Difference!
By HandsOn Network’s blog

Pennies for Elephants – How to raise budding philanthropists

We Give Books Poll on Reading and Giving
By the Pearson Foundation

The New York Center Training Institute

2011-10-17T16:42:00.000-04:00

Worried about how well you and/oryour staff communicate with clients or each other?

Improve your skills by participatingin one of our workshops.

If you or your organization want to strengthen your communication or conflictresolution skills, consider a public or customized workshop from the New YorkCenter for Interpersonal Development (NYCID) Training Institute.

NYCID provides training and consulting services to businesses, organizations,not-for-profit institutions, associations, community groups and individuals.Our basic and advanced mediation training programs are approved by the Unified CourtSystem and eligible for continuing education credits for several professionaldisciplines, including CLE credits.

Our menu of seminars and workshops includes:

Conflict Resolution
Managing Anger and Strong Emotions
Valuing Diversity
Communication Skills

Our mediation training includes:

Basic Mediation
Divorce Mediation
Child Custody and Visitation
Parent Teen Mediation
Other specialty mediation seminars and workshops

Additional services available include:

Customized workshops designed with you to address your organizational or departmental communication needs
Dispute Resolution Services for all types of conflicts (organizational, business, workplace, family, elder care) Negotiation, Mediation & Arbitration
Group & Meeting Facilitation
Conflict Management Design

To schedule a training or to learnmore about our services, please contact Sequoia Stalder, Director of the NYCIDTraining Institute at sstalder@nycid.org or 718-815-4557.

Congratulations to Liz Bonici, our new Assistant Director of Conflict Resolution Services

2011-10-17T13:57:00.001-04:00

Friends and Colleagues:

Please join me in congratulating Liz Bonici on her recentpromotion to Assistant Director of Conflict Resolution Services. As many of youknow, Liz has been instrumental in supporting the growth and continued successof the CDRC over the past few years. Liz has taken on a supervisory role forour part time staff and interns, in addition to her role as the coordinator ofour volunteer mediator roster. She has also been instrumental in NYCIDattaining accredited provider status for Continuing Legal Education credits(CLE) for both New York and New Jersey as well as accreditation as a Part 146mediation training provider under recently enacted New York State Court rules.More broadly, her efforts have contributed to the growth of many of ourprogrammatic and training initiatives and to creating a thriving and robustmediator community here at NYCID.

Beyond her specific recent achievements, Liz is a talentedmediator, dedicated mentor and gifted administrator. She continues tobring her professionalism, expertise, generosity and warmth of spirit to herwork with both parties and colleagues. We look forward to our continued worktogether.

Once again, congratulations!

Warm Regards,

Sequoia

Sequoia Stalder, Esq.

Director of Conflict Resolution Services

New York Center for Interpersonal Development

Moving on...

2011-09-21T15:05:00.000-04:00

In May of 2011 we said farewell to one of the Young Adult Borough Center (YABC)'s most dedicated advocates.

Joseph Skinner was a personal advocate on the YABC team since the inception of the Learning to Work Programin 2005.

Each day, Joseph brought to the table a myriad of skillsand tools which helped him not just connect with students but to create long-lasting relationships.

When asked why he relentlessly made calls and home visitsor climbed stairs night after night to counsel students, Joe would always say, "Someone reached out to me once and now Iam giving back."

A normal occurrence at the YABC is to have younggraduates returning to visit Joe to thank him for encouraging them to thinkabout their choices enough to make the right decisions.

He is most definitely a mold that has been broken.

Joseph leaves us as he retires to enjoy his goldenyears. He has begun volunteering as acounselor for young men and women coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.

--Michael DeVito, YABC Program Director

Achievement in Career & Education (ACE) Program

2011-09-14T18:00:00.000-04:00

Out of School? Out of Work? Out of Options? NYCID Can Help!

NYCID's ACE Program, an out-of-school and disconnected youth program focused on vocational training and education, serves young people aged 16 - 24. Eligible youth are those who:

Dropped out of high school and are discharged OR graduated high school
Are not working AND not in school
Are motivated and ready to work!

Enrolled students are well trained and prepared for their future. Higher education and full-time employment are goals highly sought after and reached by program graduates! Eligible youth receive:

Enrollment in GED Program (if necessary)
Career Development Training
Job Placement Assistance
Opportunity to attain a Paid Internship
Guidance Counseling and a Personal Advocate

ALL SERVICES AND TRAININGS ARE FREE!

Interested? Contact Program Manager Deborah Green at (718) 947-4051 or Personal Advocate Prince Cobbina at (718) 947-4063.

Graduate, Prepare, Succeed (GPS) Program at Port Richmond H.S.

2011-09-14T17:30:00.000-04:00

Helping Our Students Cross the Finish Line

A little more than 39% of New York City students who enter ninth grade each fall fail to graduate with their peers four years later. Ninth grade serves as a key hurdle for many students who begin their freshman year only to find that their academic skills are insufficient for high school-level work. This difficult transition, combined with lack of engagement, takes a terrible toll.

Last year, through a collaboration with United Way of NYC, we implemented Graduate, Prepare, Succeed (GPS) at Port Richmond H.S. - a robust and targeted dropout prevention program to ensure that young people achieve academic success.

Why join?

The GPS Program helps students adjust to high school
Students are rewarded for having good grades and good attendance
Our FREE incentives [such as movie tickets, school supplies, bagel breakfasts, trips and more!] will help students stay motivated throughout their high school career

For more information, call (718) 815-8124 or visit our new blog.

Olympus Academy (located in Canarsie, Brooklyn)

2011-09-14T17:00:00.000-04:00

A New Approach: A School Dedicated to Student Success

Olympus Academy currently has spaces available for Brooklyn students that are 16 - 21 years old and have fallen behind in credits. We offer an accelerated credit program designed to help students earn credits at their own pace and paid internships to prepare them for life after high school.

If you know someone that's interested, please tell them to visit www.olympusacademy.org or call (718) 272-1926, ext. 1153 or 1158.

Young Adult Borough Center (YABC) at Tottenville H.S.

2011-09-14T16:20:00.000-04:00

It's Not Too Late To Graduate!

In partnership with the NYC Department of Education, the Young Adult Borough Center (YABC), located at Tottenville High School, offers students in danger of dropping out a chance to make up their credits and earn a traditional high school diploma by providing them with a rigorous academic program, tutoring, supportive counseling services and career preparation trainings.

Students must:

Be 17 ½ - 21 years of age
Have at least 17 credits

The YABC also offers students an opportunity to work in professional paid internships, which in some cases can result in elective credit.

YABC students attend class Monday through Thursday from 4 - 8:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Program Director Michael DeVito at (718) 947-4065.

Congratulations to Dina Molina, Olympus Academy's new Program Director

2011-07-11T15:19:00.004-04:00

Hi All:

I am very pleased to announce the promotion of Dina Molina to Program Director and Co-Leader of Olympus Academy. Dina has been with New York Center for Interpersonal Development (NYCID) since 2009 as an Advocate Counselor and most recently as Interim Program Director. She did this while working towards her Masters in Social Work, which she will receive this August from CUNY Hunter College.

Dina’s performance at Olympus Academy has been influential for NYCID’s excellent record of collaboration, problem solving and conflict resolution, and leadership. Dina is known for her ability to be a team player, overcome problems during challenging times and her engagement skills with students, parents and DOE administration and teachers.

The quality of dedication is very important for NYCID’s long term success. We look forward to Dina’s ability to achieve the highest standards at Olympus Academy in her new role as Director.

Congratulations, Dina!
Dominick

Dominick J. Brancato
Executive Director
New York Center for Interpersonal Development

Our thoughts and prayers are with our SISCL family

2011-07-08T13:25:00.003-04:00

Dear Friends:

Most of the time we are running to do something, whether it’s to get to work, home, shopping, a report, etc. We all lead hectic lives and we teach our children to do the same. Last week, for one child in our Staten Island School of Civic Leadership School Program, this hustle and bustle lifestyle caused her to run for a bus on her way home from school and a truck hit her. This unfortunate accident resulted in her losing her life.

Upon reflection, there wasn't much any one of us could have done as she was hurrying to get home and begin her summer. She never looked to see oncoming traffic and just ran across the street. This incident makes me wonder about all the rushing around we do, never thinking, never stopping to just take a breath and look.

We give our deepest condolences to the family of Aniya Williams, the school, to her fellow students and teachers/administrators at the Staten Island School of Civic Leadership as well as our NYCID team working at SISCL. If there is any way in which you feel we could help, please let me know.

And most of all, if there is a lesson to be learned, I urge you all to take a moment to just pause and remember to breath, remember to watch, remember that nothing is more important than our lives and the lives of others.

-Dominick

Dominick J. Brancato
Executive Director
New York Center for Interpersonal Development

NYCID Summer Camp at the SI School for Civic Leadership

2011-03-01T15:48:00.002-05:00

NYCID 2011 Summer Camp Flyer

Fairly Legal?

2011-02-02T12:40:00.004-05:00

Recently, USA Network premiered a new original show, "Fairly Legal," that features a mediator as the main character. The show has been a hot topic of conversation in the Alternative Dispute Resolution world, garnering both praise for highlighting the field and criticism for being too flashy.

We tend to take the "any press is good press" approach to it, and believe that it is a good way to shed some light on the powerful work we do here every day.

Have you watched it? We'd love to know what you think, and are happy to answer any questions you may have about mediation and alternative dispute resolution. We'll post answers to your questions in our next issue, along with feedback from our staff and volunteer mediators.

You can also take the show's quiz (click on the image below) and let us know what result you get. We'd really like to hear from our volunteer mediators on this one.

Behind the Scenes: Maryann Lauria, Board Vice Chair & Secretary

2011-02-02T12:26:00.005-05:00

Maryann Lauria

What surprised Maryann Lauria when she made the transition from a career in financial services to the not-for-profit sector was that, as different as they are, the nonprofit sector is still a business. Success still depends on solid financial management, good organizational skills and productivity. And, Maryann says that the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC), where she is director of development, practices those skills better than any of the for-profit firms where she was employed.

Maryann Lauria joined NYCID’s board three years ago for two reasons. First, she and her husband, Nick Popolo, believe in giving back to their community. That’s Eltingville, Staten Island, ever since this Brooklynite joined her new husband here five years ago. Then, when looking for how to give-back, Maryann found NYCID.

“I was drawn to NYCID when I met some of the staff,” she said. “Their passion for the work and commitment to the people they serve is above and beyond that found in most organizations. I feel lucky to be on the board of such a great organization. And, I have such respect for the talents and skills of the other board members, each in their own field.”

That’s significant praise from a person whose fundraising expertise has put the NYSPCC in the black every year since she joined them seven years ago.

Maryann earned her undergraduate degree in general business, marketing and law at Pace. When she changed careers she complemented that background with an MPA from NYU. She changed careers because she felt unfulfilled in the financial sector and wanted to use her business skills to benefit families and children. She has four brothers and 14 nieces and nephews that mean the world to her. She’d like other families to be strong and healthy, too.

Maryann and Nick balance their professional and civic lives with family, friends and travel. Maryann’s advice? When on a trip, balance each day with a mix of tourist attractions and wandering – seeing the world through the eyes of the locals. Whether she’s in the Caribbean, Las Vegas or Paris, she looks for that balance.

Maryann helps NYCID keep the right balance, too, between business and service. We’re lucky to have her on our board. Thank you, Maryann.

(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding

2011-02-02T12:18:00.004-05:00

The recent tragedy in Tucson, AZ, has brought to the surface some important questions about how we, as a society, communicate with people who have different viewpoints from our own. I know it's made me think about how I communicate with friends and associates that have different beliefs than I do.

We all have been guilty of it in one form or another – name calling; believing we are right and anyone who disagrees with us is wrong; using violent language or imagery, etc. Our intent may be harmless but the impact is anything but. It doesn’t take long to think of a few recent examples, whether it was an elected official responding in a hostile way to a constituent they didn’t agree with, the person who was upset by the bipartisan seating at the State of the Union address or one of the usual suspects that comment negatively on any given story posted on SILive.com.

How did we get to this point? While thinking about it, the following lyrics came to mind:

“As I walk through this wicked world searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity. I ask myself, ‘Is all hope lost? Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?’” – Elvis Costello

I admit to being too cynical at times, and often find myself questioning whether things will really get better, and if people can behave more compassionately toward one another.

I think it is possible, if we make a conscious effort to think before we speak, pause before we act and try to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes.

One of our board members recently told me about the following clip, and I encourage all of you to watch it. In this video, Elizabeth Lesser, co-founder of Omega Institute (the largest lifelong learning center focusing on health, wellness, spirituality, creativity and social change in the U.S.) suggests an interesting concept: taking “the other” to lunch. She offers some guidelines, and talks about her own experience going to lunch with someone whose viewpoints are radically different than her own.

I plan on trying it – will you?

-- Amy Lavelle, Development Associate

Networking Fundraiser to benefit NYCID

2011-01-10T18:05:00.003-05:00

Event registration for Networking Fundraiser to benefit NYCID powered by Eventbrite

You Can Change Anthony's Life This Christmas

2010-12-13T21:05:00.000-05:00

People like you helped La'Shara change her life.
Now you can help change her brother Anthony's.

"The ACE staff never gave up on me. Not like the school."

Support from people like you helped La'Shara change her life. Will you help others like La'Shara, too?

La'Shara told me she stopped going to school when she turned sixteen. It wasn't the classes, she told us, it was the cliques and gangs, the 'he said, she said,' and the bullying.

"When I turned fifteen, I was on my own. My mother was doing a Michael Jackson -- doing everything she couldn't do when she became a mom so young. She said I had to look out for myself."

After hanging out on the streets for a few years doing "all the stuff that you know you shouldn't do," La'Shara's friend told her she should stop wasting her life. He told her about ACE -- one of the programs your donations to NYCID support.

Changing Is Hard Work

"They [staff] told me not to join up unless I was serious," La'Shara said. "I thought I was serious, but I didn't stop doing all those other things, so I wasn't showing up for class. But, they wouldn't give up on me. They are relentless!"

"ACE is so much more than a GED program," she continued. "It's the tough love, the counseling. They push you. They find you like the FBI when you're missing. You can talk to them about anything."

La'Shara's turn-around started two years ago. She passed her GED on her first try. She completed an internship at a day care center, and she discovered she likes helping people.

With Your Help Comes Success

Today, thanks to you and other NYCID supporters, La'Shara is completing the final licensing steps necessary to open her own day care center. She has her own apartment and, after discovering she likes biology, she is considering a career as a doctor.

When I asked La'Shara if I could share her story in this letter, she said, "Tell them it all started here at ACE. Not at my high school. Not with my momma or my daddy. Not any of the other programs I started and dropped. It all started from ACE...

"And thank them [all of you] for me for helping to make me successful."

Help Others Like
La'Shara

La'Shara's younger brother, Anthony, has been on the streets for a while now. He's seen how La'Shara has turned her life around. He'd like to give ACE a try, too. Your donation this Christmas will help give him a chance to change his life.

ACE, Achievement in Career and Education, is one of three alternative education programs NYCID runs for over 600 Staten Island and Brooklyn high school age youth who are failing or have dropped out.

Will you make a year-end gift to help La'Shara's younger brother, Anthony, and others like him follow in La'Shara's footsteps?

Your gift will benefit young people who never thought they'd graduate earn their high school diploma or GED, develop good work habits and skills through internships, and plan for a future as responsible, caring citizens and parents.

The tax year is drawing to a close. Please make your tax-deductible contribution today, before you get caught up in the hectic holiday hubbub and miss the tax benefits.

We join La'Shara in thanking those of you who helped change her life. Please make the same opportunity available for Anthony.

Sincerely,

Dominick J. Brancato
Executive Director

New York Center for Interpersonal Development

P.S. Want to know more about who and how your gift will help? Click on this link

Co-Parents Need To Learn How To Share

2010-11-23T13:01:00.007-05:00

Reprinted from the SI Advance.

Co-parents need to learn how to share
By: Elise G. McIntosh

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s — they can be a landmine for co-parents to navigate. Just-divorced exes, not yet settled into a co-parenting groove, especially may struggle with ironing out who will get the kids during the holidays and other issues that crop up.

Sequoia Stalder and Cara Raich, partners at Stalder Raich, a Manhattan-based family and divorce mediation firm, say the key to co-parenting during the holiday season — anytime, really — is plenty of planning and communication.

Stalder, who also serves as the director of Conflict Resolution Services at New York Center for Interpersonal Development in St. George, suggests co-parents speak about the holidays well in advance so everyone — including the kids — has clear expectations about what’s going to happen on those days.

When making arrangements, he suggested co-parents have the conversation close enough to the holiday to have a realistic idea about plans but far enough to make modifications, if need be.

“It differs for each family,” he said, but generally planning six to eight weeks before the holiday works well.

Stalder also said having a yearly holiday plan in place — while still remaining flexible for the surprises that inevitably come up — can help reduce stress and aggravation.

Ms. Raich noted many co-parents they have counseled alternate having the children for the holidays.

Each family has to decide which method works best for them, but one system that works well is switching according to the calendar year. For instance, Dad gets the kids for Christmas during years that end in even numbers while Mom has them during odd-numbered years.

Ms. Raich says it also is helpful for co-parents to view the holidays as a block of time that can be divided up. Christmas, for example, may be broken up into eve, morning and night, giving kids the opportunity to spend a portion of the holiday with both Mom and Dad.

Co-parents also should discuss the logistics of picking up and dropping off the children during the planning stages, said Ms. Raich.

“Be as specific as you can,” she said, explaining, “Discussing the small details can help in diffusing conflict.”

Flexibility and a forgiving attitude also go a long way. If your ex is late or suddenly makes a change to the plans, “try not to access the angry place first,” said Ms. Raich.

Rather, she encourages an ex-spouse to see it from his/her co-parent’s perspective and try to understand why he or she needed to revise the plan.

When picking up/dropping off the kids to/from a holiday celebration, avoid having an involved conversation with your ex.

“This is not the time to have a substantial talk,” Ms. Raich said.

Stalder said co-parents need to be mindful of their communication. If a hostile tone starts creeping into the conversation, make sure the kids aren’t within earshot.

“You don’t want to expose them to your conflict,” he explained, noting it can do damage, emotionally.

To avoid getting into a heated discussion, Stalder recommends “I” messages.

“Focus on your feelings versus accusations,” he said. “Really try to express what’s important to you rather than blaming the other side.”

If tensions between you and your ex continue to flare, it may be prudent to have a consultation with a mediator like Stalder and Ms. Raich, who work with co-parents in reaching mutually beneficial solutions.

The New York Center for Interpersonal Development also has a family mediation program that helps divorcing spouses deal with custody and visitation issues. The services are free to Staten Islanders. To learn more, call (718) 815-4557 and ask for the Mediation Center or visit nycid.org.

Five Uncommon Tips for the Holidays

2010-11-03T18:45:00.001-04:00

The magazines will soon be full of holiday tips - watch your alcohol consumption, carve out a piece of time for yourself every day, - good, sensible tips. And, as an agency focused on interpersonal relationships, we decided to add our two-cents with five tips you won’t find in the popular press.

The best advice I ever received is lead with your behavior; your emotions will follow.

Granted it’s not perfect, but it works.

The advice came from the director of an emergency department. The staff was expert at saving lives, but their patients wrote to the hospital president not with thank yous but with complaints about staff attitudes. Fix it or be gone, the president finally told the ED director.

So, the director told the staff, pretend, exaggerate, but smile, be cheerful, be friendly. I don’t care whether that’s what you feel. That’s what we have to do.

At first it felt oh, so false. But, not for long.

Whether it’s magic, hormones, or the positive response of the people around you, you begin to feel the way you behave.

And, that’s the first tip: BEHAVE THE WAY YOU WANT TO FEEL.

DIFFUSE AS MANY OF THE POTENTIAL LANDMINES AS YOU CAN IN ADVANCE.

If you’re an ex-, you know anything from changing the visitation schedule to who’s giving your son what can set off an explosion. And, anyone’s extended family can be plagued with who’s hosting Thanksgiving this year to whether there should be a spending limit on presents. Try to resolve these issues early - before the pressure of the holidays begins.

To prevent last-minute disappointment and squabbles, establish a game plan for the holidays well in advance so everyone is prepared for how things will be. “It's good to make agreements,” says O'Byrne. “In my family, the married couples take a turn at one set of in-laws', then the other in-laws' and then at their own home.” You and your brother always end up in an argument.

To read more about managing holiday conflicts, read Aileen Brabazon’s article here. And, if you have a particularly challenging issue to deal with, call our dispute resolution center at 815-4557.

Ask yourself, IS THIS THE WAY I WANT MY CHILDREN (GRANDCHILDREN) TO REMEMBER THE HOLIDAYS?

Holly Pedersen offers this sage advice: [Developing a Holiday Visitation Schedule That Works! ]

Continually ask yourself: Are these the kinds of memories I want to create for my children? This question will enable you to stay focused on what is most important: your children and their well-being. ...Remind yourself that these experiences will shape their views of childhood and will impact their own relationships in adulthood. It is in your power to raise children who will become happy and healthy adults!

When it’s not, take action. Find a way to diffuse tense situations. Expect some conflict to emerge and be prepared to deal with it with a sense of humor or , just like you distract a two year old on the verge of a temper tantrum, redirect the conversation. Carlton Kendrick offers some smooth examples in his article When Relatives Visit

Does your family look different this year? LET GO OF FAMILY TRADITIONS THAT NO LONGER FIT; CREATE NEW TRADITIONS.

Your family’s profile may have changed because a wedding introduced a new son or daughter-in-law, a separation brings the complexity of scheduling children’s visits, a second marriage requires strategies for blending two sets of family traditions, death of a beloved family member needs to be acknowledged, or a move leaves you far from those you’ve always spent the holidays with. Whether the change is positive or negative, it’s time to re-think tradition, keep what works and re-invent the rest.

Terri Clark, in her article Creating New Holiday Traditions, gave this example:

Picture this scenario: A child who always got the job of placing the star at the top of the Christmas tree is anxious to finish the decorating so he can perform his duty. Then the unthinkable happens-an angel that has been in his new stepmother’s family for generations replaces the all-important star. Because of its fragile condition, she insists on placing it at the top of the tree herself. Both stepmother and stepchild feel threatened, and dad is in the middle-he can’t win. A wedge has been driven into a new and delicate relationship between stepchild and parent.

How would you resolve this? Terri offers some good approaches for thinking through old and new traditions.

MAKE FAMILY PHILANTHROPY PART OF YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON

Philanthropy takes many forms and every family works with financial constraints. And it’s those constraints that offer the framework for exploring your family’s values. Set aside an evening together to discuss what causes are important to each of you and why. Consider whether to donate money or time. Examine the agency’s reputation and performance. You can even look at a nonprofit agency's tax return, known as the 990 form, to assure yourself that the money is going where you want it to.

Family philanthropy not only benefits those you choose to help, it instills a lifelong habit of supporting what you value.

So, these are our five uncommon tips:

1. Behave the way you want to feel.

2. Diffuse as many of the potential landmines as you can in advance.

3. Ask yourself, is this the way I want my children (grandchildren) to remember the holidays?

4. Let go of family traditions that no longer fit; create new traditions

5. Make family philanthropy part of your holiday season

We hope you find them useful. If you have other tips, examples of what you do to make the holidays fun, or questions others can help with, please add them in the comments below.

PS - If you found these tips helpful you can make a donation to NYCID here.

Comedy Fun/draiser Saturday, Dec. 4th

2010-11-02T21:15:00.002-04:00

Comedy Show Fundraiser

Melvin George


Joe Moffa

To benefit the NY Center for Interpersonal Development

Saturday, December 4

6-10 pm

$45

includes buffet, beer/wine/soda

Come laugh the night away.

Melvin George II a.k.a. "The King of Smooth" as seen on HBO, Showtime, Fox and A&E.

Joe Moffa as seen on "Law & Order: SVU"; currently the voice and cartoon character likeness of Game Face, the NFL's New York JETS football team cartoon mascot.

Where:
Temple Israel
315 Forest Ave.
Staten Island, NY 10301
R.S.V.P. to Amy Lavelle by Dec. 1
Payment via PayPal

Community Dispute Resolution Staff Participates in Conference

2010-11-02T20:33:00.001-04:00

(L-R) Liz Bonici, Gary Carsel, David Ramsey. Sequoia Stalder on monitor

NYCID Staff Attend NYSDRA 25^th Anniversary Conference

By David Ramsey, Associate Mediation Manager

Members of NYCID’s Community Dispute Resolution Center attended the 25th Anniversary Conference of the New York State Dispute Resolution Association (NYSDRA) from October 20 to 22, 2010, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy, New York. NYCID is a member of NYSDRA, and our Executive Director, Dominick Brancato, is a past president of NYSDRA’s board of directors.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Rooted in Resolution.” Participants chose from a diverse array of workshops, including tracks for the “roots” (foundations of dispute resolution), “branches” (growing skill sets) and “leaves” (learning from blooming dispute resolution practices). There were several honors and awards ceremonies for individuals who have contributed a great deal to the field of dispute resolution.

I had a wonderful bunch of learning experiences at the conference, both in the informative workshops about different aspects of mediation, and in terms of the people I met, who were doing community mediation all over New York State. The workshops were interactive and advanced, which I liked very much. I took workshops on building strategic alliances in transactional business mediations, managing multi-party mediation sessions and legal issues about confidentiality in mediation. The conference helped me to be a better mediator, a more informed manager of mediation programs and a more ‘networked’ resource for the community I serve. I appreciate the fact that NYCID supports its staff by allowing us to attend important events like these.

What should the NY Center's role be?

2010-10-03T20:45:00.002-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

I’ve been hearing from you and other friends and colleagues around the country who have been reading about it. One of the staff received a message from a friend in London with a link to an article about Staten Island published there. Everyone’s talking about Staten Island, hotbed of hate crimes and community outrage. The press has covered Staten Islanders ranting at public meetings about immigrants, ethnic and religious groups, and gay couples ruining their neighborhoods. It’s embarrassing.

More distressing than embarrassing, though, is the reality. Many Staten Islanders in targeted groups are afraid and know they are unwelcome, not by all, but by a vocal minority. There have been more than 12 alleged hate crimes since April, most against Latinos. Community groups in South Beach have been verbally abusive in their opposition to projects sponsored by “damn Russians” and Muslims; they were successful in derailing the sale of a vacant convent to a Muslim group in June.

I commend Councilwoman Debi Rose and Council Speaker Christine Quinn for initiating the “I am Staten Island” Coalition and Campaign. NYCID joined the coalition and I encourage you to do the same.

Now, the Coalition and, here at NYCID, our staff and board are asking ourselves hard questions. We aren’t looking for “feel good” solutions nor do we want band-aids. We’re focusing on long term change. We’d like you to be part of that conversation.

Some of the questions we’re asking include:

What strategies have worked in other communities?
How do you engage large groups of angry people who turn out for public hearings in constructive conversation?
How neutral can we be when our agency values include respect for all? Does it mean we can’t/shouldn’t offer mediation for community disputes where bias is a factor? Can respect for all include respect for people with bias?
What more can we do in our youth programs to encourage kids to think and talk about these issues?

These aren’t new questions for us. And, we’ve tried a variety of strategies over the years. Nor do I believe that Staten Island is the only place struggling with these issues. But, the urgency has intensified. Community anger and polarization has been growing. It’s time for us to move these questions to the forefront of agency thinking and planning.

I’ve set up a place for you to post your ideas and comments. I hope you’ll take the time to have a conversation with me and the staff. We need all the help you can offer.

Dom

P.S. Please join the “I am Staten Island” coalition as an individual or agency. And, if you’re on facebook, whether or not you are a Staten Islander, please ‘like’ the I am Staten Island page. While you’re at it, please ‘like’ the NYCID page, too.

How Are We Going to Keep These Kids in School?

2010-10-03T20:12:00.001-04:00

James started high school this fall. Will he graduate or dropout? Unless we find an effective way to intervene, the odds are, he’ll drift away from school missing increasingly more days, falling further behind until passing his courses seems impossible, so he quits.

How do we know? Easy. James missed more than 25 days of school last year and that fact is a good predictor that he’ll drop out. James is one of 350 entering freshmen at Port Richmond High School who missed between 25 and 75 days of school last year who are at risk for dropping out. But, NYCID will intervene.

In August, NYCID invited these kids and their parents to a Parent Orientation Dinner to learn about “Graduate, Prepare and Succeed,” an Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (A.I.D.P.) program funded by United Way.

Why were these young kids absent so frequently? Every story is different. Some find school boring. Some get in trouble a lot so it’s easier to stay away. Some skip to avoid teasing or bullying. Some have already fallen behind academically. But, without help it’s likely that all of them will have a tough transition to high school and many will drop out.

Just like a high tech GPS system, Graduate, Prepare, and Succeed (GPS) will guide the way to high school graduation. About 90 students have now enrolled in the program designed to help them transition to high school, improve their attendance, and open their eyes to higher educational opportunities.

GPS is an incentive-based program. For example, when students have perfect attendance for one full week they receive a free breakfast, and if they have perfect attendance for two full weeks, they receive two free movie tickets.

High school is a road race where the students are the drivers, their parents and GPS staff the crew, and graduation the destination. Students can earn extra credits, get math tutoring, and participate in life skills classes. The staff makes sure that the students and parents know where they are, the choice of routes and resources available, and how to correct course when you make the wrong turn.

Everyone celebrates milestones along the way with award ceremonies and certificates of accomplishment, free breakfasts and movie tickets, earned trips to RollerJam USA, Dave & Buster’s, and Six Flags. And, finally, students will arrive at graduation with their next trip already planned – college or other post-secondary training.

The crew – staff and parents -- look forward to guiding James and his classmates through a successful freshman year. GPS will help them keep the destination in sight.

The NYCID GPS crew includes:

· Michael Candella, Director

· Jessica Panettiere, Counselor

· Jennifer Quirk, Attendance Outreach

· Maria Santana, Bilingual Family Outreach

· Every student’s parents

Michael O'Brien Joins the NYCID Board

2010-10-03T15:30:00.002-04:00

Michael O'Brien

The NY Center Board of Directors welcomes Michael O’Brien to the Board. He is a partner at O’Brien and Jacobs, PLLC in Manhattan.

Why did Michael join the Board?

“I come from a modest background, the son of an electrician and a nurse. I worked hard in school, stayed out of trouble, and was the first person in my family to go to college and then to law school, eventually starting my own law firm in lower Manhattan. Some people like to use the phrase "self made man." I don't. I did not achieve my goals by myself - I had numerous mentors, advisors, teachers, and supporters along the way. That’s why I want to support NYCID - to help today's young adults achieve their goals.”

Michael O'Brien is an experienced trial attorney with numerous successful jury verdicts throughout the New York State Supreme Courts and New York City Civil Courts. He represents institutional and individual clients in complex civil litigation in a broad range of areas, including general negligence, medical malpractice, wrongful death, toxic tort, real estate, constitutional law, trademark and copyright infringement, securities fraud, and business disputes. In additional to trial work, Michael's courtroom experience also includes successful appeals in New York State Appellate Courts.

Why would a successful trial attorney support an agency with a mediation center?

“Too often in litigation, the parties drift far apart, to the point where they refuse to agree to anything, even common courtesies that neither harm nor help the case. An effective mediation brings the parties back together, usually leading to a settlement that everyone can live with. This reduces the burden on our already over strained court system, and leaves both parties relatively pleased with the result.”

Michael, a Rhode Island native, attended law school in Boston and now lives on Staten Island where his wife, Meaghan Murphy, grew up. He lives on Grymes Hill with Meaghan and his son, Luke

Did You Go To Summer Camp Last Summer? How about next summer?

2010-10-03T15:12:00.000-04:00

Justin Sword’s sister is jealous. His mother says Justin’s sister, who attended a different summer camp, wants to spend next summer at the NYCID summer camp. Justin had just too much fun!

Over 50 kids spent a wonderful summer at our first summer camp incorporating programming built on The 7 Habits of Happy Kids. The camp took place at the Staten Island School of Civic Leadership (PS 861).

Take a look at the pictures here. Wouldn’t you like to be a kid again and attend next summer with Justin and his sister?

Our partnership with the Staten Island School of Civic Leadership is bringing great rewards for hosting us. Please send us any suggestions you have to make next year even better!

"Summer Camp 2010"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

DYCD Commissioner Visits ACE Program

2010-07-25T12:17:00.005-04:00


ACE participants with Cmmr. Mullgrav and OSY Director Keenan NYC Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Jeanne B. Mullgrav and Megan Keenan, Director of DYCD’s Out-of-School Youth (OSY) program visited the the NY Center's ACE Program on July 23 to meet and observe our students during one of their work-readiness training sessions. Students enjoyed sharing their lively discussion and skill-building session with the visitors. Young people 17-21 enroll in ACE to earn their GED, master work readiness skills, and plan their future. Staff help them turn their plans into reality. Thank you, Commissioner Mullgrav and Ms. Keenan, for taking the time out of your busy schedules to witness our students in action as they take tangible steps to learn new skills for their future. Can you find the Commissioner in this group picture? She's in the second row, third from the right, with the big smile and black suit.

SI Business Trends Highlight Commercial Mediation at NYCID

2010-06-24T12:50:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Staten Island Business Trends. They recently published a piece on NYCID's commercial mediation services.

For those unaware of this service, for disputes involving up to $25,000, mediation is free. For disputes involving more than $25,000, the first two hours are free; after that the mediation is provided at a reduced rate of $100 per hour.

For more information, call David Ramsey at (718) 947-4035 or e-mail dramsey@nycid.org.

NYCID Supervised Visitation Program Receives Northfield Grant

2010-06-24T12:33:00.001-04:00

Supervised Visitation – Northfield Bank Foundation presented a $12,000 check to the New York Center for Interpersonal Development for its Supervised Visitation program. Pictured (from left to right) are: Northfield Bank Foundation Executive Director Diane Senerchia; Northfield Bank Foundation Chair Susan Lamberti; NYCID Executive Director Dominick Brancato; and NYCID Supervised Visitation Program Director Erin Neubauer-Keyes.

What's supervised visitation? Read about it here.

Curtis HS International Baccalaureate Students Present Check to the NY Cente

2010-06-24T12:21:00.001-04:00

Curtis H.S. – William Middleton (left) and Rosemarie O'Conner (right), both students in Curtis High School's International Baccalaureate program, recently presented a check for $313 to NYCID Executive Director Dominick Brancato (center).

Last fall, the students organized a miniature golf tournament fund raiser – "Save Our Staten Island" – held at Staten Island Mini Golf. The proceeds were given to NYCID, the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art and the Staten Island Zoo.

NYCID Honors Dr. Morales for CSI Youth Development Partnership

2010-06-24T12:10:00.001-04:00

Dr. Tomás D. Morales, President, College of Staten Island, the City University of New York, was one of four partners honored at the NY Center's Celebrating Partnerships Fundraising Auction this month. CSI works closely with the NY Center on several initiatives designed to support young adults working toward a second chance.

Regarding his award, Dr. Morales said, “I am proud to accept this award on behalf of all faculty, staff, and students, who, together with the Center’s dedicated staff, work to strengthen our community, and in particular, the lives of our youth, through education and our collaborations.”
Dr. Tomás D. Morales was appointed by the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York (CUNY) as the third President of the College of Staten Island in 2007. He holds a B.A. in History (Secondary Education) cum laude, from The State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, and earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from SUNY Albany.

He has served as an educator and administrative leader in higher education for over 32 years and is one of the few higher education administrators in the United States who has held senior administrative positions at the three largest public university systems in the nation: the California State University system, The State University of New York and The City University of New York.

At California State Polytechnic University from 2001 to 2007, Dr. Morales served in various capacities including Vice President for Student Affairs, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Professor of Education, and Principal Deputy to the President. He was responsible for providing academic vision and leadership for eight colleges, one professional school, the university library, 20,000 students, 1,200 faculty, 46 academic departments, and a budget of $120 million. He was elected for two consecutive terms as a Commissioner for the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges serving as the Chair of the Structural Change committee and a member of both the Audit and Chairs committees.

Dr. Morales serves on the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Board, the American Council on Education's Commission on Racial and Ethnic Equity, the Governing Board and as Secretary to the Board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and has also served on the National Information and Communication Technology Literacy Policy Council. He has been appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to the New York City Panel on Education Policy, and he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Staten Island Foundation, SINY Inc. and A Vision for Staten Island, as well as an Ambassador with the Immigrant Entrepreneur Program of the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation.

His lifelong dedication to improving the access and quality of public higher education has been recognized with the Latino Trendsetter Award at the United Nations, the IMAGEN Certificate Award from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from the American College of Thessaloniki, Greece. He completed the Wharton Executive Education Program at the Institute for Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania and was a fellow in the Kellogg/HACU Leadership Fellows Program.

Dr. Morales has recently received approval from the CUNY Board of Trustees for a ten-year Master Plan to expand the academic programs and student-centric services at the College of Staten Island, and is currently leading a campus-wide strategic planning process to examine the mission, vision and values of the institution.

Honoring NYCID's YABC Co-Director, Joann Calabro

2010-06-24T12:02:00.000-04:00

Joann Calabro, Assistant Principal, Tottenville High School and Program Administrator of the Young Adult Borough Center works hand-in-hand with Michael DeVito, NYCID's YABC Director. Together they lead a team of educators and youth development staff who make it possible for young people to turn their lives around.

The NY Center took great pride in honoring Ms Calabro at our Celebrating Partnerships Fundraising Auction on June 9th.

She has been a Staten Island resident for 31 years.

Mrs. Calabro’s professional career began almost 19 years ago as a teacher of English Literature at Port Richmond High School. During her nine years at Port Richmond, she wore many hats. In addition to teaching English, Mrs. Calabro spent time as a grade advisor, the College Advisor and the Literary Magazine Advisor.

She spent one year at the Michael J. Petrides High School teaching English and helping to set up the fledgling high school.

In 2001 Mrs. Calabro became the Assistant Principal of Guidance at Sheepshead Bay High School in Brooklyn.

She returned to her professional roots in 2005 when she took on the position of Assistant Principal, Program Administrator of the Staten Island Young Adult Borough Center.

Thanks to NYCID Partner Tottenville Principal, John P. Tuminaro

2010-06-24T11:42:00.000-04:00

The NY Center honors John P. Tuminaro, Principal, Tottenville High School at our June 9th Celebrating Partnerships Fundraising Auction

John P. Tuminaro, who has served as principal of Tottenville High School for the past 11 years, traces his educational roots and his professional career for several decades to Staten Island. After graduating from Wagner College, Mr. Tuminaro settled on Staten Island where he began his educational career as a teacher of Social Studies, first at Susan Wagner High School and then Tottenville High School.

Mr. Tuminaro’s three children all attended public school on Staten Island as Mr. Tuminaro’s career took him from Tottenville High School to James Madison High School in Brooklyn. He then moved on to the High School for Telecommunication Arts and Technology in Brooklyn, where he served for 12 years as an Assistant Principal.

Since 1999, he has served with pride as the Principal of Tottenville High School and since September 2007, he has had the pleasure of working alongside the New York Center for Interpersonal Development (NYCID) as the host Principal for the Staten Island Young Adult Borough Center (YABC).

Thousands of Staten Island YABC students who have turned their lives around have benefited directly from the support Mr. Tuminaro provides the SI YABC.

NYCID Honors Staten Island Community Television (SICTV)

2010-06-24T11:34:00.000-04:00

Staten Island Community Television (SICTV) was one of four honored partners at the New York Center's Celebrating Partnerships Fundraising Auction on June 9th.

Why honor SICTV? In addition to the service they provide the community, SICTV has been a longstanding internship site for the students at YABC. They contribute tremendous support to young people finding direction for their lives and learning about the world of work.

History
Staten Island Community Television (SICTV) was founded in 1983 as a result of a franchise agreement between the city of New York and Staten Island Cable (now Time Warner Cable). Permanently opened in 1988, SICTV is organized as a not-for-profit corporation under IRS Code 501(c)(3) and currently has a 16-member board of directors appointed by the Borough President of Staten Island.

Mission Statement SICTV is organized to provide public access service to the residents of the franchise area (Staten Island) on a non-discriminatory, first-come, first-served basis.

SICTV’s facility includes two studios, five editing suites and a portable camera division.

SICTV provides comprehensive television production training for eligible community members. Eligible members are defined as Staten Island residents or individuals affiliated with Staten Island-based not-for-profit organizations. Volunteers, who assume all responsibility for materials submitted for cablecast, produce programming from start to finish.

Access to channel space is on a first-come, first-served basis. Equipment and channel usage is free of charge to eligible community members.

SICTV also offers a FREE electronic video-gram messaging service for community use.

We're Sorry If You Missed It. Thanks to Our Sponsors and Donors

2010-06-24T11:22:00.000-04:00

Executive Director Dom Brancato with Board members Maryann Lauria and Verna Lauria (no relation!)

The rain came down in buckets of cats and dogs, but those who turned out for our Celebration of Partnerships fundraising auction had a wonderful time and some wonderful bargains. We want to thank everyone who sponsored the evening and those who contributed work and auction items. When you see them, please give them another pat on the back for us.

Auction 2010 Sponsors

Gold           N. Cheng & Co.
Gold           Richmond County Savings Foundation
Silver           Allen C. Bentson Agency
Silver           NetConnect
Bronze       Dominick Brancato & Candace Gonzalez
Bronze       Potter & LaMarca
Bronze       Victory State Bank

Auction 2010 Food Donors
Chef Rob Burmeister at the Black Dog Grill
Cargo Café
Celebrate at Snug Harbor
Karl’s Klipper
Killmeyer’s Old Bavaria Inn
Pastosa Ravioli
Sushi Excellent
Staten Island Winery

Auction 2010 Live Auction Donors

1) Vino at its Perfection:

Bottle of 2004 Cuvée Elizabeth Pinot Noir – ‘96 - ‘98 donated by Cecilia Brancato

2) Politically Correct!

Lunch with Congressman Michael McMahon in Washington, D.C. and a tour by him of the Capital Building donated by Congressman Michael McMahon
Overnight stay at the Capitol Hill Suites in Washington, D.C. donated by Capitol Hill Suites
$100 Gift Certificate (Coin) and Poster to Clyde’s Restaurant in Washington, D.C. donated by Leonard T. Marzigliano

3) Wine, Cheese and more! Basket

Certificate entitling two people to attend Cheese & Wine Pairing class at Artisanal Premium Cheese (APC) center, NYC, taught by renowned cheese & wine expert Max McCalman.
Autographed copy of The Cheese Plate, by Max McCalman, the definitive book for cheese lovers that lays the groundwork for the appreciation of cheese. Nominated for awards by the James Beard Foundation and by the International Association of Cooking Professionals.
Autographed copy of Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best, by Max McCalman - an expansive reference on the world's finest cheeses and their wine pairings. Winner of the 2006 James Beard Foundation Award.
"Cheese Deck: A Connoisseur's Guide to 50 of the World's Best," written and selected by Max McCalman.
A bottle of Kistler Chardonnay: 2001 Vine Hill Vineyard.

Donated by Cecilia Brancato & Max McCalman

4) Viva Mexico

One week (7 nights) in a studio condo (4 people), traveling to one of 5 resorts in Cancun, Puerta Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas donated by John Minardo

Your generosity makes it possible for us to continue providing kids an opportunity to participate in after school programs and young adults to find their place in the world despite significant cutbacks.

Learning to Manage Conflict

2010-06-18T10:42:00.004-04:00

SISCL AP Donna Nilsen, Myles Williams, Harold Gibson, Cheolieces Shannon, Ervin Gaskin, SISCL Principal Rose Kerr, Jennifer Gutierrez, Nia Salce, Tasheé Fulmore and NYCID Training Institute Manager Regina Shields.

On June 16, the Staten Island School of Civic Leadership (SISCL) completed the New York Center for Interpersonal Development’s Peace Power workshop series. Over the course of the spring semester, NYCID’s Training Institute lead 8 first grade and 10 sixth grade students in 8 weeks of after-school sessions focusing on conflict resolution, positive communication and anger management concepts and techniques.

The lessons learned in these workshops concentrated on understanding the nature of conflict and the personal feelings and reactions that we all experience in a conflict situation. A guiding principle of Peace Power is that once an individual has greater self awareness, is able to grasp the positive outcomes that may arise from a dispute and becomes skilled in constructive communication techniques, they can empower themselves to make more productive choices towards resolving conflict in a mutually beneficial manner.

After the first 8 weeks of the program were completed in late April, 7 of the sixth grade students elected to continue on for another 6 weeks of intensive training to become peer mediators. SISCL hopes to launch a full school-based Peer Mediation program in the fall.

The approaches and principles emphasized by the Peace Power and Peer Mediation programs fit in well with SISCL’s mission to develop student leaders who are invested in the public good and the success of the community as a whole. A ceremony celebrating the students’ achievements was held on the last day of group, with students stating that they were eager to come back in the fall and participate in their school’s mediation and civic leadership program.

Sixth Graders vs. the Teachers

2010-06-07T16:58:00.000-04:00

The NYCID After School 6th grade basketball team at the Staten Island School for Civic Leadership has been practicing every Friday since February. Last Friday, they played the teachers while parents and other students cheered them on!

By the way the students won. Of course!

Summer Camp - Here We Come!

2010-04-19T08:54:00.001-04:00

Know that your child is having fun in a summer program designed to be safe and nurturing. One staff person to every ten children; fully air-conditioned, state-of-the art location, incorporating programming built on The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey.

For incoming grades K-5:
6-weeks, July 6-August 13
Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm
Increments of two weeks, $250/session

Extended Day Available: 2:30 - 5:30 pm
2 weeks - $100; 4 weeks - $200; 6-weeks -$300

For incoming grades 6-8:
Sports Camp
6-weeks, July 6-August 13
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - noon
Increments of two weeks, $150/session

Attend NYCID summer camp at the new Staten Island School of Civic Leadership (PS 861), located at 280 Regis Drive, Staten Island, NY 10314.

For more information on rates and registration, call (718) 947-4148 or email summercamp@nycid.org.

State seeks to cut $$ for GED testing | - SILive.com

2010-03-22T12:14:00.000-04:00

The NY Center's ACE program partners with the College of Staten Island helping out of school youth complete their GED and prepare for the world of work. Budget cuts are taking their toll on this program.

Reprinted from the SI Advance. Photo of Cristine Quinn, from AP

State seeks to cut $$ for GED testing | - SILive.com: "From the Print Edition »
State seeks to cut $$ for GED testing
By Amy Padnani
March 22, 2010, 2:12AM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- State officials have proposed a drastic cut in funding for GED testing, making it difficult for Staten Islanders to gain access to an already beleaguered system.

The proposal comes weeks after City Council Speaker Christine Quinn vowed to help thousands more people across the city realize the benefits of a GED, a certification of high school-level academic skills, through a three-tiered outreach plan.

'It's a pretty devastating cut for not a lot of savings,' said Council Speaker Christine Quinn. 'And it will have a tremendous impact on people's ability to take the tests.'
According to officials, the state Board of Regents proposed a $1.5 million, or 38 percent, reduction in funding, to $2.4 million from $3.9 million, to help close the state's $9 billion budget deficit. The money is typically used to reimburse testing centers for the cost of renting classrooms, hiring proctors and other administrative tasks.

'It's a pretty devastating cut for not a lot of savings,' Ms. Quinn said. 'And it will have a tremendous impact on people's ability to take the tests.'

NO OTHER PLACE

A spokesman from the state Education Department said there was no other place to trim their budget.

'There aren't any other measures that we can take at this time,' said Jonathan Burman, the spokesman. 'Terminating the contracts is painful for all, but we thoroughly vetted all alternatives and this was our only option.'

Last year, 55,796 people across the state took the GED, 2,317 of them from Staten Island, according to Burman. Of those, 48 percent passed.

Though it costs centers $20 to process each exam, there is no charge to people who want to take it. That means people repeatedly taking the test without studying for it, contended Donna Grant, director of the adult learning center at the College of Staten Island, which issues 97 GED exams per year and has a waiting list of 150 applicants. People are only allowed to take the tests three times per year.

Many times, Ms. Grant said, people will take a practice test and find that they're at a third- or fourth-grade reading level. But instead of enrolling in a basic education, they sign up to take the test and fail.

'People are taking the test who are not prepared to take the test,' Ms. Grant said. 'I think the state feels, in the financial straits they are in right now, to continue to pay $20 per test, particularly for people who are going to take the test over and over and over again who are not in a prep program, that it's sort of ridiculous. I see the state's side, I really do. But there are states that charge a fee of test candidates so they wouldn't be so quick to take the test again every time they fail.'

Ms. Grant said rather than cutting funding, there should be a push to get people into prep programs. Without that, testing centers are liable to offer fewer tests, making it harder for people -- dedicated or not -- to find a way to take them.

It's already difficult for borough residents to find a place to take the exam, said Prince Cobbina, a personal advocate with the Achievement in Career and Education program, a GED prep program based at CSI.

'We have to outsource students to Brooklyn and Manhattan,' he said. 'It's going to make it hard for us. It takes so much motivation just for them to come to classes, then we have to send them across the water to take the GED.'"

Mediating Landlord/Tenant Disputes

2010-03-10T16:15:00.001-05:00

Your opportunity to learn about mediation and housing

David Ramsey, Associate Mediation Manager at the NY Center for Interpersonal Development will present a program open to the public for the Staten Island Housing Court Task Force.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

5:00 -7:00 pm

David's presentation will include:

How to use mediation to resolve landlord/tenant disputes outside of Housing Court
Choices you have during mediation, in and out of court
Other types of disputes mediation can resolve
More...including all your questions

Location: Seamen's Society for Children & Families

50 Bay Street, Staten Island, NY 10301

RSVP Mahkeddah

Successful Internships #3: WineLife

2010-03-03T10:43:00.001-05:00

This is the third in a series of three posts exploring what makes an internship successful for both the intern and the employer.

Veronique Fitzgerald is the proprietor of WineLife, a new shop, not yet open, that is dedicated to all things wine in the heart of Stapleton. While Ms. Fitzgerald has been steadily working towards a grand opening of her boutique wine shop, there was a lot of work yet to do and she was in need of some assistance. When she heard about the ACE internship program through another of our worksites she gave us a call. After a lengthy interview with her, one of our interns, Yamil Gonzalez, was placed at her shop.

Ms. Fitzgerald explained that the experience has opened her eyes to the fact that there are so many young people in the community that are looking for work and more than that, good experiences. “Having an intern has made me a more responsible employer. I have not always been very good at scheduling but having someone who I am responsible for has had an impact on me. I have to be on time. I have only had myself to respond to previously but now I am being proactive, scheduling and looking ahead.”

“The more he learned the more initiative he had. He would then take ownership of different tasks without my having to follow up which helped tremendously as my business continued to come together. I have been very fortunate to have him as my intern, he thinks on his feet and it has been a good match. We talk throughout the day and I encourage him to further his education and think about what his future will bring. But he has taught me some things as well. He knows Photoshop much more than I do and he has helped me with my on line notices for events at the shop. He’s really a wonderful young person and we are not just coworkers we have become friends.”

The internship program has been a great success for me. It has provided me with an opportunity to test drive the person, to see if they are right for my shop and in Yamil’s case it is. When Yamil is done with his internship I plan to hire him.”

Yamil Gonzalez

Yamil is a 19 year old graduate of Port Richmond High School. He was referred to us by the guidance office at Port Richmond as someone who could use assistance in moving forward with his career.

“When I came to the shop for the interview I was really nervous because I didn’t know what I was getting into. The first day of work was a little scary because I still didn’t know what to expect but I quickly got comfortable and saw that I could take on more. I felt myself growing and maturing as time went on. I learned a lot about business, all the aspects, all the planning to open a shop. It is a lot of hard work.”

I am grateful for the opportunity the internship has provided me. I have learned how to schedule myself in all parts of my life like making sure I get to bed early enough to get up for work. I’ve also learned how to budget my money, pay bills and have money for myself.”

“Ms. Fitzgerald has been a great mentor to me. She has opened my eyes to the other side of food and drink. You don’t think about it much when you sit in a restaurant you just want to eat but being on the other side is a different story. I’ve learned so much about wine, how its made, the different regions and also a lot about how different cheeses go with different wines.”

“She has been very supportive of my choice to go to culinary school and when I go she will adjust my schedule to fit in with school. The most valuable lesson she has taught me is how to be responsible, how to carry myself as a mature adult. It is a great place to work.”

Successful Internships #2: Allstate Insurance

2010-03-03T10:16:00.000-05:00

This is the second in a series of three posts exploring what makes an internship successful for both the intern and the employer.

Dierdre Catalano and Jordan Baskerville

From Dierdre Catalano at Allstate Insurance in Westerliegh.

I have worked with James Orlando and the YABC program for almost 5 years now. I have employed numerous interns from various demographic and educational backgrounds. I, along with my colleagues, believe in the mission of the Learning to Work program, and consider it a privilege to have participated for such a long time.

Students perform various tasks such as customer service, filing, faxing, etc. Some have come to us with little to no work experience and needed some guidance to be successful. We have had students express serious interest in the insurance field, so I provide with them necessary steps to an insurance sales career.

I feel that our work environment has allowed for interns to achieve success as interns, but also in their academic careers. We look forward to continuing a relationship with NYCID and the Learning to Work program.

From Jordan Baskerville, current student intern at Allstate

I have been working at Allstate since September 2009, when I first came to the YABC. I love working there. Dierdre and everyone else who works there have been really nice and taught me a lot. I have learned about insurance and clerical work. I may want to go to insurance school, and this internship has given me incentive to graduate and go to college.

Everyone at YABC has helped me more than I have ever experienced at school, and I appreciate all of their help.

Successful Internships #1: Game Stop

2010-03-03T10:02:00.001-05:00

This is the first in a series of three posts exploring what makes an internship successful for both the intern and the employer.

Terrell Wyatt, Game Stop

    When I first met and interviewed with Ronald and Steven, as with all of the interns I’ve interviewed, both appeared to be students who realized the value of the internship program and held themselves accountable for the mistakes they have made which cause them both to be placed in Olympus Academy.

    While interviewing Ronald, I had asked him, “What happened in his previous school that caused him to be placed in Olympus, and what did you learn? Ronald replied, “I was cutting class and too busy worrying about hanging out with my friends and I didn’t care. I learned that friends aren’t really what I thought they were, and school is way more important. If I could do it again, I wouldn’t have cut class and hung out; I would’ve stayed in school and did my work…”

During the interview, Ronald seemed to be humbled by my questioning, because (as he would tell me in a future discussion) he didn’t expect me to ask him questions about his behavior nor his academics, he thought that I was merely going to ask him about video games. For a young man his age, Ronald showed a maturity that was quite “refreshing”. His poise led me to believe that he was heading in the direction of taking hold of his life and not becoming distracted or detoured from not only his academics but his long-term goals.

    Throughout his internship, Ronald has always displayed a drive and desire to learn, that was unprecedented. I’ve worked with other organizations, with previous companies, that had an internship program, yet Ronald was an intern that constantly motivated himself. What also makes Ronald stand out from my other interns, is his consistency to want to learn more and take on more responsibility. From the day I brought him aboard, Ronald has always expressed the desire to want more from me and my management team, way before he even thought he would be brought aboard as an actual team member. In addition, Ronald was never “shy”, his personality, in many ways, reminds me of my own. He’s smart, witty, knows how to convey himself without being disrespectful, knows how to humble himself when necessary (when dealing with a disgruntled customer), and he’s a quick learner. I even ask Ronald about the strengths and challenges of my other staff members, and he’s currently trained two other interns. He’s definitely, a very valuable member of my staff, and Ronald will be trained to possibly become one of my key holders.

    Steven was a little more challenging. While interviewing him [Steven], I had asked him why did he tattoo his name on his hand? He said, he didn’t really know, but he thought it was “cool” at the time. As with Ronald, I had asked him, what did he do to end up in Olympus Academy, and his reply was quite similar to Ronald’s. Unlike with Ronald, I asked him, why should I hire you? He said, “You should hire me because I’m gonna do my work to the best of my ability and I won’t mess up.” Steven and I continued to speak and he revealed that he wanted to go to medical school. We conversed about the academic requirements along with the amount of determination needed to achieve his goal, and he said he was ready. Although the content of Steven’s answers were somewhat “robotic”, Steven seemed like a young man who needed a shot at redemption from his previous antics.

    In the beginning, Steven didn’t appear to be as focused. He seemed as if he was just there to make a few extra dollars and didn’t really care about the internship. He never did anything wrong per say, he did whatever was asked of him, but because he is a more reserved individual, I wasn’t too sure if Steven was going to make it to the end of the program. In fact, he was almost terminated from the internship because of his tardiness. After I spoke with him, he quickly began to change. He started coming in on time, and being more engaging in discussions about product and what it is that I expected from my interns and the rest of my staff. It wasn’t before long, that I offered him a more stable position, with GameStop.

    Since he’s been aboard as an active team member, and not just an intern, Steven has become a very good and reliable employee. He’s become self-motivated and now he’s helping train an intern as well. Now that Steven has, “come out of his shell”, he’s proven to be a young man who wants to be a part of GameStop and possibly take his position to the next level. He’s has remained consistent with his performance and his eagerness to learn new aspects of the business.

    I initially didn’t know what to expect going into this internship program with Olympus Academy. I’ve worked with interns before but I never worked with interns so young. Partnering with this program allowed me the opportunity to lend a “brotherly” helping hand to students who may not have been able to get employment with GameStop, any other way due to the common stigmas attached to teenagers who are, or were, heading down the “wrong path” and retail (the possible lack of maturity, and the challenges of balancing school work with employment). Several of my peers were initially apprehensive about bringing interns into their stores due to the previously stated factors, coupled with possible theft issues. I immediately accepted this challenge because I always welcome new challenges, especially ones that help our young man, seems there aren’t enough programs tailored males who are seeking a change but aren’t sure of the right approach or what direction to take.

    I certainly am appreciative that Ms. Green asked for my services. I’m enjoying the program so much, that I’ve personally partnered with one of my good friends, and together we are developing our own program that will “coach” our young men who may have made a mistake in their short lives, or who are headed in that direction.... I am currently developing the job development portion of the program, which will offer resume writing, and helping students convey themselves articulately on paper and during interviews.

From: Ronald Phillip

What I like about my internship?

1.   The things I’ve liked about my internship was that they taught me things I’ve never learned before. Also, they treat me like a real worker which I am now. The other thing is that working helped me out by being more relaxed with customers. Without the internship I wouldn’t have a job as of right now. So I am glad there is a program in our school for us that we could better ourselves.

2.   What did I learn from my internship?

I learned how to have better conversations with people and how to deal with people with attitude. Also, I learned that you have to dress presentable so you can make your job a success. Last is when you’re working in retail you gotta know how to talk.

How will my internship help me in the future?

3.   I think the internship helped me in the future because it got me a job, made me learn new things about working experience. Without this internship I wouldn’t know what to do.

But I do want to thank Ms. Cynthia Green for providing this well thought out program to me because this program is a success. I never wanted to work or go to school until I heard of Olympus Academy and the internship program. So I, Ronald Phillip, just wanted to say thank you to Ms. Green and the program for helping me be someone in life.

From: Steven Pierre

What I like about my internship?

1.   What I like about the internship is that the people make me feel comfortable and make me learn what hard work is that what I liked about the internship.

What did I learn from my internship?

2.   I learned the meaning of dedication and hard work and how to present myself at work. I learned how to keep my personal life from my work like.
How will my internship help me in the future?

3.   It helps me in the future by teaching me how to keep my job and shows me how to present myself at work.

Class helps co-parents deal with their issues | SILive.com

2010-03-02T15:47:00.000-05:00

Last week our ACT class received some nice press in the SI Advance.

Class helps co-parents deal with their issues | SILive.com: "Class helps co-parents deal with their issues
By Elise G. McIntosh
February 25, 2010, 4:03PM

Feuding with your co-parent? The New York Center for Interpersonal Development has just the class for you.

Parent A.C.T. (Assisting Children through Transition), the Staten Island component of the state-run Parent Education and Awareness Program, is designed to educate divorcing or separating parents about the impact of their breakup on their children.

The primary goal of the program is to teach parents ways they can reduce the stress of family changes and protect their children from the negative effects of ongoing parental conflict.

'The main themes of the program are to help parents reduce conflict through better communication and conflict-resolution skills and gain more awareness on how putting children in the middle can negatively affect them,' said Regina Shields, coordinator of the class.

The workshop is offered either as a six-hour class on Saturdays or two three-hour classes during weekday evenings.

Ms. Shields also said the class can help parents acknowledge all the negative emotions they are feeling after a drawn-out divorce process.

'Next to death, this is the most traumatic experience a family can go through,' she said, noting parents may be so focused on their own feelings of frustration, guilt, blame and depression that they forget their kids are suffering just the same. Ms. Shields said this realization is a 'real eye-opener' for co-parents.

Communication also is a big focus of the class. Participants learn about active listening, speaking calmly, 'I' statements – 'all the things that can really help de-escalate the conflict quickly,' she said.

The class also helps participants identify their goals as co-parents.

'Nine out of 10 times people are much happier and come out of the class understanding the situation much better,' said Ms. Shields.

For more information or to enroll in the class, call 718-947-4048. The cost is $100; there is a sliding scale fee."

Image cropped from a photo by Ed Yourdon

Giving the GED a good name

2010-02-19T11:10:00.000-05:00

The Advance featured our ACE program in it's article on GED's today. Jennifer and her staff have lots of success stories so the good press is well deserved.

Giving the GED a good name - Page 2 - SILive.com: "Ms. Saladis said a successful GED program is one that not only teaches the material necessary for the test but encourages students to know they're capable of reaching their goals. The typical student attends the ACE program for three to four months and receives counseling and personalized attention from the professor. ACE also offers counseling for those who are struggling in their personal lives so that they can focus on their coursework.

The staff has accompanied students to pregnancy clinics, offered support to victims of abuse and helped one homeless student find housing.

Ms. Salatis said 78 percent of the students who go through the program either wind up in college or enter the workforce.

'Everyone has a million different reasons for coming here,' she said. 'They're not because they gave up.'"

We agree with Councilwoman Debi Rose, too, when she points out the City's need to invest in keeping kids engaged in school so that they don't drop out. We know she'll work hard to replace the drop-out prevention funding that's been cut.

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

Grant deals an ACE to CSI-allied program - SILive.com

2009-12-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

Grant deals an ACE to CSI-allied program - SILive.com: "Grant deals an ACE to CSI-allied program
Saturday, December 19, 2009
ADVANCE STAFF REPORT
Staten Island Advance

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New York State Department of Labor recently awarded the New York Center for Interpersonal Development a Disconnected Youth Training Award in the amount of $221,000.

The award will allow the center to expand its existing Achievement in Career and Education program.

ACE is a New York City Department of Youth and Community Development program that provides educational and occupational training to out-of-school youths under the Workforce Investment Act.

In collaboration with the Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development at the College of Staten Island, the ACE program affords young people between the ages of 17 and 21 the opportunity to earn their GED and obtain occupational training.

The award will allow ACE to hire a staffer dedicated to helping the students enroll in college, research and apply for college scholarships, and tour colleges and universities.

The award also provides the necessary funding to enroll 25 ACE participants in the nursing assistant program and 10 ACE participants in the hospitality industry training program at the College of Staten Island. The funding also allows for training for the National Work Readiness Credential, the first national standards-based assessment and portable credential for entry-level workers. Services will enhance the opportunities for education and training for NYCID's current population of 60 out-of-school youth.

NYCID is a nonprofit organization founded in 1970 and is based at 130 Stuyvesant Pl., 5th floor, St. George.

For more information on the ACE program, call Jennifer Saladis, program manager, at 718-947-4051."

NYCID Holiday Party and Awards

2009-12-11T17:05:00.000-05:00

New York Center for Interpersonal Development | Photos from the Staten Island Advance - SILive.com: "New York Center for Interpersonal Development
Added by Staten Island Advance on December 11, 2009 at 10:45 AM

Honorees at the New York Center for Interpersonal Development’s annual holiday gathering of friends last night at Temple Israel in Randall Manor, included, from left in the front row, Erik Aleksanyan, Anthony Oliva and Sarah Myrick-Pettersen, and in the back, from left, Meon Krishinanan, Alvin Amezquita, Hugo Kijne, David Frankel, Richard Mohr, Asia Josey, Julia Wisniewski and Dominick Brancato, the executive director of the NYCID. STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE/BILL LYONS

Political genes?

2009-10-16T12:23:00.001-04:00

Other deadlines interfered with my good intention to post on climate change on Blog Action Day yesterday. But, deadline behind me, I've spent some time reading what others posted. It led me to this post on Planetizen.

The post sheds some light on what I've often thought of as people being born with a Republican or Democrat gene. "Egalitarian" and "individualist" may be a better description, though, and linking such disputes to "clusters of values that form competing world views" is more useful than waiting for science to discover the politics gene.

in reference to:

"Some of my acquaintances believe that climate change may end human life (or at least civilization) and that the only way to save humanity is to massively reduce economic growth and consumption. Other acquaintances believe that climate change is, if not an outright hoax, a minor problem—and that even the slightest attempt to regulate emission-creating industries will itself destroy American civilization.
Whole lotta head-shakin’ going on.Most of these people are not scientists (let alone scientists specializing in climate-related science), so I strongly suspect that their opinions come from Al Gore’s movie and Rush Limbaugh’s talk show, rather than from a comprehensive review of the footnote-filled scientific papers addressing climate change. Nevertheless, they are as certain in their opinions as real scientists are. How come?"
- The genesis of the climate change stalemate | Grist (view on Google Sidewiki)

Learning to Work Schools Offer Alternative Routes to Graduation

2009-10-06T14:22:00.005-04:00

CHANCELLOR KLEIN ANNOUNCES MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM “LEARNING TO WORK” SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS SINCE 2005

Program Allows Students Who Have Dropped Out or Fallen Behind to Earn High School Diplomas While Participating in Paid Work Internships

Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein announced in September that 10,629 students have graduated from schools and programs where students participated in Learning to Work, the City’s innovative career development initiative. Learning to Work was launched in September 2005 to help students who are academically behind by at least two years graduate from high school while receiving in-depth job-readiness training, including paid internships. Today, Learning to Work is offered at 25 transfer high schools, 21 Young Adult Borough Centers where evening classes are offered for students who cannot attend school during the day, and 10 GED programs. Of the 10,629 students who have graduated from a Learning to Work school or program, 9,484 received a high school diploma and 1,145 earned a GED. The success of Learning to Work will be discussed in Washington, D.C., at the America’s Promise Alliance national Grad Nation Action Forum on drop-out prevention beginning tomorrow.

“Today we mark a real milestone in celebrating more than ten thousand students who have turned their lives around with the help of Learning to Work schools and programs,” Chancellor Klein said. “When we launched Learning to Work in 2005, traditional forms of outreach and intervention were failing to bring back the many students—predominantly poor and black and Hispanic—who dropped out of City schools every year. Learning to Work makes school more relevant for students who have difficulty in traditional high schools by enhancing academics with paid internships and career counseling. I am thrilled that Learning to Work is recognized today as a national model for helping at-risk students get back on track.”

ACE, Olympus Academy, and Staten Island Young Adult Borough Center

The NY Center operates two Learning to Work programs with the NYC Department of Education. Olympus Academy in Carnarsie and SI YABC in Tottenville currently provide seats for over 200 students. In addition, the Center operate the ACE program which provides job readiness training and GED preparation for out-of-school and out-of-work young people.

Outcomes for over-age and under-credited students—those who are more than two years behind academically—are much more positive for students who participate in Learning to Work programs than for similar students who remain in traditional high schools. Historically, only 19 percent of over-age, under-credited students earned diplomas in traditional high schools. According to the 2007-08 progress reports, the vast majority of transfer schools have more than doubled this rate for over-age, under-credited students, and the highest performing transfer school with Learning to Work achieved a six-year graduation rate of 72 percent. The graduation rate for Young Adult Borough Centers with Learning to Work is 44 percent, which is also an improvement over graduation rates at Young Adult Borough Centers prior to the launch of Learning to Work.

The program is more successful than the system as a whole at re-engaging and graduating poor students, African American and Hispanic students, and male students. In 2008, 45 percent of graduates system-wide were male, compared to 51 percent of graduates from Learning to Work schools and programs. That same year, 87 percent of Learning to Work students were African-American or Hispanic, compared to 71 percent citywide, and 80 percent of students enrolled in Learning to Work schools and programs were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to 72 percent citywide.

Participants in Learning to Work have access to a broad range of paid internships in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, with placements tailored to match their interests and career goals. Students express high levels of satisfaction with the program, with more than 90 percent of students reporting that their internships would help them obtain jobs after graduation. Additionally, many students reported that the overall Learning to Work program supported key career development skills—such as identifying career goals, constructing résumés, and applying for jobs—compared with programs they previously attended.

Expansion of Learning to Work programs has been a priority of this Administration. This year, there are 11,530 seats in Learning to Work transfer schools, Young Adult Borough Centers, and GED programs, up from 4,560 seats in the 2005-06 school year, the first year of the initiative.

Updates from the NY Center Training Institute

2009-09-28T16:40:00.004-04:00

How do we keep busy at the Training Institute? Here are a few of the things we've been up to lately.

On September 1^st & 2^nd, Sequoia Stalder, Director of the CDRC & the Training Institute, trained 15 staff members from Olympus Academy, the transfer high school NYCID operates in collaboration with the DOE, in conflict resolution techniques. Participants gave the training high marks. One advocate counselor stated, “ I feel as though my classroom management skills will be improved with this knowledge”. All staff were very enthusiastic about using these conflict resolution skills back at school with their students.

In July 2009, The Training Institute lead two work readiness workshops with 17 Olympus Academy students, helping them to be successful in their summer jobs by learning new communication, time management and decision making skills.]

Since July 2008, 200 parents have attended the Parent ACT Class – Assisting Children through Transition. This is a 6-hour state mandated class where parents who are going through a divorce or separation learn new skills to manage conflict and support their children through this challenging period. Parents have stated that attending this class has given them hope and a new way to look at their difficult situation. Classes are taught monthly and advance registration is required. Our schedule for the remainder of 2009 is: September 26, October 14 & 21, November 14, December 1 and 8. The 2010 class schedule will be announced shortly.

In June 2009, the Training Institute completed their first school year of working with the Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning High School, training staff and students to conduct and manage a Peer Mediation program. The Training Institute provided over 50 hours of trainings, support sessions and skill-building workshops to 16 students and 6 staff members over the 2008 – 2009 school year. McCown High School is a new school on Staten Island, which opened its doors in August 2008.

In August 2009, the Training Institute Collaborated with Safe Horizon to provide leadership workshops to students in the Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (RAPP) at Truman & Lehman High Schools in the Bronx.

Over the course of the 2008 – 2009 school year, the Training Institute provided the McKee High School staff & students with the following Workshop Series: Peer-To-Peer Public Speaking Program & Peace Power Conflict Resolution Workshops for peer mediators; Peace Power Conflict Resolution Workshops for students in jeopardy of truancy, detention and suspension.

If you are interested in having the NY Center Training Institute customize training for your school or organization, contact Regina Shields.

The News From Olympus

2009-09-28T16:10:00.004-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

Olympus Academy is off to a great start to our second year.

We’re nearly at our enrollment goal of 200 students and will have a full roster of Advocate Counselors by the end of the month.

There is a palpable change in the school culture. Advisory classes have been phenomenal, with record attendance and tremendous excitement about the curriculum.

The Learning to Work program received rave reviews from the businesses we worked with this summer and all of them are signed on for this year. In addition the Brooklyn Public Library has given us access to new job opportunities ranging from tech support to helping younger children with homework.

The NY Center and the NYC Department of Education operate Olympus Academy, a transfer school in Carnarsie, as partners, each bringing their expertise to support young people who can benefit from an alternative to the traditional school structure.

Our "official" school website is still pretty bare, but you can find it here.

The students and staff are enthusiastic about the new year and all the possibilities it holds.

Remembering September 11th

2009-09-11T16:19:00.001-04:00

The morning of 9-11 began as any other workday on the 8:45 ferry into Manhattan, with a newspaper and a bottle of water in hand, I took my usual seat enjoying a beautiful late summer morning. It didn’t take long into the usually very quiet journey across the bay to begin noticing that something wasn’t right.

A number of people had left their seats and were peering out the window towards the city. It wasn’t long before I joined them and saw what everyone was looking at and talking about, a huge fire was in the North World Trade Tower.

As unreal as it all seemed, you could feel the collective confusion, anxiety and fear hanging in the air. Some were listening to the radio and necks were craned to hear about what had occurred. The radio announcer began explaining about a plane hitting the tower. People started spreading the word that it was possibly terrorism.

Around nine, those of us whose heads were in the ferry windows saw a low flying plane coming towards us. We asked, why is it flying so low? We watched as it passed our ferry heading straight towards the Towers. I looked at the person next to me and said, oh no, it can’t be. Within moments we watched in horror as the plane exploded into the South Tower.

The radio announcers were now describing it as terrorism, a nation under attack. We couldn’t imagine it being anything else.

A silence fell upon the boat larger than usual with the exception of the tears and wailing unbridled by the events of the morning. The ferry Captain came on the loudspeaker to say that the boat was being turned around to bring us back to Staten Island. Things were serious and out of control.

Once back on Staten Island, I found my way down Bay Street to the Staten Island AIDS Task Force Offices that overlook the harbor from Bay Street. We watched in shock and dazed by what we were witnessing as the Towers burned and eventually fell. We watched as more and more people got off the ferry and were walking down the street covered in a white dust from head to toe. We watched and watched, not knowing what to say or how to react and knew everyone else felt the same.

I left there and began talking to a couple of guys from New Jersey who thought they could get home more easily from Staten Island. I took them to DeJoy’s Taxi’s where we quickly learned that nothing was available. I brought them to my home, ordered a pizza. believe it or not, and watched the events unfolding on TV. After a time we decided to try and get them home. I drove them onto the SI Expressway and onto the West Shore Expressway. Eventually you could see that the West Shore was a parking lot and somehow I had to get off to try and reach the Outer Bridge Crossing. I put the car in reverse and backed up until I got to the past exit and high tailed it onto the local roads. I was able to reach the Bridge only to discover it was closed coming back into Staten Island.

I got out and asked an officer if he would take the two guys across the bridge. Amazingly, he said he would and off they went.

Later that evening I learned that my best friend’s brother, Carlton, was in the Tower on a floor, we eventually found out, that was hit directly by a plane.

As we all know now, none of our lives have ever been quite the same in a post Towers world. At the time I was working for the Mayor’s Office and in the days following I was afforded access to lower Manhattan around the fallen Towers that others were not. The stench across lower Manhattan and the sheer magnitude of the disaster was hard to comprehend. I wandered around for a week or so bewildered more each time I approached the site. I had to stop.

On this day of reflection and remembrance my friend Gary, his beloved brother Carlton and his family are on my mind. For those of you who have any connections to those who were lost, my heart is with you as well.

In Peace,
Robert

Robert Busan
Director of Community Development

Photo by BL1961

See the Wizard of Oz Wednesday, August 5th

2009-08-03T12:41:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone,
Well, we are rapidly approaching the big day.

Wizard of OZ
Performed by the participants in the NY Center Drama Camp
WEDNESDAY EVENING @ 7 PM,
200 Adelaide Ave. in Oakwood –

TICKETS ARE $10

The cast has been rehearsing, sets have been designed and built; there is excitement is in the air and it is being felt all over Staten Island.

We hope you are planning to attend to see what incredible work is done by our drama teacher, Tracy Rosenberg, and our dance instructor, Lee Tanenbaum. Then, of course, there is the amazing and wonderful work the young people have poured into making the production a reality.

I have attached a few pictures of the production crew preparing the sets. Note the great houses created for the Munchkins. Isn’t it great? It is not to be missed!

Will you be there? I hope so. Robert

Caring for those less fortunate

2009-08-03T12:19:00.002-04:00

HPIM0322
Originally uploaded by R. Wahtera

In the News:

NY 1 and the Staten Island Advance highlighted students in our after school program at Curtis.

Students have been making blankets for children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through Project Linus. Led by two wonderful students, Khaleda Akter and Jillian Christy, they began in January and have made hundreds of blankets for the children. What a wonderful project! The Staten Island Advance was there to take pictures as well so look for that story in the paper.

Pictured here, the NYCID After School participants at Curtis High School recently delivered some of the blankets they made for homeless children to a staff member at Project Hospitality.

Readers' Theater performs monologues

2009-06-09T23:57:00.002-04:00

NY Center's after school program at PS 30 has been in the spotlight. The Readers Theater children, grades 3-5, performed monologues from award winning author and poet, Shel Silverstein's book, Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up.

The Dance Center Spring Performance

2009-06-09T23:49:00.002-04:00

The Dance Center participants, grades 3 to 5, performed several dances of their own choreography, applying the skills they learned. The performance, at the NY Center's after school program at PS 30, was under the direction of NY Center staff person, Dana Guariglia.

Job Openings at the NY Center

2009-05-01T19:04:00.002-04:00

Image by Egan Snow via Flickr

Do you know someone who'd like to work for the NY Center?

Program Associates - part-time positions open working in elementary after school programs. Candidates must have some college and experience with elementary aged children. Salary $8-$10 per hour. Send cover letter/resume to Robert Busan

Administrative Assistant- part-time position open at Olympus Academy in Brooklyn. Candidates must have some college and experience with at-risk high school students. Salary $10-13 per hour. Send cover letter and resume to Erin Neubauer-Keyes.

If you know someone interested in one of these positions, have them email their resume to Candace Gonzalez.

Bring your wallet to the NY Center Auction on June 4th

2009-05-01T17:41:00.006-04:00

Fund Raising Auction and Dinner
for the NY Center for Interpersonal Development

Thursday, June 4, 2009
Temple Israel

Honoring our past board members who led the way in helping us grow:
Larry Beslow
Ralph DeMayo
Diane DiResta
Kathy Feola
Anthony Giacobbe
Elaine Gregorio
Dr. Mohammed Khalid
Bill Orlando
Loulou Saleem

Join us for a wonderful evening with many exciting items for auction, a simple but delicious dinner, and great company -- all to help the NY Center continue to provide Staten Island services that help resolve conflicts, build community, and strengthen relationships.

Event tickets: $25 per person

Links to: Sponsorship :: Journal Ad :: Donate auction items

Contact Mike Baver at 947-4121 for information

The Committee: John Minardo, Board Chair and Honorary Auction Chair
Terry Baver, Colleen Kennedy, Jon DelGiorno, Christine Olivari, Robert Busan, Mike Candella,
Maryann Lauria, Marlene Markoe-Boyd, Dominick Brancato, Candace Gonzalez, Mike Candella, Mike Baver,
Mary Castellana, and Ruth Wahtera

Learning to write

2009-05-01T16:40:00.001-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

From Robert Busan: In celebration of April as National Poetry month our elementary after school programs at PS 13, PS 30, and PS 50, are writing poems about their heritage and diversity. Here are poems by two of the students from PS 13 as a sample of what our children are writing.

Where I come from by Quadir Gatling, 2nd grade

I come from Africa

it’s a wonderful place it feels

like a new heaven.

My Skin

My skin is tan, my skin is tan

it doesn’t matter what are skin

color is. So we are all safe.

My Life

My life is great but some

people make fun of me about

my skin but I just walk

past them.

my friends

are all colors it’s good too

have friends like that because we

learn about each other.

My Family by Zene’ Ezell, 5th grade

My family is from everywhere

all around the globe

even though we’re scattered

New York is our home

from Kingston Jamaica

to California, L.A.

these places aren’t close

but they aren’t far away

half of us are Christians

Jehovah Witnesses too

even though people don’t like us

for each other, we come through

people can be racists

my family doesn’t care

we think & know we’re special

we won’t be afraid of a bear

each family is different

in their own special way

from all the places we come from

New York is our home to stay

Lost Generation

2009-04-08T14:34:00.004-04:00

Have you seen this video, Lost Generation? Over 5million people have. 8600 took the time to give it five stars. 4500 people posted comments. Take a look.

This video by metroamv was created for the AARP U@50 video contest and placed second.

If you would like to see the reverse video political advertisement that inspired this video you can find it here

The Young Adult Borough Center at Tottenville High School

2009-04-01T16:55:00.004-04:00

A partnership between the Department of Education and the New York Center for Interpersonal Development

Earn your High School Diploma in a full -time evening setting
Gain Valuable Work Experience
Individual Counseling
Academic Tutoring
Group Workshop

What is the YABC?
The YABC is a full time high school program designed to serve students ages 17 ½ - 21 who have earned (17) credits. Students must be in their fifth year of High School to be considered. The center welcomes students who are not thriving in a traditional school setting, as well as young people who might have already "dropped out" of high school and have come to realized how important a High School Diploma is in today's world.

The Learning to Work Experience
"Learning to work" is an in-depth job readiness and career exploration component supported by the New York Center of Interpersonal Development. Our students are given the opportunity to explore potential careers by working in a paid internship. The YABC internship can also be used for elective credit. Our goal is to assist our students in zeroing in on the right career! The NYCID Job Developer and Career Counselor are on hand to offer Workshops such as "What do do on an Interview," "Resume Building," and "After You Have the Job Skills."

The Individual Counseling Element
With the help of the New York Center of Interpersonal Development, the YABC is able to provide personalized "one on one" counseling. NYCID counselors, spend time each week with students discussing "real life issues" and are on site to ensure that each student has all the tools he or she needs to succeed both personally and professionally.

The Academic Tutoring Element
The NYCID staffs a team of professional tutors who are on hand to offer FREE "one on one" tutoring for all YABC students. Additionally, SAT/ACT study periods are available.

Group Workshops
The NYCID staff conducts weekly "Real Life" workshops for the YABC students. Each workshop is geared toward ensuring that graduates of the program are aware of the important aspects of adult life. With workshops such as "Stress Management," Money Management," "Family Living," "Conflict Resolution" and many other topics, the NYCID staff is committed to educating and enhancing the perspectives of their students.

How to apply to the YABC

You must be between the age of 17 ½ - 21
You must be enrolled in a NYC High School
You must have a minimum of 17 credits
You must have completed four years of high school

Students who meet this criteria can contact their high school Guidance Counselor and request a referral to the YABC.

Young people who are currently not enrolled in high school must contact the school they were discharged from and re-register before requesting a YABC referral.

The New York Center for Interpersonal Development Staff can be reached at (718)947-4065 or (646) 678-1806.

How to talk with teens about current events

2009-01-29T18:18:00.003-05:00

Image by Slaff via Flickr

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, teacher, or employer, we encourage you to talk with the teens you know about current events.

· BUILD IN TIME TO TALK together about world events frequently. News about war, terrorism, the economy, politics and natural disasters is everywhere. They need a chance to make sense of what they hear. President Kennedy’s father held a daily discussion of current events at the dinner table.

· ASK WHAT THEY’RE HEARING FROM OTHERS – sometimes that’s an easier place to start. Correct inaccurate information, or research issues together on the internet.

· CONNECT THE ISSUES TO PEOPLE THEY KNOW -- Who has lost their job? Who is serving in Iraq? Or, how could this effect people we know? Teens master abstract issues by connecting them to their own lives.

· SHARE YOUR PLAN FOR COPING, if the impact is on you and your family. Have a plan teens can participate in. Whether it’s a plan for how to connect with family in a catastrophe or how the family will cut expenses to deal with the economic changes, teens need a role.

· BE AWARE OF THE IMPACT ADULTS CONVERSATIONS MAY HAVE on teens and children who overhear them. Give them a chance to participate in the discussion then, or in a follow up conversation later.

· EXPLORE THE PROS AND CONS OF MANY POINTS OF VIEW. Learning to think for yourself requires trying ideas on for size and accepting or rejecting them in whole or in part.

· ACT AS A MODEL FOR YOUR CHILDREN. Always show respect for differing views, including theirs. You know you’re being respectful if your teen can have a different point of view without you trying to “win” the conversation as though it were a debate. Acknowledge that in a democracy like the US people can have strong and differing opinions about momentous events.

For more information about how to talk with teens about difficult topics, check out these sites:

Kiplinger.com Talking to Teens About the Financial Crisis

Tips for Parents/Teachers/Emergency Response workers for talking about Traumatic Events – links to a number of articles

Coping with Traumatic Events: Parent Guidelines for Talking with Teenagers about War and Terrorism from SAMHSA’s National Mental Health Information Center

Our Job - Keeping Kids in School

2008-12-11T09:13:00.003-05:00

Thank you, Gates Foundation. Many of the high school students we work with, and their parents, believe that college is out of their reach today. They believe that they just can't afford it or that the sacrifices would be too great. We work hard with them, helping them complete financial aid forms, looking for scholarships, rehearsing alternative scenarios, but it's easy for us to get discouraged, too. So, thanks for paying attention, Gates Foundation. Thanks for the help.

Gates Grants Aim to Help Low-Income Students Finish College - NYTimes.com: "“The people who survive the best have always been and continue to be the ones with postsecondary education,” Dr. Carnevale said, adding that the unemployment rate for people without a college education was generally four times as high as for those with a two- or four-year degree.

Most of the foundation’s money would go not directly to students but to programs intended to help them make it through college.

The Gates Foundation said that doubling the numbers of low-income students who earned a postsecondary degree or vocational degree by age 26 would translate into an increase of about 250,000 graduates each year.

The goal is attainable, said Dr. Carnevale, whose research shows that each year there are 560,000 students who graduate in the top half of their high school class — and have the test scores that show they could succeed in college — but who fail to earn a two- or four-year degree within eight years of graduating."

Reflections on World AIDS Day 2008

2008-11-30T22:28:00.004-05:00

World AIDS Day by stevegarfield via Flickr

Staff at the NY Center for Interpersonal Development are honoring World AIDS Day 2008. Here we share thoughts from two of our staff.

From Robert Busan, Director of Community Development

In 1992 a gentleman Living With AIDS, Carl DeVaughn and I founded an agency for individuals living with HIV/AIDS, their families and loved ones. We named it Project B.U.I. L.D. (Building, Unity, Independence, Love, and Development), a client centered, all volunteer organization that relies on its members for its continued existence.

At the time Staten Island had no safe, confidential and comfortable place for people with HIV/AIDS to gather and so we created a drop-in center to provide recreation, education, advocacy and a congregate meal to all those who chose to come looking for a place where they would feel free of the stigma and discrimination that comes with having HIV disease.

Little did we know that in those early years we would get between 40 and 80 people in attendance every Thursday evening at the First Presbyterian Church in Stapleton. People were hungry for knowledge, relaxation and a good meal. Unfortunately for Carl he would pass away in January of 03 and only got to see a small sampling of what Project BUILD would do. Sixteen years later Project BUILD continues its legacy of care with the numbers who attend a bit smaller but the need clearly prevails.

My sweet daughter Robyn has been participating at Project BUILD since she was but a few weeks old. She is very much a part of the Project BUILD family and you can say she has grown up there. Robyn knows and understands that the people who come to Project BUILD are not always healthy, are in need and we provide them with assistance and a hot meal. If you ask her what we do at Project BUILD she would say “we help people.” Robyn sometimes helps to prepare and serve the meals. She is also in charge of distributing MetroCards to the program members. All in all she is being instilled with the meaning of volunteerism, of giving of oneself to others as its own reward. When I watch her doing her thing at Project BUILD I am so proud of her. She is truly a chip off the old block….Daddy’s little girl.

Each of us in our own way has this inside of us or we wouldn’t be doing the type of work we do everyday. As I reflect about World AIDS Day, I also reflect about how amazing all of you are! I thank all of you for being part of something at NYCID that is bigger than each of us individually. It is incredible to stop and think about how we all make a difference in people’s lives each and every day.

As I did last year, I am asking and imploring all of you to think about the millions of men, women and children across this great world of ours afflicted with HIV/AIDS and anyone you may know personally living with the illness, anyone who has passed on and their surviving families. In opening up your hearts you can help by not forgetting them and standing up against discrimination in any form. Your kindness, love and attention to this issue matters greatly to me.

Thank you for spending a few moments with me as I share my thoughts on this important day. I hope all of you and your families had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday

With sincere gratitude to all of you,

Robert

From Candace Gonzales:

Although I won't be with you on Dec 1st, please know that in my special way I will celebrate the lives of those lost to HIV and AIDS and those that are still suffering. I especially acknowledge those who volunteer to do the wonderful things that you and so many others do everyday and not just on World AIDS Day.

"The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing...not healing, not curing...that is a friend who cares." ~Dutch Christian writer 1932

Candace

Share your thoughts with us in the comments section of this post.

How To Encourage Your Child's Philanthropy

2008-11-26T16:02:00.003-05:00

Image via WikipediaBeth Kanter practices what she preaches. She blogs about how nonprofits can use social media, raising money for causes she cares about using social media, proving to the old-school skeptics that it can be done.

Today, she posted about Kids and Philanthropy: Teaching your child to be charitable. I encourage you to read the whole post and I've reproduced her parenting tips here:

Parenting Tips To Encourage Your Child's Philanthropy

1. Help Them Learn More About Nonprofits: YouthGive is a site that helps young peole and their families easily donate to charities while learning more about the organizations. The organizations listed are profiled by other young people.

2. Let Your Kids Choose: Kayta Andresen from Network for Good has fantastic idea last holiday season, "Give with your kids day" She suggests giving your child or someone else's child $25 to donate to a charity. "You can give them money to spend at Network for Good (which has every charity based in the US) or Global Giving (which has a bunch of international projects). Let them choose how to spend it, either by letting them pick the charity or by designating their donation to a special project. Spend it together online, checking out pictures and project descriptions."

3. Offer a Match: Blogger Marion Conway,whose children are now grown, recommended the book Raising Charitable Children by Carol Wiseman. With her children's fundraising projects, she and her husband offered to match what they raised because they both worked for companies that matching gift programs.

4. Set up a Spend, Give, and Save Allowance Policy: Celeste for the studio 501c3 blog suggests this piggy bank, with separate slots for investing, saving, spending, and donating is a great way to teach kids about devoting a portion of their income to
charity.

5. Encourage Them To Give Their Time: Laura Hecht shared a wonderful story about a class project where students made cards for some elderly residents of a group home. They had to work hard to spare the time for the effort, but when the residents wrote moving letters of thanks, the kids felt great. As Laura notes, "This prompted a sincere discussion about giving the most valuable thing we possess - ourselves."

How do you teach your kids about philanthropy?

By the way, if you or your kids would like to support the NY Center's work building relationships and strengthening community, you can use the donate button on the top of the right column. If you choose one of the other methods mentioned, you'll find the NY Center under our legal name - YPIS of Staten Island.

Enjoy Our Celebrate Diversity 2008 Slideshow

2008-11-12T18:30:00.004-05:00

These pictures were taken Nov. 9th, 2008 at Celebrate Diversity 2008! The Russian, Egyptian, Sierra Leone, Native American, and Chinese neighbors shared their culture with us through music, dance, food, stories, and games.

Thanks, Robert Busan, for the pictures.

If you have some to share, let us know.

All points around the globe meet to Celebrate Diversity

2008-11-10T15:15:00.001-05:00

From the Staten Island Advance:

Annual event at Wagner College highlights Egypt, Sierra Leone, China, Russia and Native America

Monday, November 10, 2008

By DEBORAH YOUNG

ADVANCE STAFF WRITER

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Women draped in the warm-toned fabrics and regal headdresses of Sierra Leone; blonde tutu-clad Russian dancers; Chinese puppeteers and Native American drummers were among more than 2,000 Staten Islanders from points across the globe who reveled in their roots yesterday at the Wagner College gym.

The seventh annual Celebrate Diversity day at the Grymes Hill college encouraged young and old to learn from each other, share with each other and enjoy each other, with traditional performances and foods, art projects for children, and plenty of time to mingle under the backdrop of posters with such inspirational messages as: "In acceptance there is peace!" and "Share our similarities, celebrate our differences!"

"This is our culminating event, but it's the journey we do to get here where the magic lies," said Mike Baver of the Mosaic Coalition, which organized the event along with the New York Center for Interpersonal Development and Wagner College.

Planned and discussed during the Mosaic Coalition's monthly pot-luck gatherings, the day each year has highlighted different communities in this immigrant-rich borough. This year brought the cultures of China, Egypt, Russia, Sierra Leone and Native America to center stage.

The energy in the room was especially powerful in light of last week's ascent of President-elect Barack Obama, who, by virtue of who he is and what he achieved, brought the topic of diversity forefront in the national, and international conversation.

"Certainly, diversity is at the tip of everybody's tongue. Not just because of the political atmosphere, it's the global atmosphere. It's important for us to celebrate," said Baver. "Nobody is going to come here and not interact with somebody from another country."

Children received passport booklets to take with them from country table to table, while storytellers and puppeteers made traditional tales come alive.

"It's nice to see all the cultures here," said Lana Berenson, of Oakwood, whose 8-year-old son busily twisted a pipe cleaner to make the legs of a crafts spider, representing of the Ananasi the Spider, a legend of Sierra Leone.

At a nearby table in the children's room, other youngsters fashioned boats out of paper, to represent the ships which transported slaves across the Atlantic.

"They have been curious about it and learned, and that is what we hoped," said Pamela Williams of the Sierra Lenonen Association.

On the stage in the gym, the culture of each region took shape: the elegant precision of Russian dancers, feather-bedecked Native American dancers who moved to a thunderous, rumbling drum and an Egyptian belly dancer in spangles and gold fabric, who moved her arms to evoke the wings of a butterfly, alongside other performances.

Community leaders Chuan Teng, Dr. Samy Rizk, Christine Moore and the Red Storm Drum and Dance Troupe were honored this year for their contributions in educating others about their cultures.

Deborah Young is a news reporter for the Advance. She may be reached at young@siadvance.com.

Councilman McMahon names Dominick Brancato among Italian-American Honorees

2008-10-28T11:19:00.000-04:00

Councilman Michael McMahon celebrates the Staten Island Italian-American community each year by honoring six Italian Americans who make a significant contribution to the Island. Tonight, October 28th, our own Executive Director Dominick Brancato is one of the honorees.

Congratulations, Dominick. We know first hand how committed you are to the life and vitality of Staten Island. Thank you for your vision, your patient persistence, and your ever present optimism.

And congratulations to all the others who were honored with you.

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY 2008! Nov. 9th

2008-10-23T16:32:00.006-04:00

New York Center, Wagner College and the Mosaic Coalition Partner to Celebrate the Richness of SI’s Diversity through This CultureFest

Celebrate the Cultures of China, Russia, Sierra Leone, Egypt and Native Americans

Grab your children and travel the world with them without ever having to leave Staten Island!

Attend Celebrate Diversity 2008!

Wagner College Gym
Sunday afternoon, 2-6 pm
November 9, 2008

Looking for an opportunity for your family to experience other cultures and all the wonderful things about them? Stop by November 9th from 2 to 6 p.m. and join the Mosaic Coalition, the New York Center for Interpersonal Development (New York Center), and Wagner College in the Wagner College gym to Celebrate Diversity.

What is Celebrate Diversity 2008!
An annual event, this free, fun-filled family celebration is designed to help strengthen respect and understanding among the different cultures that call Staten Island their home. This year’s Celebrate Diversity event will highlight the cultures of China, Russia, Sierra Leone, Egypt and Native American neighbors.

Children and their families will be able to travel from country to country by visiting their “marketplace” area with a “passport”. After learning a few facts about these five cultures, their passports will be “officially” stamped and they will receive a free t-shirt. There will also be a diversity-themed puppet show for the younger attendees.

In addition to sampling foods from these countries, you and your family will be entertained with music and dance performances from these cultures. An awards ceremony for students who entered essay and banner contests focusing on their cultural roots will also be held during the day.

Honor These Community Leaders
In addition to honoring several cultures at this event, individuals from each of these cultures will be honored to acknowledge the important contributions they have made to our community. Each culture chose its own honoree.

The honorees are: Mr. Chuan Teng (China), Arkadiy Fridman (Russia), Ahmed D. Kargbo (Sierra Leone), the Red Storm Drum & Dance Troupe (Native Americans), and Dr. Samy F. Rizk (Egypt) and Christine Moore (Egypt).

Mr. Chuan Teng (of Huguenot) is a much-collected master calligrapher and retired economist who has devoted much of his retirement to serving the Chinese community on Staten Island. Born in China in 1934, he grew up in the north of Guangtung and lived in Taiwan before moving to the United States in 1961. He and his family have lived on Staten Island for more than 35 years.

Chuan learned the basic elements of Chinese calligraphy when he was six years old from his father who was a poet and master calligrapher. Chuan won many prizes in calligraphy throughout his school years.

After undergraduate school in Taiwan, he earned a master’s degree in Economics from Ohio University and worked as a financial system analyst serving companies such as Young and Rubicam and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Throughout his career he practiced calligraphy an hour or two every night. His works are now collected and displayed in many homes in the local Chinese community. He has passed along his love of the art by teaching classes at the Staten Island Chinese School ( located at IS 73) and at the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden in Snug Harbor.

No stranger to politics, Mr. Teng served as the president of the Chinese American Voter’s Association of Staten Island in 1987. He co-founded the Asian America Coalition of Staten Island, a political action group.

Mr. Teng has been married to his wife Charlene for 38 years and has a son, Michael, who works as news producer at CBS in Manhattan; a daughter, Michelle, who teaches PS 22 on Staten Island, and a grandson, Alexander, 10, and granddaughter, Lily, 5.

Arkadiy Fridman (of Dongan Hills) is president of the Staten Island Community Center. He was born in the Soviet Union in 1957. He attended the Hi-Military Academy and served in executive positions in the army until 1990. In 1991, he left the army and opened one of the first private companies in the former Soviet Union.

In 1993, he immigrated to the United States. After working in retail he decided to gather the people and resources to open a community center to serve Staten Islanders. In 2004, the beautiful building he worked so hard to build opened as a not-for-profit organization focusing on cultural, educational, and social improvements for Staten Island and the greater New York Community.

This year the NY State Assembly awarded the Staten Island Community Center, a non-profit organization under Russian-American leadership, a $4M grant for the expansion of its services.

Red Storm Drum & Dance Troupe was founded in 2002 as a Native American education performance group. The core members are: Founding member and Drum Keeper Robert Boldeagle, founding member and organizer Margie Boldeagle, and secretary and web master Ivette Alequin. Performing members are Robin Rivera, Red Thunder, Allie Bowman, and SunWolf. The members are from many different Native American cultures.

TheRed Storm Drum & Dance Troupe brings the beauty and understanding of the Native American culture to the public through drumming, dancing, music, story telling and sharing the history of Native Americans.

Red Storm Drum & Dance Troupe believes that through participation comes a greater understanding of the culture. Thus their performances always involve the audience in a gathering dance or by playing a part in their stories.

The Troupe has performed in many schools, public venues, and pow-wows in and out of New York State. They also host pow-wows open to the public here on Staten Island.

Ahmed D. Kargbo (of Mariners Harbor) is the current President of United States-Sierra Leonean Association (USSLA) Inc., in Staten Island. Under his leadership, this new organization is registered and incorporated, and in the process of securing it’s 501 (c) 3 status. He is also an executive board member of the Black Heritage Festival and led his organization in the first Annual Black Heritage Festival in 2007.

Mr. Kargbo was born in the West African country of Sierra Leone. He is the fourth of six siblings (four boys and two girls), and grew up in the midst of many cousins and nephews. He was born in a Muslim family and has maintained his religious practices.

Since childhood, Ahmed wanted to serve in the uniformed services. In the late 1980’s, he joined one of his older sisters in Germany. After seeing the United States Armed Forces stationed there his desire for the uniform grew even stronger.

In the early 90’s, Ahmed came to the United States and settled in Alexandria VA. In January of 1996, he enlisted in the US Marines where he served for eight years until his medical discharge in 2004.

Mr. Kargbo works as a Licensed Practical Nurse and has now earned a two year degree in Information Technology (IT). He is currently enrolled in an IT program at City Technical College in Brooklyn.

Mr. Kargbo has been working closely with other Island leaders to foster stronger community relationships. He balances that by reminding his team about the work they need to do for their less fortunate countrymen in Sierra Leone.

Dr. Samy F. Rizk (of Morris Plains, NJ) serves as a model for many young Egyptian youth. He has a medical degree from Ain Shams University Medical College and has worked as an anesthesiologist in Egypt, England, and several institutions in the United States including the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center.

Dr. Rizk has many achievements and awards including receiving the North London Group of Anesthetists’ Steri-seal prize in 1975 and publishing medical work\discoveries in his field.

Christine Moore (of Manhattan) is a soprano opera singer. She has performed in operas and concerts throughout the United States and Europe including playing Mimi in La Boheme with the Leipzig Opera and Madama Butterfly with the Central City Opera. Christine is a faculty member at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music where she teaches voice, vocal performance and opera workshop.

Born and raised in Sacramento, California she is the daughter of an Egyptian mother from Cairo and an American father. She spends a great deal of her time working in the Arab- American community in New York City serving as board secretary of the Arab- American Family Support Center and a board member of the New York Chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination committee.

Join the Mosaic Coalition
“Celebrate Diversity” is part of the Mosaic Coalition, a coalition of Staten Island community organizations that have come together to increase respect and understanding among the diverse groups that populate our Island through dialogue, study, reflection and play. The Mosaic Coalition kicked off in 2002 with a community forum and several study circles. The Celebrate Diversity event grew out of a request from the study circle participants to offer a broad group of Staten Islanders the opportunity to participate. The Mosaic Coalition has therefore been very active in mobilizing diverse groups of people to work together in planning this event.

The New York Center for Interpersonal Development (NYCID) provides youth, community, and professional development programs, and dispute resolution services that educate and inform about constructive problem solving, effective communication, violence prevention, and intercultural awareness. It also operates a training institute to teach these skills to others. NYCID also administers the Community Dispute Resolution Center Program providing mediation and arbitration services in many of our local courts. This program is a court-approved alternative to criminal prosecution, civil litigation, and other traditional avenues for resolving conflict.

For further information on this event, please contact Mike Baver at 718-947-4121, Mosaic Coalition Coordinator for the New York Center for Interpersonal Development.