CHICAGO LAWNDALE AMACHI MENTORING PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 EDITION

Mentoring Lawndale AMACHI People of Faith Mentoring Children of Promise

Program

A Word from Dr. Betty Allen Green, Our Participants, In their Own Words Executive Director

By: Rachael Pillot

LAMP provides active mentoring to our youth throughout the year. We were also blessed to be able to employ many of our youth this summer. They are employed in the Neighborhood Recovery Initiatives Comprehensive Youth Violence Prevention Program, the LISC Program, the SAFE CITIES Program and the CIVIC LEADERSHIP THROUGH SERVICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Program. All of our programs are designed to provide a quality workforce development experience; project-based learning; community engagement and ongoing opportunities for the youth to participate and acquire skills that are invaluable to their future success. Moreover, our youth are able to strengthen their academic, technical and employability skills. This motivates them to succeed in school as they learn the relationship between work and education and are able to contextualize their work in a results-oriented environment. In addition, it helps to keep them focused, out of trouble and earning their own money. This Newsletter is designed to allow you to hear from some of LAMPs youth. Hello, my name is Rachael Pillot. I have been involved with LAMP since I was in elementary school. Being a part of this mentoring program has been one of my most memorable experiences. The entire staff is amazing. Their passion toward helping children is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Most people who are from the hood and make it out always say theyre going to come back to help their community, but they never do. On the other hand, the people at LAMP never really left. They have been helping our community a lot, and this program is the icing on the cake. All of the mentors are spectacular people as well. My mentor is the best! Shes really nice and I feel as if I can talk to her about anything. She is always there when I need someone to talk to. If she cant answer the phone the first time she returns my call as soon as possible. That lets me know that she truly cares about me. I feel like shes the big sister I never had. More children should want to be a part of a spectacular program such as this one. I cant wait until LAMP takes off!

By: Debron Powell (Summer 2013 Editor)

Hello, my name is Debron Powell. I am 19 years old, and I am a student at Illinois State University. I have been involved with LAMP since 2010, but I can honestly say that Dr. Green and other leaders in our community have been present throughout my life as positive role models for my me and my peers. For the past couple of years I have been an employee of the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative (NRI). Working for this program opened my eyes to what programs like LAMP really do for our community. In the midst of all the chaos in our community, LAMP gives my peers and me a place to go to stay out of trouble and learn from people who want to see us grow into more than what we have seen going on in our community so far. Thats why I try my best to stay involved with LAMP, because when no one else cares, at least we know that we have a few people cheering us on.

CHICAGO LAWNDALE AMACHI MENTORING PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 EDITION

By: Clinecea Phillips

Hi, my name is Clinecea Phillips. I attend Schurz High School, and I am 15 years old. I work at the Chicago LAMP office for the summer. Im also a mentee in the program. Ive been in this program for almost a year now. This program has provided me with a By: Tasharra Adams wonderful mentor. My mentor and I do a lot Hi! My name is Tasharra Adams. I am of cool things together, and she helps me twenty years old and I work for the Chicago with my homework sometimes. We even go LAMP Program. I feel that the LAMP has to the zoo and museums. I learned a lot from kept me out of a lot of trouble over the this program. Everyone treats each other like course of the past few years that Ive been family. This really is a great program to be in. with them. Not that Ive ever been a youth I enjoy my time here and I learn something who misbehaves, but this program has kept new every day. I enjoy being around all my me out the streets and from doing bad peers that are in the program with me. things. LAMP has kept me out of trouble by providing me with a job for the past three Get Involved! summers. Being employed by LAMP has helped me work on my communication If you have a passion for helping children, skills, social skills and helped me break out seriously consider getting involved in the of my shy shell. I like the Lawndale Amachi LAMP mission. Mentoring Program because it gives children the opportunity to match up with Encourage your church to partner with us someone who can show them things and to find mentors for children who are places that their parents and families cant impacted by incarceration. show them. I think thats what I love the Mentor a child for at least one hour each most about the program. They want to uplift week for one year and make a difference our youth and community and show us in a childs life. there is more to life outside of the hood.

By: Dashel Bridge

Hey! My name is Dashel Bridge. Im 17 years old, and I work for the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative (NRI). I had an interview with Dr. Green, then I got a call two weeks later. I started my 4 week training at Sinai on May20 2013. Then after the training I was placed at the LAMP Program. In this program we work on gardening, and we are going to garden in two lots that we own. We have one on 16th and Lawndale and we have one on Homan and Harrison. We are going to plant flowers to make our community look better. This job is preventing me from staying on the street and being at home in my bed sleeping. I am very concerned about people throwing trash on the ground as they walk throughout our community. I feel I represent a positive influence for my neighborhood and Im glad Im here, its a great experience.

Did You Know?

Nearly two million children have a parent who is in prison, according to statistics from the Bureau of Justice. Without intervention, 70% of those children will find themselves in their parents position.

Be the vessel of light to illuminate the potential of a child. Please feel free to show support by making a contribution and help make that difference for children of promise. Phone: 773-521-5267 Email: info@chicagolamp.org Address: 3508 W Ogden Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60623

CHICAGO LAWNDALE AMACHI MENTORING PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 EDITION

Students take a break after a service learning session at the North Lawndale African Heritage Garden.

By: Isaiah Hudson

Hello, my name is Isaiah Hudson Im 16 years old and this is my first year at the LAMP. I joined this program to stay out of trouble and to earn some extra money. I found out about this job through a family member. She works at the LAMP. Im very excited to start the community garden project on 16th and Lawndale and on Homan and Harrison. I hope to gain a lot of experience in this program and take full advantage of all it offers.

I was given a mentor through the LAMP Program, which is also where I work. I plan to hang out with my mentor, Ms. Smith, a lot more this summer. Shes been my mentor for almost three years. We visited museums, have been to plays, and have also been to different restaurants. I think it benefits me because it gives me something to do, when Im not working, and keeps me out of trouble. In addition to that my mentor takes me to all the different kinds of restaurants to try different foods.This made me want to open up my own restaurant one day. I think Ms. Smith encourages me to try new foods to give me an idea of how to own and operate a restaurant. She is very supportive. We are building two community gardens this summer through LAMP. We visit a lot of gardens like the Garfield Park Conservatory and the Botanic Garden to learn about gardening. I really never realized all the different flowers that were inside the Conservatory. We even got to taste bananas. They were sweeter and softer then store-bought bananas. We got to see grapes and we got to taste a leaf that taste like a sun flower at the Botanic Garden. I cant wait to see how our gardens turns out.

By: Jessica Pillot

Hello my name is Jessica Pillot. I attend Collins Academy. Im 16yrs old. My site name is Chicago LAMP, the same agency that provides me with a mentor and a job. Ive been in this program for years. The last two years Ive worked with the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative (NRI) trying to make the community look nicer and pass positive messages. The program has helped me manage my time better and has shown me how to dress for success. It also taught me how to create an effective resume and how important it is to know the companies background /history when you go in for an interview. It also helped me get some income to purchase some of the things I need. Lastly it has kept me off the street. We have a final project to complete which is a community garden on 16th and Lawndale. Im looking forward to creating this garden because this will be one step further to creating a better community.

By: Brianne Jordan

Hi, my name is Brianne Jordan. I attend Roosevelt High School. I will be a sophomore this upcoming fall. I will continue to play basketball as a starter playing the center or point guard. This summer I get to work for the first time. I will share the money I earn with my little brothers and sister.

CHICAGO LAWNDALE AMACHI MENTORING PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 EDITION

Also, I learned about gardening and its importance to the environment. This program has brought more purpose to my summer than I expected.

By: Ronald Caldwell By: Briana Caldwell

Hello, my name is Briana Caldwell; I attend CCA High School. Im 17 years old, and I work for the Community Violence Prevention Program (CVPP). I have been a part of the LAMP Mentoring program for 6 years. I started at this program gardening at my grammar school, Herzl. Because of this program I stay out of a lot of trouble. I really appreciate this program because I learned more in regards to life. I learned how to manage my money better, and work with others. I have a good feeling about my Community changing for the better. Hi, my name is Ronald Caldwell. I am 19 years old, and I attend CCA Academy. Being a part of LAMP has really had a good impact on my life. I love being in the program. The people involved in the program are very nice to me. The best part about it is having a mentor who helps me stay on the right path, and stay off the streets. It makes me cry when I see that other communities are succeeding and my people are being locked up and killed everyday around me. LAMP provides me with the opportunity to work every summer, and stay out of trouble; thats why I will continue to stay involved.
The Youth Lend A Helping Hand!

By: Kalyn Edwards

Hello, my name is Kalyn Edwards. I attend North Lawndale College Prep, and this year will be my first year working for the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative (NRI). I heard about this program through Chicago LAMP. I had to go through training for four weeks to get ready for the job. I think if I didnt get called for this job, I would have kept depending on my mother for everything. I like being independent, so this job is good opportunity for me. I work with a group of youth. We have to wear uniforms, which require khaki pants and navy blue shirts with Community Violence Prevention Program (CVPP) labeled on it. We are required to keep the community clean. This is my first year working with NRI. Im 16 years old, and working with NRI has been a pleasure to me. Helping keep my community clean is something Ive always wanted to do. All of the youth are assigned to build a community garden. One is on 16th and Lawndale and one is on Harrison and Homan. Im excited, because Ive never built a garden before. I think it is going to be a great experience. I understand its going to be a long process, but it is worth it to see our community

About Us The Lawndale Amachi Mentoring Program (LAMP) was started in Chicago in 2006 by the principal and some staff members of Theodore Herzl Elementary School, a school where teachers and staff daily live with the anger and emotional turmoil of children whose parents are incarcerated. Former principal, Betty Allen-Green joined with concerned staffers to develop a nonprofit agency to provide needed support for these children. LAMP is collaborating with 13 elementary schools and a high school in the North Lawndale community. LAMP is patterned after the nationally recognized Amachi program, which has provided mentoring to children of incarcerated parents since 2000.

By: Tyre Hardnick

Hello, my name is Tyre Hardnick. I attend North Lawndale College Prep. Im 15 years old, and I work at a gardening program through Chicago LAMP. I would be in the streets and playing basketball all day if I were not with LAMP. I was tired of seeing my community dirty and trashy, so I decided to take a stand and clean up the

look nice.

neighborhood. This program has taught me to work hard and mange my money.

CHICAGO LAWNDALE AMACHI MENTORING PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 EDITION

A Trip to the Conservatory

Mentor, Alfea Gordon, explores the Central Park Conservatory with some of the youth.

Going Back to Our Heritage

Students get ideas for the LAMP gardens by examining climbing plants in the North Lawndale African Heritage Garden.

Mentors Speak
By: Adrienne Johnson

Words from the mentors By: Stanley Robinson

My name is Stanley Robinson, and I am a mentor at Chicago LAMP. I love being a mentor. Growing up I had a teacher that I looked up to, and enjoyed being around. Thats why I build a relationship with my mentees. I want them to relate to me as I related to my teacher as a child. Ive always wanted to give something back to my community, and the children that live here. As a mentor I feel I have the chance to help my mentees share their thoughts and have meaningful conversations with someone they feel they can trust. I have four children of my own, so I know how important it is for a child to have someone to share things with like a laugh, a conversation, or even just a smile. Just knowing there is someone who cares means a lot to a child. It makes me happy to know I help brighten someones day. This is something Ive been doing for three years now, and something I hope to continue doing for as long as I live.

Hi, my name is Adrienne Johnson. I have been aAuthor] case by [Article manager here at LAMP for a little over two years now. This summer, I have the opportunity to manage the Green Corps program awarded to UCAN. This 6- week environmental program teaches the youth about bike safety, and how to build bikes and about horticulture. I love working with young people and seeing them learn new things. These are skills they will be able to use in the future to earn extra money.

CHICAGO LAWNDALE AMACHI MENTORING PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 EDITION

By: Leticia Robinson

IF IT TAKES A VILLAGE.........................

CLEAN VILLAGE DOES IT BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!! OUR CHILDREN DESERVE NO LESS. JOIN THE WAR ON FILTH AND FEAR BY CLEANING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. Sel Dunlap
Hello, my name is Leticia Robinson I'm 26 yrs old. I am very blessed to say I have been an employee at Chicago LAMP for two years. I started off as a recruiter/case manager, but because of my dedication to the LAMP program I am now the lead coordinator for Community Violence Prevention Program (CVPP), and the lead mentor/program manager for the Safe Passages Project. Working for LAMP has really shown me my purpose in life, and that is to help as many children as I can. Working for LAMP has also made me feel like I no longer just have a job, but a career. During these past two years here I've not only had room to grow in my field, but room to grow as a person. It brings me joy to say I am a voluntary mentor to two beautiful young ladies, and I am forever grateful and proud to say I am an employee for Lawndale Amachi Mentoring Program.

CHICAGO LAWNDALE AMACHI MENTORING PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 EDITION

Mentoring Children of Promise

Be the vessel of light to illuminate the potential of a child.

For more info:
Dr. Betty Allen- Green
(Executive Director) 3508 W. Ogden Ave. Chicago, IL 60623-2507 (773)521-9452 (773)521-9468