Charleston Youth Online

Third-grader Tori Gentile loves to bust a move in her bedroom, but she’d never stepped foot inside a dance class or learned a choreographed routine. Tori had the chance to do both on Monday during her spring break at a free arts camp hosted by School of the Arts students. The high school’s Jefferson Service Club organized the three-day event, and it invited students from six North Charleston elementary schools to attend.

About 30 showed up Monday, and Tori was among them. The Hursey Elementary School student couldn’t have been more excited.

“Dancing is like my best friend,” she said as she swayed to the music. “Dancing and I go perfect together. It expresses how I feel.”

School of the Arts senior and vocal major Alex James helped found the school’s Jefferson Service Club three years ago. The club’s more than 30 active members promote volunteerism and develop service projects that can involve the entire school.

They’ve participated in a range of activities, from cleaning beaches to collecting cans for the Lowcountry Food Bank, but this is the first year for the arts camp.

The idea was so innovative that it helped the school beat out five Lowcountry competitors to win Outstanding Service by a High School from the Jefferson Awards-Students In Action program. It’s the club’s second consecutive year to win the regional award.

School of the Arts will represent the state this summer while competing against 12 other high schools for the national title.

“I’m really excited about (the camp),” James said. “I think in years to come, it could get even bigger and better.”

Michelle Gorritti, the club’s advisor and a Spanish teacher, said School of the Arts students came up with the idea for the arts camp while brainstorming activities that could include classmates who aren’t in the club.

School of the Arts is Charleston County’s flagship arts magnet high school, and its students major in different arts areas, such as theater, dance and creative writing.

More than 85 percent of its students don’t come from the North Charleston community that surrounds the school, so the camp was a way to expose nearby students to the arts, she said. The camp also gave School of the Arts students a chance to learn more about their community, she said.

The camp had no budget, so students collected donations and asked their peers to lead sessions. On Monday, School of the Arts student volunteers outnumbered participants.

In the vocal group, Ja’Kayla Snooks sang with gusto while shaking her arms and hips to “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.”

The first-grader said she sings at home — Beyonce’s songs are her favorite — and when her Mom and Dad tell her to stop, she heads to the bathroom to practice some more.

She followed School of the Arts students’ directions and skipped around the room while on a break.

“I’ve learned about passion,” she said. “I thought it was going to be fun, and it is.”

Local Schools Give Back Over $2.5 Million in Service to the Community   

The Jefferson Awards – Students In Action program held its 5^th Annual Spring Celebration of Service on Thursday, March 22^nd.  This event showcased six area high schools that have used the Students In Action program to develop a culture of volunteerism and public service at their respective high schools.  At the event, each participating high school was awarded a leadership banner based on a survey questionnaire that scored students on their implementation of the program’s 7 goals.  In addition, each school gave an oral presentation to a local panel of judges that showcased their philanthropic contribution to the community and their school.  The judges and audience were blown away by the figures the students reported.  Together these students provided over 120,000 hours of community service, which at a federal rate of $21.36, translates to an economic impact of over $2.5 million dollars for the Charleston area!

To conclude the event, the scores from the surveys and oral presentations were combined to determine the Regional Winner for Outstanding Service by a High School.  The Jefferson Awards is proud to announce that this year’s recipient for the 2^nd year in a row is Charleston County School of the Arts.   SOA will represent the State of South Carolina at the National Ceremony and Gala Event in Washington, DC, June 18-20, where they will compete against 12 other high schools for the National Title of Outstanding Service by a High School.  According to SIA Regional Director, Anna Richardson, “Each one of the participating schools is to be applauded for their efforts to increase volunteerism throughout their school and our greater community.  SOA will do an outstanding job of representing our area as they vie for the national title.”

What Is AmeriCorps Week?

Each year during AmeriCorps Week, we recognize the commitment of AmeriCorps members and alums by highlighting the extraordinary impact AmeriCorps makes across our nation every day. This year, AmeriCorps Week will take place from March 10 through March 18, 2012.

AmeriCorps have a triple bottom line return on investment — for the recipients of service, the people who serve, and the larger community and nation. Everyday across the nation AmeriCorps members are tackling America’s toughest problems in:

• Disaster Services
• Economic Opportunity
• Education
• Environmental Stewardship
• Healthy Futures
• Veterans and Military Families

Charleston alone has an estimated 100+ AmeriCorps members that work towards creating a more engaged, happy, healthier tomorrow for all of us!

If your interested in learning more about the AmeriCorps’ program click on the banner above and if you see anyone wearing the AmeriCorps’ logo make sure to show your appreciation to all that they do for our community.

On February 4th, Charleston Youth Serve volunteered at the Low Country Food Bank (LCFB) sorting through over 2,000 pounds of donated food and beverages and checking for contamination and leaks. The LCFB’s mission is “to feed the poor and hungry of the ten coastal counties of South Carolina by soliciting and distributing healthy food and grocery products to nonprofit agencies serving the poor, and to educate the public about the problems of and solutions to domestic hunger.” The Food Bank uses about 25,000 hours of volunteer work each year in order to fulfill its role as both a clearing house and a nutrition education center, and the work ranges from inspecting food to cooking to volunteering with their various childhood hunger initiatives. 

 On Saturday, we inspected and sorted huge boxes that mainly consisted of beverages such as Piggly Wiggly brand sodas, fruit juices, Gatorade, and other forms of sodas. A good time was had by all, and it was a fun way to spend the morning serving our community. The Food Bank reports that 1 in 4 people in the Low Country are food challenged, which means that they are not able to put three full meals on the table without sacrificing from another basic such as home utilities, mortgage, or medicine. The Food Bank uses donated food to provide food for families in need, and it is without a doubt making a huge positive impact on the Low Country and it was great to see all of our hard work pay off!                   Margaret Legerton, Senior at Ashley Hall

The 2012 Do Something Awards are now accepting nominations. Do Something is gearing up for its annual appreciation of young social entrepreneurs, activists, and community leaders who have made a significant social impact in their communities. Those who receive the honor of nominee, finalist or winner are recognized as the premier “do-ers” in their focus. The deadline to apply for the award, which is available to youth under the age of 25, is March 1.

Five finalists will be selected from the pool of applicants, and each will receive a $10,000 grant to further their work.

To apply or nominate someone, visit the Do Something Awards  http://www.dosomething.org/programs/awards

Charleston Youth Serve Volunteer at Children’s Museum to Celebrate MLK Day

By: Robert Willingham

Members of Charleston Youth Serve and I volunteered at the children’s museum on MLK day. There were multiple projects going on from painting splats in the art room to stuffing the grocery store boxes. The boxes were the part Sydney and I chose. Basically, we had to stuff the boxes using Styrofoam and Cardboard in a way that the children can’t bend or tear them. After that process the boxes were wrapped with contact paper in a way that didn’t cover the bar-code scanner. Interesting enough, they still need to be able to scan for the purpose of play. I asked Sydney (a participant) what she thought and here’s what she said:

  “I would say that it was a great experience; it was fun; and it was nice to see how they got the boxes wrapped, I never would’ve thought they had to go through all that”-Sydney Memminger.

In April 2012, the Charleston community will be participating in Global Youth Service Day by completing service projects in schools and comunities throughout the Tri-county area.

Help us make the day better by participating in the planning process!  We want to hear the ideas and voice of youth so that this day is truly yours.  Please “like” the TYSD facebook page and visit the website www.tysd2012.org for further information.  Feel free to contact Hatti Pringle at 843-965-4190, pringleh@charleston-sc.gov to find out more about how to get involved.

Participate today by entering into the TriCounty Youth Service Day t-shirt/poster design contest. If chosen, your design will be printed on 3,000 t-shirts, and posters that will be posted up all over the city. This design will be used this year and every year to come. You’ll be Famous! Please follow the link to the guidelines. 2012 TYSD T-shirt Poster Contest Guidelines

Join us for a night of recreational basketball, pizza, and dancing to Radio DJ Lil’ Show!

This event was planned by youth who attended the Summer Leadership Camp and the purpose is to provide a fun outlet for youth to get together…

Where:  Danny Jones Complex, North Charleston                                                              When:  Saturday, November 5, 6:00-10:00 p.m.                                                                 Who:  Teen age 13-18 (bring photo ID to show)                                                                   Why:  To meet other teens from area schools and have a fun, safe night out!

Admission is free, and pizza, chips, and drinks will be available for $1.00 each.

For more information, contact Mindy Sturm at843-965-4190.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 LOCAL SCHOOL HONORED IN

NATION’S CAPITAL AS PART OF NATIONAL

JEFFERSON AWARDS CEREMONIES

School of the Arts is recognized among 103

recipients from around the country with the “Nobel Prize for Public Service”

Washington, D.C., June 21, 2011– In celebration of their extraordinary contributions to their school and their selfless work within the community, the Student Leaders from School of the Arts of Charleston, SC were honored Tuesday evening as the Charleston Regional Recipient For Outstanding Service By a High School at a Washington, D.C. awards dinner. The event recognized 103 recipients with the 39^th annual Jefferson Awards, regarded as one of the nation’s highest honors for community service and volunteerism.

Known as the “Nobel Prize” for public service, the awards are presented each year over two days of ceremonies in the nation’s capital and New York City. A broad array of honorees are recognized – from high-profile individuals who have dedicated the better part of their lives to public service to celebrated professional athletes to largely unheralded community-based volunteers.  Also recognized are organizations and companies that represent the pinnacle in corporate citizenship and schools that best reflect the Jeffersonian ideals of citizen involvement.

 The strategy of the youth program called Students in Action is to create leadership teams in each school that celebrate great volunteers, inspire others to get involved and raise additional resources to expand volunteer activities in areas of need in the community. The leadership teams met this spring where they made a presentation before a local panel of judges highlighting their progress and accomplishments towards meeting the programs 7 goals. School of the Arts was chosen for best exemplifying the programs goals and expanding the volunteer capacity in their school.

This year’s honorees also include Associate Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, actress and philanthropist Marlo Thomas, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls owner Jerry M. Reinsdorf, Share Our Strength founder Bill Shore, former Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn and Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, the brother and sister co-founders of Cell Phones for Soldiers.

 “Our nation’s greatness is derived in large measure from its goodness – from the largely unheralded yet noble Americans whose commitment to helping others embodies the founding ideals of our democracy,” said Sam Beard, founder and president of the Jefferson Awards for Public Service. “While we have been pleased to honor many prominent individuals over the years who have given back selflessly to their communities and the world around them, we are particularly excited about honoring tonight the exceptional high school student leaders because they are tomorrow’s national leaders. On behalf of the Jefferson Awards, a collective thanks and congratulations.”

The 2011 awards presentation took place at the Mayflower Hotel. It was hosted by Jefferson Awards board member Robert Sakowitz. On Tuesday, June 21^st, the recipients will have the opportunity to visit with their U.S. Senators on Capitol Hill, with national awards being presented that evening at a gala awards ceremony at the National Building Museum.

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About The Jefferson Awards

The Jefferson Awards was co-founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr. and Sam Beard, as the ‘Nobel Prize’ for public service.  Named for one of America’s most influential Founding Fathers, and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, the Jefferson Awards’ central tenet is that each and every citizen shares a responsibility to work towards the betterment of their communities through economic participation, public service, volunteerism, and other such efforts to improve life for all.  Today, the mission of the Jefferson Awards is to recognize, inspire and activate volunteerism and public service in communities, workplaces and schools across America.  As President J.F. Kennedy once said, “One person can make a difference and every person should try” and to date, over fifty thousand individuals of all ages have been recognized by the Jefferson Awards for their efforts to make the world around them a better place.

For more information on The Jefferson Awards, visit: www.JeffersonAwards.org

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The state Department of Education released on Wednesday the list of more than 100 high schools and career centers statewide earning recognition under the state’s Palmetto Gold and Palmetto Silver awards program. The program, created by the General Assembly, honors schools for attaining high levels of performance, high rates of growth or substantial progress in closing the achievement gap between groups of students.

Six Charleston County high schools were honored with a Gold or Silver award for general performance: Garrett Academy of Technology, Wando High, Military Magnet Academy, Charleston School of the Arts, Academic Magnet High, and James Island Charter High.