is our summer program.
is our performing arts program, which culminates as our Christmas in July Presentation.
It allows youth to express themselves by writing scripts/poems, dancing, interacting together so all the weight is on one person, and taking on different characters which to some is an escape.
is our entrepreneurship program. It’s part of Grace Express and implemented periodically throughout the year.
In addition to their family members, the youth have an opportunity, through the Youth Member Board of Directors, to invite key community leaders. Youth have an opportunity to share a conversation with our guests as they eat.
After everyone is finished eating, we use this opportunity for youth to present a skit, talent show, or special activity. Whatever is presented is theme-based i.e., bullying, unity, hate, etc. Sometimes we’ll have our guests speak or participate in a panel discussion on a certain topic.
Big Breakfast is held on Thursday. People who are invited receive a Big Breakfast Menu on Monday. They return it on Tuesday. Youth are assigned to figure out how much groceries and money we need to fill all the orders. Youth are assigned to be greeters, waiters/waitresses, food preparers, do a formal welcome, formal thank you, an invitation to leave a donation, and clean up.
A Big Breakfast Menu typically includes: bacon, beef sausage links, fried bologna, chicken patties, grits, hash browns, biscuits, scrambled eggs, freshly made from scratch waffles with a wide variety of toppings including ice cream, juice, milk, coffee, and condiments.
On the next day, Friday, each age group is asked to discuss what they learned from their guests. Staff comes up with questions and prizes are awarded. The youth decide who they want to invite next week and the invitations are made (arts & crafts) to be distributed on Monday.
The Youth Member Board of Directors discusses the invitations for the key leaders, which most of the time is determined two weeks ahead and evaluates the activity for any changes.
After all of this is done, the youth have free time for the remainder of the day!
We believe that positive youth characteristics are developed through nurturing, educating, and training and that when they are, they are better equipped to implement positive unity in their family and their community.
We believe that nurturing, educating, and training youth has a positive impact on the concept of Umoja (unity) and therefore we connect the concept of unity in our program delivery.
Many youth today are in desperate need of nurturing: being cared for, being loved, and of being encouraged to realize their own self worth in order to enhance their lives and the lives of others.
