Tag Archives: Parsons Beacon

Photo of the Month: Brooklyn Nets Visit Parsons Community School

Students of our Parsons Community School program pose for a photo with Brooklyn Nets trainers and community partners.

Students of our Parsons Community School program pose for a photo with Brooklyn Nets trainers and community partners.The Brooklyn Nets visited Parsons Community School for a slam dunk event! In a high-energy basketball clinic, 40 young players from four Child Center of NY sites that offer afterschool programs and summer learning camps for middle schoolers—Parsons Beacon, SONYC-QSI, SONYC-Queens United, and SONYC-CASA—got a taste of NBA-level training.

With Brooklyn Nets trainers leading the charge, participants ran drills, honed their skills, and learned the magic of teamwork. It was a day of hoops, high-fives, and future NBA stars in the making!

“The event was awesome!” said rising eighth grader Nicholas, a participant of SONYC-QSI. “It showed that I can work harder on basketball and that there is always someone else working so it’s up to me to work harder. It’s a huge thank you to Coaches Maya, Luis, and Justin,” who teach the basketball elective at Parsons and assisted with the event. Nick also thanked SONYC-QSI Program Director Rafael Florero for setting up the event and “having us all in the gym to get better and have fun.”

This wasn’t the first time the Parsons community came together and built lifetime memories through sports. Last summer, Parsons Beacon’s first-ever Parsons Football (soccer) Club emerged undefeated in the regular season and ultimately finished second among 56 teams that came from places as far flung as Argentina and France.

The Nets basketball clinic and the unforgettable Parsons Football Club season are just two examples of how our dedicated youth development professionals seek opportunities for young people to develop skills and values while having fun.

Speaking about the Nets basketball clinic, Rafael Florero said, “This event meant a lot for the youth in our community, as it showed that Parsons cares and seeks out the best possible opportunities for them. It gave those aspiring athletes a chance to train like a professional, and all participants a chance to see the values we teach every day in action.”

Special thanks to the 107th Precinct and the Department of Youth and Community Development for helping facilitate this memorable event. We know it means so much to our participants that they have a whole community who supports and roots for them!

July Photo of the Month: Undefeated!

Members of the Parsons FC

Scoring Big at Parsons Summer Programs

Members of the Parsons FC

The Parsons Football Club (FC), including eighth-grader Abdul, holding the Moroccan flag out of pride for his home country. The Child Center of NY serves large immigrant populations throughout the city.

Meet the fearless, friendly, and (nearly) undefeated participants of our first-ever Parsons FC! Continue reading

Logan’s Story

My name is Logan, and I’m in sixth grade. I live in Flushing with my grandmother and my mom, who is a Utilization Management Nurse. While she works, I go to the Beacon afterschool program at Parsons Community School.

Logan, a participant at Parsons Beacon afterschool program in Flushing, Queens

Logan with the Surface laptop he received from The Child Center after completing a coding class

At first I liked Parsons just because most of the kids from my school were in it. I also made new friends, and the staff are so nice and have given us so much. For example, they have a lot of events like the game truck, paint nights, and food giveaways. They are easy to talk to, and a challenge they helped me with was talking to some of the other kids. The staff help us with any problems we have. For example, when someone is hurt they would take care of it. Ms. Jayme helps me with my homework, like math, which is my favorite subject. She was very patient and helped me a lot. I know I can go to any of them with any problems I need help with.

I’ve been going to Parsons for two and half years. I still like going to Parsons because of my friends and the staff, and I also like going because the activities are a lot of fun. I do activities like graphic design, color theory, and coding. Color theory teaches me different things like the color categories and types. Graphic design is a program that helps me make pictures on the computer. Coding taught me how to make characters to build videos and other programs on the computer. All of these can help me reach my goal of becoming a heart surgeon because everything uses computers. I also play basketball when we go in person!

Parsons Beacon always has something special going on, in addition to our regular activities. One of my favorites was the Just a Kid from Queens speaker series. I got to see how people like me, from my neighborhood, grew up and went on to do interesting things. What I liked about the series was the information they had to say and the lesson I learned every time. My favorite speaker was Jean-Wesley because he is disciplined and has a passion for becoming a wine sommelier even though not a lot of Black men do that job. He went to school and worked at the same time. He also comes from a diverse background and has worked in different kinds of jobs. He let me know I can do whatever I want in life.

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Note from Logan’s mom, Bianca: “I love the Parsons Beacon Program because it affords the participants opportunities to learn about so many things that are integral to succeeding in the world of technology and arts we live in today. Not only do they provide skills training, they also provide role models to show the kids where and how far their skills will take them. Parsons’ staff puts great effort into the success of their program and exude their love for the kids and community every step of the way. They are a true example of excellence in community service and development!”

Parsons Beacon Wins 2020 Young Sharks Competition!

Young Sharks at Parsons Beacon
Parsons Beacon YMI students prepare for Young Sharks competition

Young Sharks Jaylen, Mathew, and Joseph working on their team project before the shutdown.

When 13-year-old Mathew of Flushing, Queens, gathered his index cards and began pitching his anti-bullying app to judges of the virtual 2020 Young Sharks competition, he started to have second thoughts.

“There were many competitors, and I thought there was no way I would win,” the recently graduated 8th grader told us. “But Ronell and my mom were able to help me with my confidence, and I was able to get through it.” Continue reading

Thank you, Assemblywoman Rozic!

Assemblywoman Nily Rozic Steps Up for The Child Center and Our Parsons Beacon Community Center in Flushing

When 12-year-old Rose saw the big cardboard check for $25,000 from her local Assemblywoman, Nily Rozic, to the Parsons Beacon community center she attends for afterschool programming, her eyes widened and her body shifted forward in her chair. “That’s a lot of money!” she said. She immediately began thinking of all the things the center could do with the money to help youth like herself, and also her fellow community members of all ages.

Shows Assemblywoman Rozic presenting check Continue reading

Kesha’s Story

Kesha when she was a student participant at The Child Center’s Parsons Beacon and in TIPP (Teen Impact Prevention Program)

I started with The Child Center of NY Parsons Beacon as a participant at the age of 11, in 1999. I knew about the program because my older brother attended Parsons Junior High School and was enrolled in the program.

I attended Parsons Junior High School from September 1999 until June 2002. I also continued to be a participant and was able to be involved in many things. Because of the willingness of Deepmalya (the program director at the time) to create a relationship with my very strict mother, I was able to partake in talent shows where I danced with groups of friends.

I was a part of the Parsons Beacon step team, and we were afforded the opportunity to travel the tri-state area and perform in competitions and showcases. We also were invited to step at Deep’s wedding! I had the honor of being a part of the first TIPP group (Teen Impact Prevention Program) ever, which was led by Amanda Etienne at the time. We were a group of preteens/teens who went out to high schools and teen conferences to put on skits and hold town hall discussions regarding HIV/AIDS and STD prevention. I was a part of this for several years, and it overlapped with my official hire as SYEP [Summer Youth Employment Program] in 2004.

I worked as a junior group leader at Basie Beacon M.S. 72 which led to me wearing several hats at that site for about five years. I made ID cards for new applicants and made replacements for those who have lost their ID card; helped with office tasks; took on the roles of senior group leader, recreational coordinator (orchestrated the tournaments, sign in, and set up of gym and activities), and basketball coach for our middle school boys’ team; and was still involved with TIPP.

Around 2008, I began to work at P.S. 223 OST [Out-of-School Time] as a group leader. The following year, I requested to become a specialist (Step specialist), where I had to demo a lesson and articulate why the participants of P.S. 223 would benefit.

Kesha speaking at a Child Center board meeting

I was a step specialist with them for the next three years and ran a video journalism club in 2011. I then left P.S. 223 and the organization in December 2012 to pursue other opportunities within the filed of Youth Development. In 2017 I applied for a program director position and I came back “home” to The Child Center in February of 2018.

I always tell everyone I was raised by afterschool programs and this is why. This organization has supported my growth from a preteen into adulthood.

If it wasn’t for Deep and his determination to keep me in the program during those times my mom wanted to take me out, I would have not learned my true passion in life, which is helping inner-city youth like me experience things I would have never been able to experience outside of the program.

 

 

 


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