Tag Archives: youth development

Parsons Beacon Wins 2020 Young Sharks Competition!

July 14, 2020 | Leave a reply

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 →

In memoriam: Jermaine Miller, a.k.a., Coach Jermaine

July 8, 2020 | Leave a reply

A beloved coach is deeply missed by the Child Center community.

Coach Jermaine, center, reflecting the team spirit he was known for.

The terrible news came in mid-March. The COVID-19 pandemic had hit home, taking the life of Jermaine Miller, better known as Coach Jermaine to participants at our Beacon Program at Catherine and Count Basie M.S. 72.

While Coach Jermaine was a natural leader and teacher on the basketball court, his real gift was inspiring youth to live up to their potential not just as athletes, but also in character. Continue reading →

The Show Goes On — with a Virtual Performance

July 1, 2020 | Leave a reply

P.S. 182Q Quest Program’s Musical Production During the COVID-19 Pandemic

By Anne Cahill, Drama Instructor

The Quest ExpandEd Program at P.S. 182Q is a truly unique afterschool program. In a time when what we can educate our students about is often rigidly standardized, Quest gives teachers, group leaders, and students the opportunity to explore subjects about which they are passionate. This allows students to flourish while discovering their talents and pushing their limits. It also allows teachers to see students in another light and spurs an even stronger connection between them.

This is exactly what happened when I started a drama group at Quest in 2012. And it took on new meaning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Continue reading →

Tribute to Jeremy Beddoe

June 23, 2020 | Leave a reply

Mourning the loss and celebrating the legacy of our former staff member

The COVID-19 pandemic has touched us personally and painfully. Clients’ lives have been devastated. And we tragically have lost three staff members to the virus — beautiful, giving, and selfless individuals who dedicated their lives to service.

In April, we lost a very special young man, Jeremy Beddoe, to COVID. Continue reading →

Photo of the Month: #FundYouthNYC

May 31, 2020 | Leave a reply

The Child Center of NY joined forces with other community-based organizations such as the Campaign for Children, United Neighborhood Houses, and Queens Community House for the #FundYouthNYC initiative to advocate for summer engagement. Continue reading →

Photo of the Month: Ocean Bay Cornerstone, Loud and Clear

April 30, 2020 | Leave a reply

Ocean Bay Cornerstone Community Center in Arverne has been organizing weekly food banks during the COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis that has exacerbated food insecurity. Here is Program Director Deborah Hoyle (and staff member Darryl Devore photo-bombing!) getting ready for the food distribution. As this photo demonstrates, we want to convey loud and clear that The Child Center is here for you during this unprecedented time, that it is a team effort, and we do this work with as much joy in our hearts as the moment allows.

Food distribution occurs at Ocean Bay Wednesdays at 1 p.m. No registration required. We welcome you to come by.

All of our Cornerstone Community Centers are distributing food to those who need it, including grab-and-go meals (calling ahead required) throughout the week. You can call the center nearest you for more information.

A (Hydroponic) Garden Grows at Ocean Bay

February 25, 2020 | Leave a reply

While many elementary-schoolers can be found playing video games or watching YouTube after school, 8-year-old Levion spends his afternoons building irrigation systems and monitoring water and temperature levels with the precision of a professional scientist.

Levion is a participant of the hydroponics program at Ocean Bay Cornerstone Community Center, one of four community centers that The Child Center of NY operates in under-served communities on the Rockaway peninsula. Continue reading →

Our Culinary Stars on PBS!

December 9, 2019 | Leave a reply

Lidia Bastianich Cooks with Our Youth

**New date and time: Sunday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. on WNET, Channel 13, for the New York Metro market. PBS will run the show in most other U.S. cities on Fri., Dec. 20–check the Lidia Celebrates America website for air times in your area.

Renowned chef and Emmy Award-winning television personality Lidia Bastianich cares deeply about immigrants and under-served youth having pathways to bright futures.

On Sunday, December 15, Lidia’s PBS special Lidia Celebrates America will premiere on WNET and will include a segment of Lidia cooking with 12 juniors and seniors of the Culinary Arts Program at August Martin High School (AMHS), an inner-city school in Jamaica, Queens. The five-year innovative partnership between The Child Center and August Martin has brought about a dramatic turnaround in graduation rates from 23% to 74% in four years.

Continue reading →

Thank you, Assemblywoman Rozic!

November 15, 2019 | Leave a reply

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.

Continue reading →