New Haven Independent

Posted by: Ned | January 25, 2007 3:20 PM

"A former assistant high school principal in New Haven pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to embezzling about $34,000 from a federally funded, after-school basketball program for urban youths."

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ctprincipal0125.artjan25,0,94508.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

More opportunity squandered. How is a program proven successful? Who makes that determination? Seems like the administrators of these programs need to be grilled to back up their claims of success and the kids need to be asked if they're receiving what the programs promise.

Posted by: Cedar Hill Resident | January 25, 2007 4:52 PM

first...Wow on this comment..
"The kids have said to me that they go to school together, and there’s no reason why they can’t cross boundaries and be in other neighborhoods and work together."

What kids are these??? Grammers School or maybe kids from the Orange St area?? because that is the total oppisite of what I hear from the kids in the poorer areas in HS.

I will stand next to Jackie in her fight. I will admit that both my kids were in the work program but.....I like many did have to look for it to get our kids in it. But it did go by income so they jobs are going to kids that need them.

And I am also a Big Fan of Shafiq Abdussabur program it is everything that the kids in my area need. It is the perfect program for trouble and non-troubled kids the rules to be in it are great the whole thing is great. That is what we in our area would love to see to!!

Posted by: fairhavengal | January 26, 2007 10:44 AM

Just a thought, why not offer mini-grants to people like Officer Shafiq who would want to start programs in their neighborhoods. Or, since we like Charter Schools in New Haven, open an After-Charter School...

Posted by: Renee Chatham | January 26, 2007 11:44 AM

The recent article, "City’s Plan for Youth Greeted with Skepticism" may have left the impression that only one high school location has extended hour programs for youth. In fact, all high schools throughout the city host Board of Education sponsored after-school and extra-curricular activities on a daily basis for kids that include athletics, drama, arts, music, sports, academics, social clubs, journalism, yearbook and more. Those programs are in addition to programs offered by the Department of Parks, Recreation & Trees and the Police Department. And all of these are augmented by community partners in education and agencies that run programs for students in school buildings in every corner of the community. For instance, many partnerships including but not limited to: Yale University, LEAP, Junta, Farnam Neighborhood House, Little Scientists, SES, Solar Youth, SCSU, UCONN, Yale Children's Hospital, Eli Whitney, and other providers offer programs and/or opportunities for students to participate in structured activities during the extended school hours, weekends and school vacation time. Community members and representatives have the option to get involved, learn about what resources for city youth exist, what the areas of need are and contribute to the ongoing project that is addressing the needs of urban youth.

Posted by: Cedar Hill Resident | January 26, 2007 3:57 PM

Renee I think..... or at least hope that most do know that all the HS have programs after school. And this city as a whole, has a ton of great programs which is why I moved back here. I am a single mother on the lower income side and my children really benefited from this city and its programs; they are now in college. But as a community leader I see a different group of kids who's parents are not as diligent on finding things to make there children grow in a positive way. I would say that everyone in my community groups kids are in programs and activities; as are most of the more active peoples children in New Haven. But .....living in a lower income area we have seen a large group of children that are not involved in anything. We have gone to the parents with info about summer programs something as simple as filling out a form, that was all they needed to do, we would mail it if they did not have the stamp and yet not one of them signed there kids up. We gave them no excuses not to get there kids in a program and yet they still did not.
Those are the kids that people are mostly concerned with. We know there are a lot of things out there but they are not geared towards the children that need them the most.

My opinion being a New Haven resident my whole life..... and yes this is just my opinion ; is....
these kids feel out of place when they join in these programs
lack of social skills
even self-esteem
Lack of funds. Think about it.... your a teen and your parent says I can not afford it (what ever fees or supply needed) but they can get the fees waived, but some are to proud to go through the whole begging process. So the parent puts it on the table not wanting to deal with the stress of it and the kid gives up trying.

All these things above are factors in why these children are not in these programs. I am sure there are a lot of reasons but we need to take the time out to look at why these kids are not using these programs what can we change to make it so they can be apart of them. What programs are the more Urban kids interested in.

Posted by: Jeff Klaus | January 27, 2007 11:58 AM

Instead of talking about "after"-school programs, maybe we should be talk about "during" school programs. The public charter school Amistad Academy runs from 7:30am to 5:00pm 4 days a week, and has classes until 1:00 on Fridays. On most week days from 3:00pm on, students are participating in sports, arts, and homework club. At night when students go home, they have time to eat their dinner, do their homework, and get to bed to rest up for the next day. They don't have time to go out and get into trouble. On Saturdays, the school is packed with middle schoolers playing competitive sports in the gym or receiving tutoring by local high school and college students. The environment is safe, friendly, and supportive. Isn't the best "youth program" a great school?

Posted by: Willie Williams Jr | January 28, 2007 8:35 AM

The Problem Is Racism, Discrimination and Politics When It Comes To Selecting Personnel To Run Youth Programs In New Havem. In 1993 Willie Williams Jr Ran A Summer Program On $23,000.00 w/50 Youth and Five(5) Adults "Fair Haven Youth Leadership Program" Motto: Look-Learn-Listen-Live-Love ©1993. ALL Neighborhoods Originally Recieved $25,000.00, The Hill Neighborhood Spent It's Entire $25,000.00 The First 1st. Week and The New Haven Foundation Took $2,000.00 Each From The Other Nine(9) Programs and Gave The Hill Neighborhood More Money. At The End of The Five(5) Week Program, Willie Williams Jr Gave His Fifty(50) Youth An I.D. Card and A Bank Check For $100.00...They Cashed The Checks The Corner of Grand and Ferry Street. We Had The FREE! Lunch plus Steaks, Cheeseburgers w/ALL The Addons, Soda, Created A (1) Hr. Video, Koreoko, Traveled To a Different State Park Every Week, Tee-Shits w/Logo, Hats, Computer Traing, Baby Sitting Class, Library & Tutoring, Civic & Social Responsibility Trainning Taught By A Nun. Shadowing Me On How To Create A Youth Program, Peer Trainning By Community Mediation, Dancing, Singing, Basketball and Two Other Classes.

Posted by: greg | January 30, 2007 2:38 PM

jeff i didnt realize that your perfect school exists right here. i guess the rest of us need to take your word that 100% of these students follow the described schedule perfectly, futhering your negative image of the rest of the students in New Haven. glad to see perfection in my lifetime. no fights, no family problems,an abundance of resources,everyone in class at the same time,plenty of hot food at the last lunch, a perfectly united teaching staff,everyone gets high honors,every has dinner, does their homework without being asked,teachers dont complain,nobody sleeps in on Saturdays, nobody has jobs because every has lots of money! Ah, perfection! sounds like "Leave it to Beaver"