ATLANTIC CITY — A few weeks ago, I wrote about the benefits of keeping children involved in Atlantic City’s many youth programs. Well, meet A.C. Youth Exposure — one of the new kids on the block. The program's first year ends with the children going on a trip to Washington, D.C. I tried to catch up with this lively bunch of middle schoolers and their mentors a few weeks ago, but they were all playing basketball with former Harlem Globetrotters. Afterwards, they were heading over to Yoga Nine in Smithville for an introductory yoga session.
This past Saturday, I found them at their usual spot: the PAL building in Atlantic City. There I asked the participants what they liked most about A.C. Youth Exposure.
The children hardly noticed when I entered the room, because they were huddled over beautifully colored maps of Asia, Spain and the Caribbean. Natalie Devonish, the president, informed me that it was a “cultural awareness day.”
The aroma of Jamaican jerk chicken, warming in the back of the room, made me hungry, but there was also sushi available to represent parts of Asia, collard greens to represent African-American tradition and beans and rice to represent Spanish-influenced countries.
“Better not be no pork over there,” I heard one boy announce, laughing.
I was impressed by the group of 20-somethings, four women and one man, working with the boys and girls as they raced to finish puzzles after their map activity. I imagined these young professionals as great parents in the future as I watched them very firmly yet pleasantly dealing with 13 students when they could have easily been at home catching up on some sleep this Saturday morning.
Usually, they’d have a group of 23, but some students were attending the funeral of Mr. Jennings, the young local teacher who died recently in his sleep, but who had taught many of these students at New York Avenue School or Martin Luther King, Jr., School in Atlantic City.
The mentors said they had to change their usual curriculum earlier to include some grief counseling, but that’s part of what they expect.
A.C. Youth Exposure has a curriculum that includes everything from mentoring, tutoring, job and scholarship counseling, college and career exploration, to field trips. Modeled after the five-year-old Youth Exposure program in Plainfield, N.J., it is designed for students in grades 5th through 8th, a group sometimes overlooked by other programs.
Everything A.C. Youth Exposure offers is meant to help at-risk, inner-city youth become successful in life, because these mentors were once exactly where they are today, largely single-parent children growing up in the "other Atlantic City.” After graduating from college and returning to work in this area, they wanted to give back to their community what others had done for them.
They describe their program as “a safety net for children who desire to reach their full potential by providing a locally-based network of mentors and like-minded peers.”
“Whoop! We won!” a shout when up as one group completed its puzzle. That meant it was almost time to eat lunch, which usually would have been pizza, but today, the mentors had reached into their own pockets to pay for a multi-cultural meal. During that time, I asked students what they liked most and least about A.C. Youth Exposure.
“I don’t have to be in the house bored on Saturday mornings, and I like how they take time out to be with us when they could be doing something else,” said a 14-year-old boy. “Is there anything you don’t like?” I asked. “Oh no, we’ve been to Stockton, we’ve been horseback riding, we went to yoga. That was hard,” he answered.
“The trips, that’s what I like most,” said the next respondent, another 14-year-old boy grinning from ear to ear. “After 14, I can be a junior mentor, maybe. I think I want to do that.”
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1. Nixaly Acevedo said... on Apr 26, 2011 at 01:37PM
“I believe that it is very important that the kids can learn from other cultures and one of them said they don't have stay at home bored. I'm sorry for Mr. Jennings.”
2. Nixaly Acevedo said... on Apr 26, 2011 at 01:47PM
“It is a very nice program because it encourages them to be a mentor too. The kids are motivated to explore and more of the rest of world's culture for, they can visualize and practice instead of reading it in a book.”
3. Anonymous said... on Apr 26, 2011 at 01:55PM
“It is a very nice program because it encourages them to be a mentor too. The kids are motivated to explore and more of the rest of world's culture for, they can visualize and practice instead of reading it in a book.”
4. Nixaly Acevedo said... on Apr 26, 2011 at 01:57PM
“It is a very nice program because it encourages them to be a mentor too. The kids are motivated to explore and more of the rest of world's culture for, they can visualize and practice instead of reading it in a book.”
5. DHRUV said... on Apr 28, 2011 at 09:06AM
“It is very good program for children from different culture. Children who are from other culture gets to know other kids like them from different culture know their culture and share their own culture. They can experience the new world than the world they are from practically. it is very beneficial for kids to get involved in activities like this because it helps them to create new image of the world which stays life long in their memories.”
6. Anonymous said... on Apr 29, 2011 at 02:22AM
“Ms. Natalie Devonish is oen of the most honest, hardest working, most sincere person I've ever met. She is an excellet role model for anyone of any age.
Kudos Natalie!”
7. Vrushabh SHah said... on Apr 29, 2011 at 07:39AM
“KIds brains are empty,when they enter this world. They learn what tought by their parents and culture.so it is very important for all the parents to invole their kids into the culture activites.so they can lean more good stuff about life.”
8. Annie M. said... on Apr 29, 2011 at 08:42AM
“All the mentors at AC Youth Exposure are great role models. They really care about the kids and have put a lot of effort and time into the program. We need more people like them.”
9. Deeba Khan said... on May 1, 2011 at 10:55AM
“Kids need to be exposed to a lot of A.C.'s youth programs like Boys & Girls Scouts, helping around the community, and mostly school provided activities. They need to learn that life isn't just about sitting at home and playing video games all day. The A.C. Youth Program is a great way to get kids moving and into shape. This program can also help kids think of what they want to do someday. Kids can also learn about all the different races and ethnicities that people are of in our beautiful community. It's almost as if technology is taking over their minds. They need to get outdoors. Kids need to get a lot of exercise and also a lot of learning. Your book is a great source to tell people all of these things. Kids can learn a lot about their city from this book.”
10. Isbah Mussaddiq said... on May 2, 2011 at 12:11AM
“The A.C Youth program is a great idea for youth. It is a good chance for kids to communicate with each other The A.C Youth program provides opportunities for kids to do outdoor activities, it would be helpful to open their minds, and they defiantly learn a lot of new things for better future.”
11. Ivenny said... on May 2, 2011 at 02:21PM
“Is great to know about those programs because, sometimes we are trying to get our kids involve and it is hard to get the information. I have a neightboor that wanted a program for her 10 year old gilr and she did not know where to start looking. I just gave her the information hopefully that will get her started.”
12. Fathema Chowdhury said... on May 3, 2011 at 05:54PM
“Youth Exposure seems like a totally different environment for kids. Kids become brave and smarter when the communite with other kids. They always want to know about curious things which poke in their mind. I believe that A.C Youth Exposure is obviously a great program for children in which they can learn many new things with their curiosity. It is a program that makes them think and help them how to solve a problem. All parents should take their kids to the A.C Youth Exposure and give them a pleasent moment. =)”
13. gene kidd said... on Feb 14, 2012 at 12:34PM
“Since we're here is anybody out there interested in these kids reading? Or is there any program for them!”