Page 1: September/October 2014
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The Millennium Post
2331 Bergen Avenue
Main Office Hours
Brooklyn, NY 11234
Monday thru Friday
Phone: 718 - 444 - 0101 Ext. 115
9 am - 6 pm September/October 2014
Vol. 01 No. 01
Fall 2014
In association with the
Bergen Beach Youth Organization
New School Year, New Programs!
Staff
Spotlight
Marietta
Provenzano
Marietta Provenzano,
Senior Transporation
Coordinator, manages the
transit operations for senior
citizen programs in the
Pictured at IS 234: Activity Specialist Maria Buttera, SONYC participants, DYCD Project Manager Bergen Beach, Marine Park,
Ashley Navarez, Program Director Rafee Greig showing off the new Summer of Service garden Mill Basin, and Canarsie
located in IS 234’s schoolyard.
neighborhoods. For the past
15 years Ms. Provenzano has
coordinated the safe travels
of hundreds of seniors each
week and ensures that the
Millennium Development is proud to announce our participation in Mayor senior citizens in our local
Bill de Blasio’s expansion of New York City’s after school programming. communities have a quick,
In conjunction with the Department of Youth and Community Develop- easy, and convenient method
ment, we’ve expanded our programs to offer educational and engaging af- of transportation.
ter school programs to our School’s Out New York City (SONYC) sites in Providing transportation is
Brooklyn and Queens. Read further for our complete list of SONYC sites. critical for a healthy senior
citizen population, as many
of our senior center members
Queens’ District 27: America’s School of Heroes (MS 137), Scholars’ Acad- are unable to drive. “The
emy (Q323), The Belle Harbor School (PS/MS 114), and Channel View transportation services are
School for Research (Q262)
reliable. They help me get to
and from the neighborhood
Brooklyn’s District 22: Shell Bank Junior High School (IS 14), Fillmore centers. The drivers will help
Academy (PS/IS 207), Marine Park Junior High School (IS 278), Roy H. me on and off the van and
help me transport my heavy
Mann (IS 78), and W.A. Cunningham Junior High School (IS 234)
packages and walker” said
Anne, a member of the Bergen
This year we are developing exciting, educational, and fun programs such Beach Neighborhood Center.
as cooking and food science, LEGO Mindstorms, Martial Arts, Floorball, We would like to give a special
Olympic Archery, bocce, and badminton. Our programs provide opportu- thank you to Councilman Alan
nities for hands-on leadership training to ensure our participants receive a Maisel for providing funding
well-rounded program focusing on academic and emotional growth. Please for these services.
SONYC Programming Expands
visit milldev.org for additional information on our SONYC and Comprehensive After School Services (COMPASS) Programs.
Page 2: September/October 2014
SONYC Programs Supporting Archery
Archery became one of the most popular activities at Roy H. Mann Junior High School in Bergen
Beach for the past 6 years under the direction of Rasaan Bonair (pictured right practing at
Floyd Bennett Field).
Activity Specialist Mike
Amari (pictured left) will
instruct middle school
SONYC students and
prepare them for recreational
and competitive archery
with USA Archery’s NYC
Conference. Students will
have the opportunity to train
with Columbia University’s
Archery team and compete
in a city-wide competition.
Look for our new teams in winter and spring!
Director Spotlight: Larry Cosares
The PS 203 COMPASS Program
Larry Cosares, Director of the Comprehensive After School System (COMPASS) program at PS 203 in
Mill Basin, played football and baseball for Bergen Beach Youth Organization (BBYO) and Millennium
Development. With roots in the neighborhood and an affinity for working with children, Larry had finally
received the opportunity to get involved with the local school programs.
Larry, a 2010 graduate of St. John’s University learned of the after-school program at P.S. 203 and began
working as a counselor in the Spring of 2011, where he excelled at helping the students with reading, writing,
math, and athletics. He was promoted to Assistant Director in the Fall of 2011 and then Program Director the
following year.
Becoming a true member of PS 203 was a focus for Larry.
He’s present for the PTA meetings, is on the school safety
committee team, and works with Principal Esposito and
her staff to provide a comprehensive after-school experience
with input from P.S. 203’s teachers, students, and parents.
Pictured: Director Larry Cosares and his participants spend
the day in Coney Island.
His students enjoy a wide range of activities, including
STEM, literacy, and physical recreation. The 4th and 5th
grade students compete in an intramural basketball league with other BBYO and Millennium programs.
Much of the credit can be given to the staff and the atmosphere at the school. “I’m grateful to have such a great
staff. The counselors, activity specialists, and group leaders make this program successful for our students and it
shows. I know the students really enjoy coming to this program. It’s a great feeling when you run into a student
and their family outside of the program and you see the enthusiasm and their expressions. We know that we’re
making a difference and that our students really enjoy learning” said Larry.
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Roy Mann Grapples with Graffiti
As a requirement for SONYC after school programs, students investigate, discuss, and contribute to solving
community issues in their surrounding neighborhoods. This summer Roy H. Mann’s SONYC students took the
problem of graffiti into their own hands. In conjunction with NYPD’s 63rd Precinct, students spent the day at
38th Street at Avenue U, covering graffiti with environmentally safe primer and paint. This project is the newest
in a long line from a partnership between Millennium Development and our city’s finest.
Pictured left: SONYC Supervisor Rasaan Bonair and Associate Director/ Vice President of the 63rd Precinct
Community Council Nick Miller, Principal Anthony Cusamano, Assistant Principal Mike Diesa, Parent Coordinator
Ms. D’Aleo, and the NYPD’s Lt. Ardito after students paint over graffiti. Pictured right: A student paints over graffiti as
Rasaan Bonair observes the progress by our SONYC students.
Peace March at PS 119
“Peace” is the core theme of PS 119 in Flatlands. This theme is evident in the school’s colorful peace decor,
practiced in the “peace builder’s pledge,” and demonstrated through the annual “International Day of Peace”
event. The September 19th event began with words from Principal Fernandez and was followed by the recital
of the “peace builder’s pledge,”a wish for world peace, in several different languages. Balloons were then
released into the sky and the students then marched around the block in unity, full of excitement proudly
displaying their works of art while Principal Fernandez cheered them on. The Brooklyn Cyclones’ King Henry
led our students in a “peace” chant. The Brooklyn Cyclones have partnered with the Bergen Beach Youth
Organization (BBYO) in this event for the past four wonderful years!
Pictured: Principal Fernandez, Parent Coordinator Ms. Slack, Family Advocate Therese Salli, BBYO
Administrators Paul Curiale and Penny Caquias, Program Director Brian Anderson, the Cyclones’
“King Henrry” and PS 119 parents take part in the festivities.
Page 4: September/October 2014
In the Community
Penn Wortmann Neighborhood Center BBQ
This summer, Millennium’s program at IS 234 Cunningham in Homecrest was selected for a Summer of Service
mini-grant from the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. Students were involved in a number of community
service projects that enabled the Junior Leaders of Cunningham to explore their local community and become
problem solvers of local issues.
Cunningham’s SONYC program traveled to Penn Wortmann Neighborhood Center in East New York to celebrate
the end of summer programming with intergenerational activities designed to allow our middle school participants
and seniors the chance to interact with and learn from each other. The students participated in games, activities,
and conversations with the seniors. Seniors and students were treated to a special appearance and speech from
Councilwoman Inez Barron.
Penn Wortmann Neighborhood Center: 895 Pennsylvania Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11207
Contact Director Simone Dundas or Assistant. Director Jessenia Casiano by calling 347-318-3771.
Since the first event in 2008 with PS 272, “Dads
Take Your Child to School Day” has been one of
Millennium’s most successful and influential events
for encouraging family involvement within their
children’s lives. PS 236 Principal Paingankar was
deeply moved by the outpouring of support by his
school’s parents for this New York State Office of
Children and Family services initiative.
Special guests included Councilman Alan Maisel,
District 22 Superintendent Dr. Farkas, Family Advocate Therese Salli, Ari Kagan of the NYC Controller’s Office, FDNY Safety Educator Lt. Mancuso, Flatlands Volunteer Ambulance Corp’s Joe
Auerbach, and Rose Brucia Foundation Founder
Matthew Barbis.
Executive Director Paul Curiale moderated the
meeting at PS 236, located in Mill Basin. Principal
Paingankar and Assistant Principal Southard discussed their vision for the school year and thanked
the dads for their participation and support.
“Our annual Dad’s Event at each one of these
schools since 2008 has empowered dads to become
more active throughout the school year. Our only
challenge is deciding on which school will receive
the event next year” said Executive Director Paul
Curiale.
“Dads Take Your Child to School”
Day at PS 236