1. education
2. school

2011
Youth Bureau
WHITE PLAINS
ANNUAL REPORT
www.whiteplainsyouthbureau.org
Message From the Director
This past year marks the forty first year of the White Plains Youth Bureau.
It has been an exciting year, as we have expanded our corporate collaborations
and continued the expansion of our programs and services. Our Growing White
Plains Community Garden program is teaching youth about gardening, and
it’s helping them to understand the value of donating the harvested fruits and
vegetables to the food pantry to feed those who are hungry. More than 100 youth participated in our
Growing White Plains Community Garden last year.
The Youth Bureau received local and national awards for programs of excellence:
• The City of White Plains was named one of the 100 Best Communities for Youth in America by the
America’s Promise Alliance.
• President Obama honored our Fatherhood Initiative for our efforts in engaging fathers and
encouraging them to stay connected with their families.
• The White Plains Works Culinary Training program came in second place in Economic Development
as rated by the New York State Conference of Mayors.
• Our WWDAY In School and WWDAY Out of School program were ranked as among the most
successful employment initiatives in New York State for youth.
• The White Plains Cares Coalition worked with the Mayor, Common Council, and vested stakeholders
like POW’R (Putnam/Orange/Westchester/Rockland) Against Tobacco to pass an ordinance that bans
smoking at all public parks, pools, playgrounds, and trail-ways in White Plains. This measure will
have generational impact since many of these public areas are frequented by young people.
The White Plains Youth Bureau continued to stand in the gap to help vulnerable youth of our
community to receive food to eat over the weekend. Through the Food Bank for Westchester and
Feeding America program, our Back Pack program provides fifty youth with a bag of groceries two
Fridays out of every month. The program provides nutritious and healthy food for the weekend to
youth and their families.
As mentioned earlier, this was a banner year in our concerted efforts to increase collaborations with
local community partners, including parents, youth volunteers, corporations, retired professionals,
and other community-based agencies. We are especially thankful for the support and generosity of
Bungee Corporation, Disney, SL Green, Webster Bank, WalMart, Dan Och and the Jewish Communal
Fund, and the many other donors and contributors who give their resources, time, and talents to help
us help our youth.
We thank the Mayor, Common Council, Youth Board, Friends of the Youth Bureau, City staff, and others
for their leadership and contribution. “It does take a village to raise a child.”
Humbly submitted,
Youth Bureau
ABOUT
THE
The White Plains Youth Bureau has been providing comprehensive services to youth
and their families for more than 40 years. The Youth Bureau offers a full range of
youth development programs and activities including after-school, employment,
leadership and counseling, substance-abuse prevention, and community building.
A variety of youth development programs prepare youth for academic and personal
success, higher education, summer jobs, and career development. Youth Bureau
programs – from chess to boxing to lacrosse – provide skills, fun, and character
development. Art, dance, and music help youngsters discover new skills and, of
course, have more fun. Youth are exposed to science, business, and technology in
our computer labs, environmental programs, media labs, and field trips to centers
of commerce and learning. Mentoring programs, along with intergenerational
activities for youth and seniors, strengthen everyone’s appreciation of time, life, and
community.
Statement
MISSION
The primary mission of the Youth Bureau is to provide children and youth, ages 5
to 24, with effective youth development programs. Today’s youth need more than
to simply stay out of trouble; they must be prepared to become good workers, good
parents, good neighbors, and good citizens; they must develop the skills to become
competent leaders of the 21st century.
Youth Development provides opportunities for today’s youth to apply their energy
and skills, thus enabling them to believe in their futures and themselves. It provides
safe spaces to go after school, supervision by positive role models, structured
activities to engage their interests and challenge their skills, and an opportunity for
community service. Youth Development builds strong communities by emphasizing
preventive measures for today’s youth and provides support for families and schools.
All programs are FREE of charge with the exception of the After School Centers,
Bits N’ Pieces Tutorial Summer Program, and Summer Excel.
Connection
THE AFTER
SCHOOL
The After School Connection provides safe, nurturing, enriching after school child care
at an affordable cost for the children in White Plains in kindergarten through eigth grade.
The program affords children opportunities to develop their social skills and emotional
intelligence through meaningful relationships with peers and caring adults, expand their
minds through an array of learning activities, and develop their sense of autonomy and
individuality by making choices about their program activity.
The After School Connection (ASC)
registered 363 students at eight sites: five
elementary schools, two middle school
campuses, the De Kalb Learning Center,
and the Thomas Slater Center. The program
operated for 175 days (every full school day)
with an average daily attendance of 255.
• 100% of the children enrolled in our
Community Learning Centers (De Kalb
and Slater) completed all or most of their
homework on a daily basis.
After School Connections
• 90% of the children enrolled in our schoolbased sites completed most or all of their
homework on a daily basis.
• 95% of the children program-wide
improved their social skills in cooperative
efforts and conflict resolution.
• 98% of the children program-wide availed
themselves of opportunities for creative
expression including vocal music, visual
arts, and a range of craft activities.
• 100% of the children program-wide
participated in strenuous physical activity,
games and sports, including tennis.
Aces for Kids Tennis Program
• During the course of the school year, 175
children in the ASC program participated in
a Quickstart Tennis program. They learned
the skills involved in playing the game
of tennis under the guidance of a team of
coaches provided by the Backyard Sports
program and supported by a grant from the
United States Tennis Association.
• 50 of the children took the next step by
beginning to play competitive tennis in the
QuickStart format.
Growing White Plains is an environmental
and organic gardening education program.
• 100 students have participated in a
range of environmental and gardening
activities through our Growing White
Plains programs. They spend time in our
community garden planting, weeding,
watering, composting, and learning to
identify various food crops and what it
takes to grow them.
• 90 children participated with their families
in environmental education workshops,
including planting flowers and building
worm composters for indoor composting of
food and other organic waste.
ALTERNATIVES
Leadership and Counseling
The Counseling and Leadership Program provides comprehensive services to youth in
an effort to enhance emotional, social, and academic performance. The program also
helps youth make personal choices to maximize their potential for success.
57 students enrolled in Hispanic Reach
for Success.
• 80% of the participants showed improvement
in academics and goal-setting.
• 100% of the participants will be prepared to
enter college.
50 young men, grades four through eight,
participated in the Saturday Academy.
• 90% showed overall improvement in
behavior and attitude towards school.
• 80% improved their attendance as measured
by school attendance records.
• 100% graduated to the next school level.
18 Middle School Youth Council/Great
Potential students participated in the program.
• 100% of the students performed community
service this school year.
• 90% of the students developed greater
leadership skills.
• 100% of the students were promoted to the
next grade level.
20 students participated in Great Potential.
• 80% of students performed community
service activities.
100% of high school students were promoted
to the next grade level.
Program
Program Enrollment
!
Enrolled Students
20 students registered for the The Mayor’s
Youth Council program.
• 90% of the students developed greater
leadership skills.
• 100% of the students performed community
service this school year.
180 youth registered for the Bits ‘n Pieces
Tutorial Summer Camp Program.
• 80% of the students showed improvement
in reading comprehension as measured by
pre-and post tests.
56 students registered for Step Up!
• 86% have had no negative contact with
police and have improved their relationship
with the community.
60 students and 50 tutors participated in
the Achieving Competence through Education
program (ACE).
• The program reported an 85% academic
improvement rate as measured by report
cards and progress reports.
• The program sustains 95% parent advisory
group participation.
A total of 41 matches were made in the
Mentor Program.
• Of those 41 matches, 15% completed their
first year, 12% surpassed two years, 8%
surpassed three years, and 30% have
surpassed 4 years of support to their mentee.
Services
NEIGHBORHOOD
Neighborhood Services provides White Plains Youth the opportunity to participate in a
variety of programs and activities that encourage positive development.
Over 500 youth participated in our community programs throughout the year.
292 participants visited the Teen Lounges
and Gymnasium.
• 95% of the participants avoided problem
behaviors and improved their social and
positive decision-making skills.
• 80% of the participants demonstrated
positive use of leisure time instead of
engaging in negative behaviors.
140 participants were actively involved in
our Youth On Stage Performing Arts (YOS)
program, which included choral, dance, and
instrumental performance components.
• 75% of the participants showed increased
confidence in creative expression and
theatrical performances.
• 100% of the youth demonstrated increased
cultural competence.
13 participants regularly participated in the
Generations Connect: Heart 2 Heart, our
intergenerational program.
75 youth contacts were made during the
six-week Public Safety/Youth Worker
Outreach Team program which ran Friday and
Saturday nights from mid-May to late June.
Hope
PROJECT
Project Hope provides prevention services aimed at reducing and eliminating the risk of youth
becoming involved with illicit substances and engaging in other dangerous behaviors.
35 youth enrolled in the Ferris Avenue
Learning Center.
• Survey results indicated that 72% of the
youth demonstrated continued academic
achievement and homework completion,
• 86% demonstrated use of positive social
skills and general self-management skills.
• 85% demonstrated understanding of and
ability to use resistance skills.
350 youth participated in Youth Alcohol
& Drug Prevention activities.
• Evaluation of the prevention program
showed that 88% of participants reported
continued use of self-management skills.
• 88% reported use of social skills.
• 70% reported academic improvement.
• 90% reported intention not to experiment
with drugs and alcohol while in school.
• Youth were provided prevention education
138 youth participated in the Healthy and Fit opportunities through a variety of activitiesfor Life Program throughout the school year. such as life skills education, counseling,
• End of year evaluations showed that 81%
and scouting-that aimed to help youth
of the participating youth demonstrated
develop risk-resistance skills, social skills,
continued use of positive social skills, and
leadership abilities, and healthy lifestyles.
93% used self-management skills.
• 92% of participants stated intention not to 76 parents were actively involved in the
use drugs, tobacco, and alcohol while in
Parent Outreach Program.
school.
• Surveys of participating families/parents
• Participants were provided with
showed that 92% had an increase in the
both nutrition education and fitness
understanding of the importance of clear
opportunities. Fitness opportunities
boundaries and expectations within the
consisted of individualized weight training,
family.
karate, and boxing. Programs were
• 88% had an increase in the understanding
offered 5 days a week and at no cost to the
of youth development.
participants.
• 87% showed an increase in the
understanding of positive parent-child
communication.
• Parents were provided opportunities to
stay involved with their children through
outreach efforts and various programs that
involve adult-youth participation, parenting
programs, parent development programs,
and community resource education.
White Plains READS! completed its third
year. The initiative was launched by the City
of White Plains to encourage and develop
reading skills among all youth in White
Plains.
• 36 high school students and 7 middle school
students trained as volunteer reading tutors
and completed more than 1350 hours of
volunteer service.
• 97 elementary students participated in “My
Favorite Teacher” essay contest.
• More than 8,000 books were distributed to
youth from underserved communities in
White Plains.
Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention utilizes
youth development opportunities as a strategy
to allow youth to set positive life goals and
learn new skills. These strategies, combined
with education regarding the negative
consequences of early pregnancy and unsafe
sexual practices, ensure that youth postpone
sexual behaviors, thereby decreasing the
probability of pregnancy before they are
ready to handle the responsibilities. Program
evaluation showed:
• 96% of participants increased their
knowledge of the dangers of STD’s and
HIV/AIDS.
• 99% of participants indicated intention to
practice using safe sex behaviors.
• 97% of participants who were not already
sexually active indicated intention to delay
initiating sex until after college.
The White Plains Cares Coalition is a group
of concerned citizens representing various
organizations and groups who have come
together to assess community needs related
to youth involvement with alcohol and other
illicit substances. The program serves all
residents in the City of White Plains.
• The Coalition successfully implemented the
4th annual youth survey.
• The Coalition, in partnership with
the District Attorney’s Office and the
Department of Public Safety, assessed the
need for implementing a Youth Court in
White Plains.
• The Coalition pulled together an ad hoc
committee to launch a “Call to Action” to
protect youth from the negative impact of
the economic crisis. More than 120 people,
including City Officials and community
leaders, attended the Public Forum.
• The Coalition supported the implementation
of the AlcoholEdu for High School initiative
to educate, as well as change attitudes and
social norms, regarding underage drinking.
The initiative was implemented through the
health classes in the high school.
Services
YOUTH
EMPLOYMENT
Youth Employment Services provides youth ages 12 through 24 with opportunities to
learn about the world of work through job training, life skills development programs,
and full and part-time employment.
2011 SUMMER EMPLOYMENT
April 2011 brought the Mayor’s Summer
Youth Employment Challenge. Dan Och,
local philanthropist and generous supporter
of the Youth Bureau, pledged a matching
grant up to $25,000 for summer jobs.
JOB BANK
• 97 private sector positions were processed
through the Job Bank.
• Through these postings, 89 youth received
part-time and seasonal positions.
The White Plains Works
Culinary Training Program
received 2nd place in the
Economic Development
category for the 24th Annual
NYCOM (New York State
Conference of Mayors) Local
Government Achievement
Awards.
Number of youth Employed
• Through the local business community
and local residents, more than $56,000
was raised to underwrite the cost of the
summer employment program. These
donations helped employ an additional
34 youth and young adults.
• 285 youth were employed within five
categories: arts; clerical, child care/camps,
maintenance, and recreation.
• Of the 285 participants, 95% retained
employment for six weeks.
Corporate Volunteerism at the White Plains Youth Bureau Making
A Difference… Leading By Example
• Our corporate partners contributed more
than 300 hours of volunteer time and
energy to White Plains youth!
• Bunge Corporation partnered with the
Youth Bureau’s Greening Project at
Baldwin Farm for a day-long event to
perform various maintenance, harvesting,
• Corporate and business partners contributed and beautification projects. Following this
more than $70,000 in books, supplies,
event, Bunge hosted the Greening Project at
and equipment which was distributed and
its corporate offices in White Plains, where
utilized by White Plains youth and families.
the youth learned about Bunge’s global
agro-business.
Highlights
• IBM sponsored a Day of Caring at the
• Webster Bank greeted and registered youth
Post Road Kids Excel afterschool program
at the Annual Summer Jobs Fair. In addition
by performing a multitude of activities
to adding their manpower to the event,
and science experiments to enhance and
which attracted 340 White Plains teens,
encourage children’s love for math and
Webster assisted in preparing the attendees
science.
by conducting mock interviews at their
corporate offices on North Broadway.
• Jets player Antonio Cromartie took 10
young people from various Youth Bureau
• Disney Publishing Worldwide brightened
programs to dinner at Legal Seafood,
children’s holidays last season by donating
followed by a shopping spree with him and
1,000 wrapped copies of their book Toy
fellow Jets players at Target. The Shop
Story Rootin, Tootin, Tales.
With a Jock event was sponsored by the
Antonio Cromartie Foundation.
Department
EXCEL
The Excel Program is a 21st Century Community Learning Center funded by the New York
State Department of Education. With academic programming for grades 3 through 12 in
each of the White Plains Public Schools, the Excel Program provided 670 students with
tutoring, homework help, targeted enrichment, SAT preparation, college planning, and career
exploration.
• 328 students participated in Kids Excel centers in grades 3 through 5;
• 184 students participated in Club Excel centers in grades 6 through 8;
• 158 students participated in Future Excel in grades 9 through 12.
Academic Outcomes
• 40 out of 51 Let’s Get Ready SAT prep
students had an average increase of
83 points on the SAT; the largest SAT
increase was by 350 points!
• 94% of parents reported that their children
did better with their homework.
• 80% of students reported better report
cards.
The Excel SOAR Achievement Program
recognizes middle and high school students who
have achieved academic success and maintained
honor roll status during the school year.
• 109 students from Club Excel (middle
school) and Future Excel (high school) were
recognized for their listing on the honor roll at
least one quarter during the school year.
• 52% of middle and elementary Excel
students met or exceeded state math
standards (scored 3 or 4).
• 41% of middle and elementary Excel
students met or exceeded state ELA
standards (scored 3 or 4).
• 100% of graduating seniors attended a two
or four-year college in Fall, 2011.
2012 Common Council
MAYOR’S YOUTH BOARD
YOUTH BUREAU STAFF
Mayor Thomas M. Roach
Hon. Thomas M. Roach, Mayor
Hon. Benjamin Boykin II,
Chairperson
Frank Williams, Jr.,
Executive Director
Hon. Benjamin Boykin II
Hon. David Buchwald
Hon. Dennis E. Krolian
Hon. Milagros Lecuona
Hon. John M. Martin
Hon. Beth N. Smayda
Alexandra Alcocer
Wayne Bass
Timothy Baird
Lt. Kevin Christopher
Thelma Davenport-Tulloch
Jonni M. Dingle
Rosemarie Eller
Alyssa Ghilardi
Katrina Jackson
Elizabeth Mark
Angie Ocampo
Ybelize Pilarte
Sylvester Price III
Dorothy Schere
Maria Suarez
Marie Vitale
George Avenaut
Catherine Backes
Sherry Bannister
Hilary Blackman
Anthony David
Sheila Foley
Alicia Hardy-Josephs
Nicolette Johnson
Agnes Kadavil
Oscar Lopez
Laura Montoya
Bhavana Pahwa
Adrienne Rivers
Martin Rudow
Lutonya Russell-Humes
Edwin Scott
Byron Smalls
Janet Spencer
Patricia Staffiero
Raymond Tribble
Claudio Valenzuela
Jermaine Young
2011 DONORS AND FUNDING PARTNERS
African American Men of Westchester Inc.
Amalgamated Life
America’s Promise Alliance
Amos Marsh
Antonio Cromartie Foundation
Barbara R. Cooper
Barnes & Nobles
Beautification Foundation
Beta Alpha Alpha Foundation of Omega Psi Phi
Fraternity Inc.
Bethel Baptist Church
BUNGE
C.W. Brown
Caroline Furry
Combe Corporation
Community Housing Corporation
CSEA Local 860-Westchester
Cuddy & Fedder
Dan Och Foundation
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Disney Publishing Worldwide
Divney Tung Schwalbe LLP
F. Kerim-Taylor
First Community Baptist Church of Greenburgh, Inc.
Hebron Evagelistic Ministries, Inc.
Hillair Circle Association
Hudson Valley Bank
IBM
Jewish Communal Fund
Judge Betty J. Williams
Kasaman NG MGA Pilipino SA Westch. ATBP
Little Mt. Zion Holiness Church
Lonnie White Memorial COGIC
M. J. Weinstein
Martin Luther King Institute
MBIA Foundation
Mr & Mrs. Eiden
Mr. & Mrs. Barry Presser
Mr. & Mrs. Bradford Jacobowitz
Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Power
Mr. & Mrs. John Martin
Mr. & Mrs. Norbert Gruenfeld
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Eifler
Mr. S. Quattrochi
Mt. Hope AME Zion Church
New York State Department of Education
New York State Office of Children & Family Services
NYS Bottlers Association c/o PepsiCo
Patricia Lanza
Peoples United Bank
Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic
Ritz Carlton
Robert Berkman
Shoprite
SL Green/Reckson
Stanley Morgan
Stephen Abrahams
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration
TD Bank
The Regional Partnership of Schools & Colleges/
Great Potential Program
The Westchester Community Foundation
United Methodist Church
United States Tennis Association
Vanase Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
VERIZON
Volunteer Center
Volunteer Court
Walmart
Webster Bank
Westchester Black Bar Association
Westchester Clubmen Program
Westchester County Department of Mental Health
Westcheser County Youth Bureau Westchester Putnam Work Force Investment Board
White Plains Beautification Foundation
White Plains Homeowners Coalition, LLC
White Plains Housing Authority
WP Bridge of Friendship Foundation
11 Amherst Place, White Plains, NY, 10601 (914) 422-1378/Tel** (914) 422-6489/Fax** www.whiteplainsyouthbureau.org