Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence

The Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence (BRC) is an independent 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that operates under the mission of "connecting youth with pathways to success and uses a youth focused, community centered approach to addressing youth violence. The BRC operates through the engagement of multiple stakeholders and partners that work collaboratively to identify, develop, and support the implementation and dissemination of evidence based and culturally appropriate strategies, interventions, model programs, and tools focused on creating long-term, sustainable youth violence prevention solutions. The BRC uses an all- encompassing holistic approach to address issues experienced by youth and families living in poverty and follows the practice of doing "with" the community instead of "for or "to" the community by directly involving Y.E.Z. community members in every step of the planning and development of programs. Within the past year, the BRC has expanded efforts to become more centralized in the Y.E.Z. community in order to serve an even greater number of families. The long-term goal is to create a scalable and replicable model that ensures the development of strong self-sufficient families and communities that value and nurture our children and youth and fully prepare them for lifelong success. The BRC was originally formed in 2008 as an initiative under the United Way of the Cape Fear Area as a response to the prevalent violence among youth in the North side of downtown Wilmington at the time. The BRC followed the work of the Harlem Children's Zone by creating a similar model of "transforming a community one block, one area at a time", and committed to serving an area designated as the Youth Enrichment Zone (Y.E.Z), which is an 140 square block area of the North side of downtown Wilmington. Based on the latest census data, the average income for African American households within the Y.E.Z. is $14,500. In 2012 the BRC helped re-open D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy, a public middle school in the Y.E.Z. that was shut down due to low enrollment and low performance and moved their operations into the school. In 2013 the BRC began operating as its own a 501(c) (3) non-profit with the mission of "Building a community where youth are safe, healthy, educated, and successful...Now!" The BRC has served a vital role at D.C. Virgo acting as a liaison between the school and the community working to meet the significant needs of the student population. While continuing to support D.C. Virgo with a full time Student and Parent Advocate position and coordination ongoing parental involvement activities within the BRC Parent Room, the BRC also expanded services to New Hanover High School in 2015 by providing a support position directly within the school through a partnership with Communities in Schools of the Cape Fear (CIS). The majority of youth living in the Y.E.Z. attend Snipes Elementary School, D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy, and New Hanover High School. The BRC currently serves approximately 300 families each year in this community. Hemenway Center: In the summer of 2015 BRC moved their headquarters to the Hemenway Center, a city owned community building located in the center of the Y.E.Z. where they now run an after school program, host weekly classes for adults in the community including nutrition classes, financial literacy, and computer skills classes, as well as monthly community council meetings. In partnership with D.C. Virgo, the BRC also facilitated the Turnaround Suspension Program at the Hemenway Center, which was an alternative suspension program for D.C. Virgo students who received 3-10 days of out of school suspension. This program provided a safe and supportive environment where students received academic assistance, one on one counseling, and mentoring by qualified staff. Portia Hines Park: Portia Hines Park is a city owned park located within the Y.E.Z. that was adopted by the BRC in 2012 and renovated to include a playground structure, benches, covered picnic tables, and a "Born Learning Trail". In 2013, the BRC's Health and Wellness Committee was formed and has focused its efforts on maintaining consistent activity in the park. The BRC hosts monthly large-scale community events at the park focused on promoting safety, wellness, and other activities that foster community connectedness. The BRC is currently focused on several exciting initiatives within Portia Hines Park including a series of outdoor family movie nights in the park in partnership with Cucalorus and a renovation project to provide a multi- purpose athletic field, a community garden. James H. Faison, Jr. Scholarship: The Y.E.Z. Scholarship program began in 2011 through the generous funding provided by PPD for the purpose of providing a tuition based scholarship to Cape Fear Community College available to graduating high school seniors and adults wishing to return to school that lived within the Youth Enrichment Zone boundaries. With approval from PPD, the BRC Board of Directors voted to rename the Y.E.Z. Scholarship the James H. Faison Jr, Scholarship after the late James H. Faison Jr, who was born and raised in the Northside and made many advancements for African American students in the Wilmington community while serving as an educator. The James H. Faison, Jr. Scholarship is available to graduating high school seniors from the Y.E.Z. that plan to attend a four year state university within North Carolina and helps cover the first year of tuition. Since 2014, four of these scholarships have been awarded to four graduating students of New Hanover High School with one student attending Durham Technical Community College/ North Carolina Central, two students attending North Carolina A&T State University, and one student attending Methodist University. VOYAGE Initiative: As the BRC continued to grow and expand services to youth and families in the Y.E.Z., they used experiences from the past two years of the Y.E.Z. Summer Initiative/ BELL programs as well as conducting extensive research on evidence based programs and practices to inform the development of the new VOYAGE Initiative, which was launched in 2015-2016. VOYAGE serves as an acronym for: Vison, Opportunity, Youth leadership, Advocacy, Guidance, and Empowerment. The purpose of VOYAGE is to implement an effective model through the coordination of existing resources and services and to foster the development of new innovative programs that address the existing unmet needs of at-risk youth and families. The long-term goal of VOYAGE is to effectively implement best practices and strategies that serve to break the longstanding cycle of intergenerational poverty experienced by youth within our community. The VOYAGE Youth Programs were created through a Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach, which focuses on developing the strengths within youth by fostering activities that enhance their competence, connections, character, confidence, and contributions to society as well as promoting self-understanding, self-worth, and resiliency. VOYAGE Youth Programs: VOYAGE Afterschool Program: An afterschool program for Y.E.Z. students in 1st-5th grades from Snipes Elementary at the Hemenway Community Center that follows the year-round school schedule and includes: oDaily homework help and tutoring oWeekly yoga sessions that incorporates the Mind-Up curriculum oEnrichment classes taught by collaborative non-profit partners including gardening, nutrition, drama, dance, and others oOngoing behavioral and mental health support through UNCW Masters of Social Work Interns. VOYAGE School Break Program: A STEAM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math ) focused programs for 6th-8th grade students during fall and spring intersession breaks at D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy that include: oDaily academic morning sessions focused on math and literacy incorporated within a STEAM based curriculum taught by certified middle school teachers. oDaily afternoon enrichment classes provided by BRC collaborative non- profit partners Weekly leadership and teambuilding activities and field trips to provide students with exposure to places in and around New Hanover County. VOYAGE 9th Grade Summer Bridge Program: A 5 week transition summer program at New Hanover High School for rising 9th grade students that includes: oDaily academic sessions focused on math, literacy, and sessions focused on STAE (Striving To Achieve Excellence) curriculum, which includes study skills, test taking skills, note taking, time management, organization, and college and career exploration oDaily afternoon sessions focused on participants designing, planning, and completing a Service Learning project within the Y.E.Z. community oWeekly Job Shadowing trips to local businesses and companies and weekly shadowing trips to area non-profit organizations oA trip to tour colleges and universities within Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill,