Volume 2, Issue 3, Summer 2013

CTO Accomplishments!
Find us online at
www.mhhc.org
Estelle M. Raboni, MPH, MCHES
Director, Changing the Odds
Phone: (718) 483-1270 ext 8152
Fax: (347) 226-5017
Email: eraboni@mhhc.org
Our Mission: Changing the Odds seeks
to change the trajectory of Bronx youth
by providing safe and supportive spaces
with caring adults who empower them to
become thriving, successful, and engaged
young adults in their community.
NEWS
Conversations with Estelle!
Two 11th grade CTO participants were
selected to join The National Campaign to
Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy’s
Youth Leadership Team!
The YLT is a select group of teens who help to shape
Campaign policies, programs, and messages.
Learn more at: www.thenationalcampaign.org
Ivan Dyson & Shanice McCauley
of Bronxwood
Preparatory Academy
Volume 2, Issue 3
2013 Summer
Edition
1
Conversations
with the
Director of
Changing The
Odds
Four 10th grade CTO participants
were selected to join the
YouthBridge-NY Fellows program!
1
Fatoumata Ceesay & Aminata Kebbeh
of Health Opportunities High School
Ask the Doc: Get
answers from
Dr. Marlene
Rivera
Program Director, Changing the Odds
2
Raheal Neequaye & Bella Nortey of
Bronx Health Sciences High School
Fellows take part in monthly skill-building
workshops focusing on
appreciating diversity through photography, grant-making, and diversity
Learn more at: www.youthbridgeny.org
3
CSL club
spotlight on the
topic of Bullying
The MHHC School Based Health Center
network has been in existence since 1982.
This is a partnership with a variety of
schools in the community to improve the
well being of children and families by
providing onsite access to healthcare,
including mental health and health
education services.
Learn more at: www.wearethebronx.org
Currently, the program operates in ten
schools in the Bronx serving over 10,000
children from kindergarten to the 12th
grade. In addition to onsite healthcare, the
MHHC health team educates parents
about obtaining health insurance for their
children and the entire family.
Learn more about both organizations here:
www.bxvc.org & www.hfhnyc.org
WATB is a 9-month professional development and networking program for Bronx non-profit leaders.
Ask the Doc!
Student
spotlight:
3
Jessica Holzer, CTO Program Coordinator,
Completed her participation in the 2012-2013
We Are The Bronx (WATB) Fellowship.
Estelle M. Raboni, MPH, MCHES
Second annual
CTO Youth
Forum!
Andrew Ferreira
About Morris Heights
Health Center
For over 30 years, MHHC has been
providing quality, accessible and affordable
healthcare including primary, specialty,
dental, mental health, educational and
social services. MHHC serves over 60,000
residents annually in the Bronx
community.
The youth forum is something I look forward to all year, so it’s hard to pick out certain highlights because there
are so many! First, the room was beautiful to look at – I loved looking at all of the CSL display boards that all
CTO clubs designed, in addition to reading about all of the great community service participants did all year. I
was also struck by how many participants attended and how many attended with their entire family! I love
seeing moms and dads, sisters and brothers at these events, so it did my heart good to see parents and
relatives in the audience. I was also really pleased to see teachers and school administrators at the event in
support of their students and of CTO. Stephen Ritz was also a great speaker and I was so glad that he came
to speak to our participants. But the really big highlight was watching the montage and watching the reaction
of our guests — all of you did such EXTRAORDINARY work and were clearly proud of the work you did this
year! And I was right there with you – really proud of all of you and the amazing service you’ve done! I can’t
wait till next year!
4
CTO
Accomplishments
I really enjoyed being a judge at the youth forum! It was wonderful to see all of the different posters and the
stories, work, and experiences behind each one. I loved hearing from the students and listening to them explain
their posters. All of the students were very passionate about their experiences and expressed genuine pride and
interest in their service learning projects. It was wonderful and rewarding for me to see how exuberant the
winners of the poster boards were, as well!! Overall, being a judge was proof to me of just how important
programs like CTO are to our youth. I am so honored to have been a part of the Youth Forum and am very
proud and impressed by the CTO team and all of the students! I hope to be a part of it next year and look
forward to seeing all of the wonderful work!
Dr. Marlene Rivera, MD, MPH
Simona Caplan, WATB
Coordinator (left) &
Jessica Holzer right)
Supervising Physician, MHHC School Based Health Centers
BxVC seeks to
connect Bronx
residents with
opportunities to
volunteer within
their neighborhood.
Homes for the Homeless & Changing the Odds are awarded a
$1,000 mini-grant from the Bronx Volunteer Coalition (BxVC)!
These funds will support a 6-week, once per week summer enrichment program for
elementary-school aged children at the HFH Williamsbridge Family Inn in the Bronx.
CTO participants will serve as volunteers for the summer program and lead
activities with the participating HFH children.
Check out more CTO Youth Forum pictures on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/
Page 2
Page 3
The 2nd annual CTO Youth Forum at Lehman College on May 31, 2013
Interview with Andrew Ferreira, 8th grade student and CTO participant at MS
232. Andrew joined CTO as a 6th grader and will be our first CTO graduate!
Why did you join CTO?
“Because I thought it was going to be a fun experience.”
How would you describe your experience in the program?
“Good and fun because you get to interact with other people that you don’t know and you get to
do community service that helps the community.”
What is one thing that you have learned from being in the program?
“Helping people, working with other people, expressing your ideas.”
What was your favorite activity or lesson and why?
“The community service planning lesson where we discussed our different ideas for the Button Fundraiser. We also assigned the
different roles and responsibilities for the project.”
What was your favorite community service project and why?
“The button fundraiser where we designed and made buttons that we sold to other students and teachers in the school [to raise
money for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts at Orchard Beach]. It was my favorite because you get to express your artistic
ways.”
Over 2
5
attend 0
ees!
How will you continue to impact your school and local community after you leave CTO?
“[I will] create a club at school similar to CTO that will help the community and other people.”
Bullying was a common community issue selected by CTO clubs.
Check out some highlights about how they addressed this issue!
Students of Hop Surveyed
Total Students in
Hop Surveyed
311
The 6th grade club at Middle
School 232 organized a
series of anti-bullying
projects with the theme of
“Keep Calm and Stop Bullying”.
Their projects on the topic
included friendship bracelets,
anti-bullying pledges, a
survey, a poster and a play/
workshop.
Special thanks to our keynote speaker, Stephen Ritz of Green Bronx Machine, to Dr. Mary Huynh of Lehman College, and to
Erica Camille of Erica Camille Productions!
The 10th grade club at Health Opportunities High
School administered a school wide bullying survey.
Participants presented their findings at the school’s
weekly administration and faculty staff meeting. They
were even asked to present their findings to the entire
11th grade!
The 6th grade club at Middle
School 224 customized CTO
t-shirts to spread their
message about anti-bullying.
The following day,
participants wore their
message t-shirts!