Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) had a strong presence at this year's Children, Youth and Families At Risk (CYFAR) Conference in San Antonio, Texas. June P. Mead, Dept. of Human Development, served as the CYFAR Conference Program Coordinator and chaired the Program Committee. Steve Goggin, Dept. of Human Development, chaired the Research Committee and co-chaired the Program Committee. Cornell and CCE faculty and staff presented workshops, computer labs and an Interact Session at CYFAR 2008.
Over 100 CYFAR volunteers participated in building a KaBOOM! playground as part of the CYFAR Pre-conference.
June Mead, Steve Goggin, and Judy Briggs, Dept. of Human Development, and Celeste Carmichael, State 4-H Office represented the Community Improvement Through Youth (CITY) Project state team. Broome County's CITY Project was represented by Kay Telfer, Vicki Giarratano, and Kelly Mabee, and community partners, Dorian Lans and Jurell Spivey, Broome County Gang Prevention; Shannon Davis, Broome County Urban League; Donald Cole, Liberty Partnership, Binghamton University; and Holly Welfel, Oasis. New York City's CITY Project was represented by Jackie Davis-Manigaulte and Jamila Simon, and community partner, Diane Shirley, Police Althetic League, New York City.
The CITY Project team, Kay Telfer and Vicki Giarratano, CCE Broome, Jackie Davis-Manigaulte and Jamila Simon, CUCE New York City, June Mead, Dept. of Human Development; and Celeste Carmichael, CCE–NYS 4-H Office, presented a workshop on strategies for building collaborations to promote sustainability entitled, Building Bridges in the CITY Project: Strategies for Intentional Collaborations. Four CITY Teen Leaders, Asia Ambler and Calya Perricelli, CCE-Broome County and Sherrye Safford and Kimani Lewis-Ashley, CUCE-New York City presented highlights of their completed community improvement projects and spoke about what they have gained from their participation in the CITY Project and related 4-H activities and events. The CITY Leaders fielded questions from the audience and skillfully handled a spirited discussion of the benefits of youth-adult partnerships. These young people spoke in moving terms about the difference the project has made in their lives.
The CITY Project uses one of Cornell Cooperative Extension's Signature Programs, Youth Community Action (YCA) as a model for promoting civic engagement, workforce preparation, and asset development among youth (13-18 years old) in New York State's CYFAR Project. The CITY Project was designated as a 2007 Successful Urban 4-H Program by the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) Urban 4-H Programs Task Force. Using Public Adventures: An Active Citizenship Curriculum for Youth and a broad-based community collaboration approach, the CITY Project is working to empower at-risk youth to become community change agents. CITY Teen Leaders are identifying issues in their community through community mapping and the use technology to set achievable goals and work with caring adults to create lasting, sustainable changes in their communities. During summers, the CITY Teen Leaders gain job skills through paid employment as they carry out planned community improvement projects.
In Broome County, the CITY Project is partnering with the Broome County Urban League and Binghamton Housing Authority, Broome County Gang Prevention Program. In New York City, the CITY project is partnering with Henry Street Settlement, Manhattan, and the Police Athletic League Wynn Center, Brooklyn.
CYFAR 2008 Conference Presentations by Cornell Faculty and Staff
Advancing Youth Development: A Curriculum for Youth Worker and Youth- Serving Organizations
Eduardo González, Jr., and Lucinda Randolph-Benjamin, Cornell University Cooperative Extension–New York City
Building Bridges in the CITY Project: Strategies for Intentional Collaborations
Kay Telfer and Vicki Giarratano, Cornell Cooperative Extension–Broome County
Jackie Davis Manigaulte and Jamila Simon, Cornell University Cooperative Extension–New York City
June P. Mead, Cornell University
Celeste Carmichael, Cornell Cooperative Extension–NYS 4-H Office
Asia Ambler and Calya Perricelli, CITY Teen Leaders, Broome County
Sherrye Safford and Kimani Lewis-Ashley, CITY Teen Leaders, New York City
The Cornell Family Development Training and Credentialing Program: Transforming the Way Agencies Work with Families
Nancy Olsen-Harbich, Cornell University Cooperative Extension
Roberta Karant, Family Service League, Inc.
Creative Communication Tools—Simply Done
Celeste Carmichael, Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development
Jamila Simon, Cornell Cooperative Extension–New York City
Exploring Promising Practices: How to Make a Difference in Teen-Focused Programs Addressing Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting, and Sexuality (APPS)
Jackie Davis-Manigaulte, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, New York City
Finding a Way Through the Maze: A Day in the Life of Children and Teenagers
June P. Mead, Cornell University
Jackie Davis Manigaulte and Jamila Simon, Cornell University Cooperative Extension–New York City
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