Page 3..…………………...…..………Spotlight on Youth Page 4…………….…………..Take Our Youth to Work Page 8…………………………….…..……Tech Education MAY / 2015 William A. Bell, Sr., Mayor Cedric D. Sparks, Sr., Executive Director 1608 7TH AVENUE N | BIRMINGHAM, AL 35203 | PH: (205) 320-0879 | FAX: (205) 297-8139 | www.bhamyouthfirst.org UPCOMING EVENTS May 16, 2015 May 16, 2015 May 16, 2015 May 15-31, 2015 May 20—24, 2015 COLLEGE FAIR SMART ART YOUTH DO DAH DAY Red Mountain Theatre DISNEY’S FROZEN ON 10:00am 2:00pm ARTS FESTIVAL 11:00am—5:00pm Company presents ICE Willow Wood Recreation 11:00am—3:00pm Caldwell Park THE WIZ 7:00pm—9:00pm Center Boutwell Auditorium RMTC BJCC For more info: For more info: For more info: www.dodahday.org For more info: For more info: (205) 591-1798 (205) 320-0879 (205) 324-2424 (800) 745-3000 Srihari Prahadeeswaran Hoover High School D1 Sports Training Kendrick McKinney A.H. Parker High School Birmingham tuned in on th Alabama Adventure April 16 to watch the 2015 Kids & Jobs Craig Taylor Draft. With the help of 2015 Draft Participants Ramsay High School the City of Birmingham ReVamp, LLC Mayor’s Office Division of Youth teamwork and professional skills. Services’ (DYS) staff and FOX6 six After a series of interviews and Hannah Woods participants competed to win paid teamwork challenges, the top six Oak Grove High School internships with companies looking students were selected by area to hire Birmingham’s best and Smoke Law, LLC companies: brightest young people. Miaya Webster Josselyn Cruz Selected from the top students Alabama School of Fine Arts G.W. Carver High School across the Birmingham Metropolitan Dr. Tomeka Roberts, M.D. Birmingham Athletic Partnership area, participants went through a rigorous process to test their (Continued on page 4) charities. If you want a chance to win a fabulous prize, sign up to compete in one of our PARADE CATEGORIES: Best Float Best Team Largest Pet Do Dah Day grew out of Best Movie-Themed an idea in 1979 and has Pet or Pet/Human Group raised almost $1.5 Best Dressed Pet million since! The South’s craziest parade Best Pet/Owner Look-Alike kicks off at 11:01 a.m. on the streets of Highland Avenue in Birmingham’s Parade at 11:01 a.m. The parade route Southside. Then, spend the day in follows Highland Ave. westbound, past Rushton & Rhodes parks and ends at 01 Caldwell and Rhodes Parks with friends, American Youth Caldwell Park. Festival in the Caldwell pets, arts & crafts, kid’s activities, and a and Rhodes Parks after the parade. Literacy Foundation lineup of great bands. Oh yes, we have Ongoing @ BPL Central plenty of food and beverages, and For more info: www.dodahday.org Library collectible Do Dah Day t-shirts. After-school tutoring Minimum Age: 14 yrs All proceeds benefit local animal Contact: http://youthlit.org 02 The United Community Center On-going Volunteers are needed every third Saturday to bag foods and load packages in cars. Contact: (205) 925-2944 or www.uwca.org 03 How can you expand your professional YWCA of Central network, enjoy special social events, and Alabama support a worthy organization at the The BPL invites you to become member same time? Join the Birmingham Public of its YP team. Take advantage of its Monday—Friday (3:45pm— Library's Young Professionals group! 5:45pm) leadership, volunteer, and networking After-school enrichment program opportunities while helping to sustain the The BPL YPs support the literary culture to work with elementary & largest cultural organization in of the Birmingham region and are middle school children on Birmingham and Jefferson County. homework, reading skills, committed to making the library the classroom projects and special center of lifelong learning for the city. The The BPL YP's are a vital part of this events. group hosts lectures, special collection support organization, and the funds Minimum Age: 19 yrs tours, and other social events; volunteer raised by them will provide direct aid to Contact: (205) 322-9922 or time and skills; and work to increase essential programs and materials. [email protected] public awareness and access to the Library’s resources. For information on how to nominate someone or apply, visit Young Professional groups are a popular www.bplonline.org/yp or call Brandon way to broaden your skill and experience Smith at 205-591-4944. in the business world while supporting a worthy organization. Miaya Webster, a senior at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA), took the first place trophy and a $300 cash prize; second place winner Whitney McWilliams, also of ASFA, received $200; and third place winner, Trinity Packer of Shades Valley High School, received $150. Miaya was the second 2015 WORD UP Poetry Winners place winner at last (from l to r): Miaya Webster, 1st Place; Whitney McWilliams, 2nd Place; and year’s WORD UP! and Trinity Packer, 3rd Place took third place in 2013. Sixteen young poets, representing high schools from Jim Reed served as the emcee of WORD UP!. The throughout Jefferson County, gave heartfelt performances judges were Will Gillette (first place winner of 2010 during the 2015 WORD UP! WORD UP!); Tomika Glenn (performance poet who has been the top winner at the BPL’s Bards and Brews WORD UP! is a poetry slam for high school students slams); and Sharrif Simmons (local performance artist, enrolled in schools—or home schooled—in Jefferson songwriter and activist who has appeared on HBO’s Def County. Sponsored by the Birmingham Public Library Poetry Jam and has toured extensively in Europe). (BPL) System and Real Life Poets (RLP), the event was held on Saturday, April 11th at 3:00pm at the Birmingham To learn more about WORD UP! and the 2015 winners, Public Library. www.bplonline.org Presented by McWane Science Presented by Red Mountain Theater FREE and Open to the Public Center Stage Nine Exhibit Design presents its highly nd The New Musical Version of "The DYS will host its 2 Annual SMART acclaimed TOYTOPIA exhibition. TOY- Wonderful Wizard of Oz". Move on down ARTS FESTIVAL, designed to expose TOPIA is an immersive and interactive exhi- Birmingham youth to the many cultural bition focusing on the various histories and the Road! Winner of 7 Tony awards, this arts opportunities available in the city. legacies of toy makers throughout the past beloved Broadway musical sets Dorothy's This FREE youth cultural arts event century of toy making. Visitors learn about adventures in the Land of Oz to music in a will be held from 11 AM until 3 PM. the origins of toys, who made them, and why dazzling, lively mixture of rock, gospel, and they are fun and dear to us. soul! For more info: (205) 320-0879 For more info: (205) 714-8300 For more info: (205) 324-2424 (Continued from page 1) Those lucky students aren’t the only ones who will head to work this summer. Hundreds of 16-to-21 year-olds also applied to participate in the Summer Executive Internship (SEI) program. Participants will get an opportunity to gain experience in their chosen career paths. Hundreds of Birmingham’s 14 and 15-year-olds also came out at the Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham Crossplex in anticipation of participating in the Kids & Jobs Program. This summer, DYS and FOX 6 will put hundreds of youth On Thursday, April 23, 2015, the City of Birmingham participated in the National Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day. In partnership with Birmingham City Schools, State Representative Merika Coleman-Evans and State Representative Juandalyn Givan, nearly 250 Birmingham City Schools sixth, seventh and eight graders got a close-up view of what it takes to run the City of Birmingham. Employees were paired with students to discuss the different job opportunities within city government and which careers require college or vocational technical school. A special thanks to Representatives Merika Coleman-Evans and Juandalyn Givan, Birmingham City Schools, Baptist Health Systems—Princeton and the City of Birmingham Departments for making the event such a success. See photos from the April 23rd event below. BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOL 2015 GRADUATION DATES All seven high schools in the Birmingham City School System will hold their graduation ceremonies at the Bill Harris Arena at the Birmingham Crossplex. Parker High School Woodlawn High School Thursday, May 21, 2015 Friday, May 22, 2015 10:00 AM 10:00 AM Jackson-Olin High School Wenonah High School Ramsay High School Thursday, May 21, 2015 Thursday, May 21, 2015 Friday, May 22, 2015 1:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM Huffman High School Carver High School Thursday, May 21, 2015 Friday, May 22, 2015 4:00 PM 4:00 PM Birmingham City Don’t forget to remember that Schools’ Summer special MOM in your life! Extended Learning Mother’s Day is Sunday, Opportunities May 10, 2015. June 9th - July 10th Happy Mother’s Day to all the (Monday - Thursday) Moms! 8:00 am - 1:00 pm (Elem, K-8 & Middle) 7:30 am - 3:00 pm (High Schools) can apply to University of Alabama Early Algebra I Extended Year College anytime during For 8th Graders enrolled their sophomore, junior in Pre-AP Algebra I or senior year of high Parker, Wenonah & Huffman school if they have a _______________________ 3.0 or higher GPA, ACT Writing Camp 2015 cumulative from the 9th For rising 11th & 12th grade. graders Jackson-Olin, Parker & Wenonah "All of my successes _______________________ At only 15-years-old, were made possible Nakayla Bruno's already due to God, my loving Fine Arts Summer gleaming future is getting family, and the Enrichment a head start.