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 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 Parade at 11:01 a.m. The parade route Highland Avenue in Birmingham’s 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 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 , 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 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 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. Nakayla has wonderful teachers in For 6th - 8th graders completed the extensive Nakayla Bruno the Birmingham City Bush Hills Academy, application process and Schools district that Huffman Middle, Jones was accepted in the have helped me Valley, Ossie Ware, University of Alabama Early College harvest my knowledge." said Nakayla. Washington K-8 & Wilkerson Program, which allows students to earn college credit while still in high school. The high school sophomore began taking college freshman courses at The For more info: The process included the University of bhamcityschools.org University of Alabama on February 12th. Alabama Early College online application, Counselor verification memo and Congratulations from Ramsay High, transcript, and a student essay. Students Birmingham City Schools and DYS.

May 30th 8:00am Uptown Entertainment District

The Happiest 5k on the Planet is shining brighter in 2015 with a totally new tour! We've got some surprises coming that Participants will receive a limited edition will blow your mind! The 2015 Shine Tour Shine Tour Participant Kit including a 01 is designed to uplift and inspire runners custom Race tee, gold finishers medal, Celebrating Spring with to stand out from the crowd, sweat glitter, tricolor headband with blingin’ silver Dance and continue to live their lives in a happy stitching, special edition GLITTER pack, May 1st—3rd @ Alabama and healthy way. classic color pack, new gold tattoos and School of Arts more! Welcome Spring with a blend of Get ready for special sparkle attractions choreographic dance styles on the course, glamorous photo ops, and For more info: performed by ASFA's talented new shine elements at the Finish http://thecolorrun.com/birmingham/ dancers in the Dorothy Jemison Festival! This is the year to unleash your Day Theater. inner sparkle! 02 Birmingham Funk Fest 2015 May 2nd @ Stadium With classic hits by legendary artists like Frankie Beverly and Maze and the Ohio Players, to the sounds of contemporary music’s heavy hitters like Jill Scott and Outkast, Funk Fest delivers an all-star line up that has the “old school,” “new school” and everyone in between jamming all Academies like the ones we now have in night long. Birmingham are already proven to help people like you find a career path that 03 fits and successfully pursue it. There are Red Mountain Theatre almost 200 academies in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Company presents THE WIZ Academies work by teaching you what May 15th—31st @ RMTC you need to know in class, and then "The Wiz" features a Here in Birmingham, we are fortunate to giving you hands-on experience in real- spectacularly talented all-star, all be able to offer the newest educational world settings, so that you can see how -Birmingham cast. And in the approach to preparing you for careers in what you’re learning in school will tradition of the show's first growth industries – the Academies of actually get used groundbreaking performance in Birmingham. These small learning in your chosen 1975, the cast of this funk- communities help focus you on the areas career. infused folk-tale, this soulful rock you’re most interested in and give you -gospel, is all-African American the tools you need either to go straight to work right out of your senior year, or For tickets to RTMC's production further pursue your options in college. of "The Wiz," visit the Box Office at redmountaintheatre.org or In Birmingham, we currently have six call (205) 324-2424 different types of academies being offered in six different schools. Itty Bitty Magic City features: • Main Street: Captures the look and feel of a downtown main street area. • Tot Spot: Where McWane’s youngest visitors to explore and play. • Ball Zone: Takes the ball — one of the most basic children’s toy — to new heights. The Birmingham Children’s Museum Itty Bitty • Water Play: Fascinates children with Magic City at McWane Science Center is for its smallest water domes, ball vortices, squirters and pumps. visitors – from newborns to kindergarteners and their families. The new exhibit space will encourage children’s For more information visit www.albabymag.com. love of learning through the four major types of play – physical, exploratory, constructive and imaginative.

community leaders need to join the effort. More superintendents, school administrators and teachers need to assign greater importance to physical activity and physical education.

So, while we are racking our brains as to why America’s students are struggling to keep up with their global counterparts in reading, math and science and how to boost standardized test scores, the During National Physical Fitness and to America’s schools. answer may be right in front of us. Sports Month, First Lady Michelle Obama and her team are celebrating the So far, more than 14,000 schools and For more information, visit 5th Anniversary of the “Let’s Move” www.letsmove.gov. Campaign. As athletes, community champions have signed up for Let’s leaders and health enthusiasts, the Move! Active Schools – a tremendous President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & testament to the need for our Nutrition is on the Let’s Move! team and kids to be moving more quarterbacking the Let’s Move! Active throughout the school day. Schools sub-initiative. Let’s Move! Active Schools launched two years ago and is But there is more work to do. aimed at bringing physical activity back More parents, educators,

Here’s something to take to heart

In hoping to begin again,

If you never decide to start, San-San Says: STARTING How can you reach the end? OVER

– Sankeithia Sellers 1996, and turns back the clock to the 1948 season. The 12:30 p.m. contest features the Birmingham Barons squaring against the Jacksonville Suns, the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. Former Rookie of the Year, eight-time Major League Baseball All-Star, and four-time World Series champion Darryl Strawberry headlines the game as the Guest of Honor and is available for autographs during the game.

Since 1996 the Birmingham Barons This year's game celebrates the have traveled back to historic Rickwood 1948 season, the theme of the first Field once a year to celebrate classic, and the Barons fourth Birmingham's rich baseball past. The home of the Dixie Series title. Birmingham joined the Southern Birmingham Barons from 1910-1987, is Association in 1901, and the Dixie Series was played America's oldest in-use ballpark. The Friends of between the playoff champions of the Southern Rickwood, a non-profit organization, have helped Association and the Texas League. The Barons claimed preserve the timeless relic and part of the proceeds from the series (4-1) over Fort Wayne that year to nail down each year's Classic goes towards improvements and one of six Dixie Series championships it won from 1920- upkeep on the stadium. 1950, and 1967.

Set for Wednesday, May 27th, the classic celebrates the For more info: (205) 988-3200 20th anniversary of the first throwback game, played in

Can a lion share a cupcake with an astronaut under the sea? You have the power to decide -- choosing characters, taking them on adventures and creating your very own story along the way. my StoryMaker® lets you control characters and objects -- and it creates sentences for you! Or, you can enter your own words. Once you are done with your story, you can print it out. This free book-creation tool lets kids create partially animated stories that won't be posted online or otherwise shared with the general public. It's relatively simple to use; kids will choose the basic components of a story from a pre-populated menu and then write in the details on each page. You can save stories and return to them later, but take note: Users automatically agree to let the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh display any content they create for promotional use, according to a home page disclaimer. > Play my StoryMaker® my Storymaker® was named one of the Best Websites for Teaching and Learning by the American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association.

For more information, visit http://www.carnegielibrary.org/kids/storymaker/