Family Neighborhood Network Newsletter

August 2007 - "The Hip-Hop in Me" Summer Program

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For most young people, summer is a time for recreation, relaxation, free time, and vacation. For a group of young people who call themselves Mad Kool Artists (MKA), this summer meant something more. MKA is the result of (TLC) Teen Link to Community’s “The Hip-Hop in Me” Summer Program. The program was created for middle and high school students in Sullivan County to come together and create positive messages of their own, to communicate through contemporary urban art forms. All summer, fifteen young people committed three days a week to produce a two hour performance and art production entitled “Keep the World Fresh”. The performance on Friday, August 24th at the BOCES St. John Street Auditorium was well received by an enthusiastic audience of nearly 100 guests! The multi-media production consisted of song, dance, spoken word, drama, and visual art. The two-part graffiti mural, “Alternative Solutions”, by fourteen year old local artist James Ivory, was presented as the back drop to the show. The theme of his piece, as with that of the entire program, is the negative issues these young people would like to see “STOP”, such as violence, hate, abuse, etc,  with the alternatives they promote, as listed in the “GO” portion: dance, play, volunteer, etc. Their poetry, rap, and original play entitled, Cause an Effect, spoke of their belief in promoting not only a positive attitude, but more positive behaviors in young people and adults alike.

              Each week consisted of workshops pertaining to their personal values and goals, creative projects portraying how they see themselves and how they would like to be perceived, organized recreation, performance planning, and, the last few weeks, daily diligent pre-production rehearsal.

              Although their hard work, commitment, and creative effort resulted in an entertaining community event enjoyed by all ages, the result of the program is much more than that. The youth involved are a marvel and model of collaboration and cooperation. MKA come from different backgrounds and locations: Monticello, Liberty, South Fallsburg, Narrowsburg, and New York City. These young people came into the program as strangers, and left as friends. They came in with a sense of social justice, but left with the ability to act on it. They came undirected, and left with purpose. Those who came in as loners are leaving as leaders. They really believe in promoting a positive message, as exemplified by the creation of MKA’s Keep the World Fresh. Their promotion of a positive attitude, and the successful result their effort has yielded, not only for each other, but for those who witnessed their show, is a positive lesson for all.

              For youth interested in TLC programs like this and others, such as Peer Leaders and our upcoming after-school program, please contact TLC (845) 791-7429.

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