DNA Info: Roseland Teens Help Fix Up Abandoned Homes To Rent

Something you may have seen on our ig

I think this is what we'd all like to see more of in our communities. No more stories about the youth causing trouble in our neighborhoods more about them deciding to help build it back up. That's what the young men in this story are doing.

Simeon Career Academy senior Hakeem Day would rather be working with his hands than in the streets.

“I’ve been interested in construction since I was a little kid and this gives me the opportunity to practice for the future because I plan on doing this in the future,” said the 18-year-old Roseland resident.

He is getting that opportunity through a new youth and trades After School Matters program.

Aaron Mallory, 28, of Roseland started the program through his nonprofit God Restoring Order, or G.R.O. He’s working with a group of high school teens from schools including Simeon, Morgan Park and the Noble charter schools

The goal is to improve the community one block at a time by rehabbing the abandoned homes, and Mallory is doing just that with the help of local teens. They’re finishing up work on their first home near 109th Street and Wentworth Avenue.

The reporter for this story Andrea Watson has a poll up asking "Should our teens learn the trades?" My answer would be yes, we need carpenters, mechanics, pipe fitters, plumbers, etc. Trades in addition to helping our young people get into college. Different programs and different options.

At that learn a trade and be a value to our community and earn some community service credits. I forgot about getting valuable job experience.

Read the whole thing.

#mbmhmc: "RFK" Wicker Park

Jahmal Cole as part of his efforts with My Block My Hood My City takes a group of teenagers to Wicker Park. These teens came from Roseland and North Lawndale and even experience a donation of shoes from the owner of Wicker Park's Bucketfeet.

The activities of Cole's My Block My Hood My City is supported by the purchase of merchandise such as t-shirts and hoodie sweatshirts. It not only includes the webseries where Cole visits different neighborhoods and parks, but also sending teens to different parts of the city where they've never been.

Time to buy some of their merchandise to support this mission.

ALSO, check out this previous post of one such young man Cole took to different parts of the city.

3M Explorers Club Testimonial "My Block, My Hood, My City

[VIDEO] I could fully support this, getting young people out of their element in their neighborhoods and seeing how big this city truly is. Whereever you're from people in other parts of the city aren't living like you. Young people could learn this as much as anyone else.

You may live in a depressed low-income community but you should see how more middle-class or working-class people live. Better yet see how much more wealthier people live. Basic idea, perhaps you can see yourself heading up such households.

Better yet, this young person Noah had his eyes opened being exposed to different parts of the city it's allowed him to go away to Prairie State A & M University in Texas where he's studying marketing. He discusses the impact of Jahmal Cole's Explorer's Club on him. So apparently Cole has had two go to college, hopefully we might see more success as the years go by.

Hopefully we'll see further activities by the Explorer's Club. BTW, it's about time I buy some apparel as well. It will support these activities.

My Block My Hood My City explorers...

[VIDEO] On this blog we posted video from Jahmal Cole's trip to Altgeld Garden. This was something he recorded in the fall last year. Today he shows us another facet of his My Block My Hood My City.

He takes teens on explorations around the city. Cole likes to say you can travel the world in Chicago as there are many different cultures who live in this city. So he takes teens to Chinatown, Greektown, Pilsen and other destinations. Basically he seeks to take teens from their neighborhoods and have them see the rest of the world.

As an aside I did show a video where the red line ventures to once it leaves the south side starting from 95th Street. Beyond this part of town there is a much larger world.

Is this something you could support?

CPS on spring break

Worlee over at The Sixth Ward notes that while there is no school this coming week the Chicago Park District will be open in addition to other options. While there will be activities for young people during their break from school, there are many who won't have any supervised activities. Everyone should be vigilant this week.

If only Bennett-Shedd students knew about this contest

The C-Span StudentCam Contest. For those of you from 6th to 12th grades (middle school to high school) you have until January 20, 2011 to enter. Winners will be announced March 9, 2011. The video above let's you know that there's only a month remaining in this competition.

Here's more:

C-SPAN's StudentCam is an annual national video documentary competition that encourages students to think seriously about issues that affect our communities and our nation. Students are asked to create a short (5-8 minute) video documentary on a topic related to the competition theme listed below.

The topic:

Tell us about an issue, event, or topic that helped you better understand the role of the federal government in your life or community.

Man, I do wish I could enter this contest and perhaps I still could make a documentary on this very subject and I already have cameras too.

It reminds me when I was in the 7th Grade I was a huge enough Star Trek fan where I was very interested in re-filming episodes. Of course I had no idea where to start or began but I did start thinking about which classmates I would cast. :P

And by the time I hit 8th Grade - just in time to take the US and state constitution examinations - surely the subjects would've changed. If I had a video camera my interest surely would've turned to politics and just perfect for this contest depending upon the theme. It does change from year to year and I have no idea if this contest goes that far back.

If only I had a way to show what I could've done back them. Hopefully the project would've gotten off the ground then. ;)