DC mayor wants to make teen summer jobs expansion permanent

WASHINGTON — The race is on for teens and young adults who want to be part of the D.C. summer jobs program. 

The Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program received more than 6,000 online applications within 20 minutes of the website launching Friday, Mayor Muriel Bowser said.

The program will take applications through Feb. 24, Bowser said, to connect 13,000 young people to meaningful, paid work experiences.

In the program, 14- and 15-year-olds earn $5.25 an hour; 16- through 21 year-olds earn $8.25 an hour; and 22- through 24-year-olds earn $11.50 an hour.

The program cutoff used to be 21 but was expanded to include ages 22-24 starting in 2015. 

Bowser has asked the D.C. Council to make that expansion permanent. 

Applicant Andre Jones said he’s excited by the prospect of getting a summer job through the program. 

“I want to work,” the 15-year-old sophomore said. “I would love to get a job in the hospitality business — it seems fun.”

Jones, whose father died a few years ago, said he is eager to buy his own phone and contribute to the household income of his mom and two siblings.

“It’s very empowering,” said Akoshia Yoba, director of the Career Academy at the Maya Angelou Public Charter School that Jones attends. 

“I think it’s a wonderful way to establish a work ethic, to get students and young people acclimated to the world of work and how they may serve in it,” Yoba said.

Jones will prepare for a summer job at Yoba’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism. As for his future beyond high school, Jones said he would like to get into information technology or cyber security.

“If that doesn’t really work out, or even if it does, I would like to get a trade in mechanics and have that as a side job to bring in even more income,” Jones said.

Teens and young adults can apply for the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program on the program’s website.

 

Hello from Maya Angelou Academy! Our summer school program got off to a great start. Our interns along with our staff led our Harambee assembly. This activity was designed to build and strengthen our school community. Also, our amazing teachers worked collaboratively with our interns and support staff to create highly engaging lessons and activities. The collaborative approach led to high student engagement and achievement.

During our summer school program, our scholars participated in various computer coding activities and projects, led by our community partner, Code in the Schools. During the program, our scholars were taught computer programming and gaming. They also developed problem-solving skills associated with computer programming.

In addition, our scholars were also hard at work in their other classes. They worked on various graphic design projects in art class, completed their research paper in English and  conducted lab experiments on water pollution, genetics, and animal dissections in science. Academically, this summer was truly a great experience for our scholars!

Finally, several visitors from different organizations visited our school namely the Children’s Defense Fund and the U.S. Department of Education. Our visitors participated in our Harambee assemblies and classroom activities. Our scholars were inspired by their work and role in the community. We are eternally grateful to our visitors from the Children’s Defense Fund and the U.S Department of Education for supporting our scholars. To that end, we look forward to a great 2016-2017 school year.

This July, Maya Angelou Schools joined the March on Washington Film Festival to host an exclusive screening of “And Still I Rise,” a documentary featuring Dr. Maya Angelou’s life and legacy.

Fresh popcorn filled the air of MAPCS, as the Maya Ambassador Corps assembled goodie bags for the morning screening. The student hosts treated their fellow peers to a full movie theatre experience in the media center, where roughly 60 summer school students enjoyed the documentary. Special guests and staff were treated to an afternoon screening.

Following the film, Directors, Rita Coburn Whack and Bob Hercules, Isisara Bey of the March on Washington Film Festival,  as well as See Forever Foundation Board Member and Dr. Angelou’s grandson, Colin Johnson, spoke with students and staff about the importance of the documentary and Dr. Angelou’s extraordinary life.

“What was the hardest part about making the film?” asked Maya student, Joshua. “Trying to figure out what parts to cut,” jokingly responded the directors. The 2-hour documentary chronicles the robust life of the legendary, poet,  singer, dancer, and civil rights activist, and still had much more footage that wasn’t included. Dr. Angelou accomplished a lot in her storied life, and even keeping the film to 2 hours was a task.

“I get emotional every time,” said Johnson of the film. Mr. Johnson, the only grandson of the late poet, runs Caged Bird Legacy, which aims to continue Dr. Angelou’s great work. He recently joined the board of the See Forever Foundation to take more of a role in Maya Schools. Mr. Johnson has already made an impact on the Maya Angelou Schools and looks to continue his grandmother’s legacy by playing an active role in empowering the students and schools to see forever.

Enjoy the clip of And Still I Rise below, and make sure to visit http://mayaangeloufilm.com/ to see a screening near you!

 

What a year it has been for our Maya Rebels! We introduced a new learning model, changes to the schedule, new programs, and our students pushed through in true Maya spirit.

Held at Trinity University, MAPCS Class of 2016 Graduation was a culmination of students’ hard work, perseverance, and a little G.R.I.T. “Growth Rooted in Transformation,” a thematic system introduced in MAPCS last year to promote positive behavior and support an encouraging learning environment. And given the outside challenges, some of our students face, grit is something our students surely have. Their relentlessness proved transformative as students made it through the end of their senior year.

Many of our students were emotional during their walk across the stage, including valedictorian, Jada C. Holding back tears, she talked about making new friends, overcoming the death of her mentor, and adhering to a new style of learning this past year. “It didn’t just teach me how to do my work, but it taught me how to be responsible and take advantage of my education in my own way, on my own time.” Jada, an Achievers Scholar, who maintained a 3.5 GPA in her four years at Maya, will be attending Norfolk State University in the fall to pursue business, with hopes of becoming an entrepreneur.

Jada’s story was met with cheers, heartwarming smiles, and tears of joy. She is one of the 34 total graduates for MAPCS, who received more than $1 million in scholarships and over 70 acceptances to dozens of institutions across the country.

And across town, our YALC and Maya Academy students saw their successes celebrated at the GALA Hispanic Theatre. YALC students bravely told their stories, from trials to triumph, to an audience of their peers, teachers, and family. Students like Lowell Blackmon described his personal journey of navigating 10 schools in six years to finally walking across the stage as a Maya Alumni. A poet and an artist, Lowell plans to enter the hospitality program at the University of District Columbia. In total, 13 GED graduates and 15 OSHA-10 PACT recipients were honored that day.

A smaller, more intimate graduation celebrated the transformation of 6 Maya Angelou Academy graduates. Former MAA student, Kenneil Cole, spoke directly to his peers, describing his journey from juvenile offender to champion for justice reform. His story, nothing short of remarkable, is an inspiration for graduates like Tyrell M., who will follow in his footsteps and attend Delaware State University this fall.

The Maya Family is proud to celebrate all of our graduates of the Class of 2016. We wish them continued success on their journey to college and careers. Through our alumni network, we will continue offer support and empower them to grow successfully so they can see forever. This is how we live the Maya Way, even when no one is watching.

Click through the galleries below to see graduation photos!

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