The main activities involved a community mapping/surveying project that culminated in a community forum. The teens:

• Created a survey to administer to adults and teens in the community
• Drew a map of the community
• Walked around the community identifying business/organizations/assets/needs
• Interviewed key individuals in the community (Senator Raoul, Dr. Karanja-the executive director of Centers for New Horizons, Andrea Lee-educational organizer, John Owens-community organizer, Bernard Clark-Community organizer), as well as other school and social service organization representatives
• Planed the community forum event
• Researched five primary problems in their community: poverty, substance abuse, gangs, teen pregnancy, and education
• Wrote up a comprehensive report on the survey findings, research on the above topics, and their recommendations
  

• The teens continued to mentor youth at Donoghue Elementary School
• All of the teens participated in a weekly "Warrior Circle" where everyone took on a warrior task—an action leading to self-improvement that requires courage to achieve
• The teens planned a magic show for the elementary students
• The teens planned a Fitness Day for the elementary students

• Apprentices mentored and tutored students in Donoghue Elementary's summer school program
• Apprentices worked under a master gardener and helped upkeep the garden at Donoghue
• Guest speakers including Nareej Dhawan (India), Amanda Flott (Amnesty International), Dr. Brenda Crawley (Africa), Dr. Katherine Tyson (Lithuania, Finland, and Thailand), and Allie Harned (Habitat for Humanity)
• Writing lectures for action on social issues with Amnesty International
  
• Selecting and researching five international social work topics of the teens choosing – genital mutilation, street children in India, rape in the Congo, human rights in Burma, and AIDS in Africa
• Videotaping these activities for a short film: "Change Yourself to Change the World: Stand Up! Help Out! Goes Global"
• Guest speakers spoke to the youth on all of the above topics.
• The apprentices studied environmental issues and gave presentations to the elementary school youth about how they can take action on the environment.
• A documentary entitled "Chicago Needs the Green" was created to show the teens work on the environment
• "Amazing Race" – whereby two teams of teens went throughout the city (Chinatown, Millennium Park, Water Tower, Uptown, Wrigley Field, Rogers Park) to complete various tasks

• Youth were trained in the principles of the social work profession.
• Youth were trained in effectively starting and maintaining mentoring relationships.
• Youth continued to mentor elementary students at Donoghue Elementary School
• Youth planned and implemented a career fair for Donoghue Elementary students. The teens tried to inspire the youth about careers in public safety, business, sports, law, medicine, construction, and many others.
• Teens researched and presented on topics related to transitioning from high school, including "How to get into college," "Scholarship options," "Options other than college," and "Things to know when you go to college."
• Different guest speakers spoke on issues related to self-determination, including a little person and a domestic violence survivor.
• A documentary entitled "Passing It On" was created to show how the teens were mentored and then mentored the Donoghue youth.

• Youth were trained in the principles of the social work profession.
• Youth were trained in effectively starting and maintaining mentoring relationships.
• Youth continued to mentor elementary students at Donoghue Elementary School
• Youth planned and implemented a health fair, discussing hygiene, handwashing, smoking, nutrition, fitness, and stress.
• Dr. Brenda Crawley spoke to the youth about maintaining self-determination.
• Faculty, Dr. Elizabeth Coffman and Don Wycliff, and students from the School of Communication began training the teens on writing newspaper articles/editorials and working with technology.

• Youth trained in principles of social work.
• Youth planned and led a nonviolence forum for the Bronzeville community. They led five break-out sessions: The Power and Purpose of Communication; Judging a Book by its Cover; Getting to Know Them; Moving in the Right Direction; Respect.
• Youth mentored youth in Donoghue Elementary School's summer program.
• Youth led workshops on "The ABC'S of Everyday Life": Anger Management; Self-Esteem; Conflict Resolution; and, Bullying.
• ACT Prep Workshops were held throughout the summer.
• Three college visits occurred throughout the program.
• Youth recorded three radio documentaries: Life as a Girl 101; Young Men's Perspective; Life After the Wells.

• Youth trained in the principles of social work.
• An elementary school health fair, serving over 50 students, was implemented. Each elementary student left the event with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, nutritional fact sheet, a coloring book about nutrition, stress ball, stress identification sticker, two healthy snacks and a recipe book of healthy snacks.
• Our apprentices served as mentors for five classrooms in the elementary after school program, serving over 60 elementary students.
• Youth learned how to make a goal plan and each completed a goal plan with short- and long-term benchmarks
• Two college tours in the fall (Robert Morris in October and Loyola University in December).
• A safety fair for 5-10-year-olds, serving over 25 students, discussing topics such as transportation safety, stranger danger, bullying, and household safety.
• A community health fair took place on April 12, 2008; over 75 community residents came to the health fair at the Abraham Lincoln Centre.
• Apprentices developed a documentary discussing problems in the Chicago Public School system. Apprentices interviewed such individuals as Arne Duncan and Barbara Eason-Watkins. Apprentices documented their own policy recommendations to improve the school system.

• Youth trained in the principles of social work.
• All youth were trained in the Peacemakers program
• The youth developed Beyond the Stars, a social skills curriculum for elementary-age youth addressing four areas: self-esteem, conflict resolution, bullying and anger management.
• Forty elementary-age youth participated in the Beyond the Stars program.
• Youth learned how to make a goal plan and each completed a goal plan with short-term and long-term benchmarks.
• Youth learned all aspects of creating a documentary.
• Youth each contributed to a nonviolence anthology.
• The youth went on two college tours.
• All youth left the program with an updated resume and practiced interviewing skills.
• The youth learned the basics of the social work profession.
• Twelve guest speakers came to the program to discuss various aspects of the problem of violence and ways to intervene.
• Five of our youth applied for and were accepted to be on the Illinois State Youth Advisory Board for Violence Prevention.
• A documentary premiere was co-sponsored by Loyola University Chicago on September 13, 2007 to premiere a documentary documenting our youths' efforts to combat violence.

• An elementary school health fair, serving over 50 students, was implemented. Each elementary student left the event with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, nutritional fact sheet, a coloring book about nutrition, stress ball, stress identification sticker, two healthy snacks and a recipe book of healthy snacks.
• Our apprentices served as tutors for five classrooms in the elementary after school program, serving over 60 elementary students.
• Youth learned how to make a goal plan and each completed a goal plan with short- and long-term benchmarks
• Two college tours in the fall (Robert Morris in October and Loyola University in December).
• A safety fair for 5-10-year-olds, serving over 25 students, discussing topics such as transportation safety, stranger danger, bullying, and household safety.
• A community health fair took place on April 14, 2007; over 75 community residents came to the health fair; lunch was provided to the health fair guests
• A DVD documenting the Stand Up! Help Out! 2 entitled Doolittle Days.

• Youth visited a six different colleges
• Youth were exposed to different professions with over 10 guest presenters.
• Youth participated in five community service projects, including work with the elderly, mentoring youth, and cleaning up their neighborhood.
• All youth left with a resume and practiced interviewing skills
• Youth learned how to make a goal plan and each completed one complete with short-term and long-term benchmarks
• Instructors met one-on-one with each of the students to discuss their high school schedules.
• We held a Parents' Night to conference about their children's progress.

©2010 Stand Up! Help Out!