F.U.T.U.R.E. Teens Publish Newspaper

Teen 411 - Getting the News at FFYS

As part of the Intergenerational Dinner in November, a group of teens at F.U.T.U.R.E. Foundation Youth Services (FFYS) got together and published their first newsletter, called "Get the News of F.U.T.U.R.E." It its debut publication, it features the purpose and mission of the organization, and highlights programs and projects teens participated in throughout the year. Said Emir Hardy, Executive Director of F.U.T.U.R.E., "I was surprised and quite impressed that they took it upon themselves and produced the whole newspaper." The publication itself is an extension of the knowledge and talent that the students have demonstrated all year long throughout the program.

Articles include reports on activities such as Cease Fire, a skit performed to stem an outbreak of violence that plagued the community earlier in the year, Make a Difference Day, where the youth cleaned a vacant lot of accumulated trash. Articles on the Kwanzaa Play and ArtTrek, where youth participated in various art projects, demonstrated the creative side of the teens. Public audiences received their performances warmly, and the teens beamed with pride and confidence on their efforts.

This newspaper captures the imagination and achievements of the youth of F.U.T.U.R.E. It can also be seen as a measure of progress, one that demonstrates impact that FFYS has had on the lives of these teens, and the quality of its program and staff.

F.U.T.U.R.E. Fact F.U.T.U.R.E. serves approximately 100 low income youths, providing after school activities to youth between the times of 3p.m. to 9p.m., longer than any agency dedicated to serving youth in Ford Heights.

Programs should hire skilled and qualified staff that are experienced in working with school-age children. Programs should also provide attractive compensation and work scheduling packages to retain quality staff.