With so much violence parading the streets of Chicago involving the youth, one could only wonder how the youth have become so connected to so much violence and crime, and why isn't anyone doing anything to stop them from hurting and hating one another. Have the communities laid aside the concept of "It takes a village to raise a child?" Or have many shut their eyes and doors frightened to lend a helping hand due to the "Snitches Get Stitches" mentality. Just recently 16 year old honor student Derrion Albert was beaten to death by the hands of several other young men in the Roseland community on the far south side of Chicago which has a reputation for it's high crime, and gang violence. But how does one break through the barriers to re-direct the minds sets and help regulate the hearts of the youth who have become gang members and victims of committing crime? Who is to help educate the youth who have resulted to violence, s*x and crime in order to solve the problems that they deal with on the everyday basis due to a lack of education? Who are those who are willing to stand up and help make a better way? Educator and retired school teacher of 42 years Robert Smith has taken the initiative to help redirect the mind sets and hearts of the youth with the Employability Plus II program which offers our youth a second chance for academic success.
Where one child is focused on his duties that he has as a committed gang member, another doesn't have the time to sit in a class room because he/she just doesn't have the ability to stay focused. His time is limited and he/she has much more responsibility in the streets and at home that need to be handled, and staying in a class room for eight hours just doesn't give lead way to the prioritized responsibilities that have nothing to do with school. He has know one to please at home, without mother and father, and his role-model is the murder on the set of a GodFather movie. "As long as he can count that money" this is all that matters. His question is what reason should I stay in school? Nothing here will help me advance in life. This is the question that goes through the minds of many inner city children that have become placed in alternative programs that will allow for them to get the education needed in order to help re-direct their mindset to deal with the diversity of society. According to Educator Robert Smith, there would be no hope for many of the youth without programs like the Employability Plus II program.
Employability Plus II program is located on the West side of Chicago. Classes take place in The ABLA Community Center across from the ABLA homes better known as "The Village" where Mr. Smith was raised as a child. Mr. Smith deeply felt the need to give back to the community that raised him up, this is where the his responsibility to the Employability Plus II program came into existence. This program is an extended program of the Employability program that was created 20 years ago to help the youth from the Cabrini Green housing projects to excel academicly. Lead players like Oprah Winfrey who provided speakers and working professionals to give insight to the youth about careers and education, Jesse White helped by way of extending sponsorship, Robert Smith represented the board of education as a teacher and coordinator, and Carolyn Shelton helped with job development programs. Soon after Mr. Robert Smith helped in the developing process of Employability Plus II which offers the youth a second chance to receive an education. Employability Plus II has partner with Crane Technical Prep High School and many other high schools in the Chicago area in order to help the youth get back on track and enter back into the traditional school system. Testing determines whether each child is ready to take the next step to success.
Mr. Smith says that "Students are learning and working from 9AM-2:30PM to get back on the right track in order to get their diploma so that we can help send them off to college, this is our goal." Mr. Smith uses his knowledge and skills as an education veteran to help the youth and explains that "If one uses the tool which has brought him down as a life learned lesson, it should make him a better person." The Employability Plus II program has lent a helping hand to young men and women who were apart of gangs, teen mothers and fathers, and those who are just looking for a second chance, to be re-directed. Currently the program has excepted 30 plus students this year and has began the process of leaving no child behind with it's efforts of keeping each student connected to what's needed in order to be employable, educated, and ready for the real world. For more information about the Employability Plus II Program contact Mr. Robert Smith 773-534-7858. For information on more second chance programs contact CPS at 773- 553-1000 or log on to CPS.EDU
Posted By: Talibah Bakhit
Tuesday, March 2nd 2010 at 10:59AM
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