prodigy monthly july 2016

1

July 2016

A New Season of Transforming Young LivesA New Season of Transforming Young Lives

2

Prodigy S i t e s

Hillsborough County BGC Brandon Prodigy®

Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay, Inc. Bill Carey Brandon Unit 213 North Knights Avenue, Brandon, FL 33510 813-685-2006 [email protected]

FICS Prodigy®

Florida Institute for Community Studies, Inc. 6704 Hanley Road, Tampa, FL 33634 813-249-8100 [email protected]

Prodigy Moves®

University Area CDC 14013 North 22nd Street, Tampa, FL 33613 813-558-5212 x 303 [email protected]

THA Prodigy®

Tampa Housing Authority 5301 West Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33607 813-341-9101 [email protected] N

UACDC Tampa I Prodigy®

University Area CDC 14013 North 22nd Street, Tampa, FL 33613 813-558-5212 x 217 [email protected]

Orange County ONIC Prodigy®

Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation 101 South Terry Avenue, Orlando, FL 32805 407-648-1623 [email protected]

Osceola County EF Prodigy®

The Foundation for Osceola Education, Inc. 2310 New Beginnings Road, Suite 118 Kissimmee, FL 34744 407-870-4855 [email protected]

Pasco County BGC Lacoochee Prodigy®

Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay, Inc. 38724 Mudcat Grant Boulevard, Lacoochee, FL 33537 352-583-0642 [email protected]

Saint Leo Prodigy®

Saint Leo University Department of Social Work University Campus, MC2067, Saint Leo, FL 33574 352-588-7425 [email protected]

Pinellas County YMCA Prodigy® YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg, Inc. 600 1st Avenue North, Suite 201, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-895-9622 [email protected]

Polk County Girls Inc. Prodigy®

Girls Inc. of Lakeland 1220 West Highland Street, Lakeland, FL 33815 863-682-3002 x 222 [email protected]

Heartland Prodigy®

Heartland for Children 1239 East Main Street, Bartow, FL 33830 863-232-7036 [email protected]

Oasis Prodigy®

Oasis Community Church 3330 Winter Lake Road, Lakeland, FL 33803 863-667-2000 x 150 [email protected] P

Got Talent? We’ve got class-es! Call or visit a site to learn more!

3

In this Issue Listing of Prodigy Sites

In the Spotlight The Rewind

From Achievers to Believers On the Mic

Monthly Event Calendar Summer Class Sampler

… … … … … … … 2 … … … … … … … 4 … … … … … … … 5 … … … … … … … 6 … … … … … … … 7 … … … … … … … 7 … … … … … … … 8

Got a Story to Tell? For content suggestions, please send an email to Davida A. Bowen at [email protected].

Picture This The Prodigy Cultural Arts Program is entering its 16th year of service with a new and

improved way of transforming young lives. The program is still abundant in its

cultural arts programming. However, it’s now adding a more holistic approach to

assure young students and their families are successful in their life choices and

endeavors. This approach means each and every student will be able to attend a

Prodigy class in addition to receiving academic and family enrichment. Prodigy is not

just turning students into believers, it’s turning them into achievers, too!

Prodigy’s groundbreaking model will now follow students throughout the school year

and life skills will begin to infuse math, literature, science and more. Each student

will be assigned a Student Success Coach who will work with him or her to set

academic goals and reach benchmarks. Parents and families will now be involved in

helping students succeed the Prodigy way.

So, now picture this: when students, families, friends and staff are asked What is

Prodigy, the answer is a simple one: Prodigy is every child and the individuals who

work to support each child’s success.

: Prodigy Cultural Arts Program

Pictured above and on the cover: live art piece being worked on by a Prodigy student during the 2015 I Am Prodigy Music Festival.

Visit us online at www.TransformingYoungLives.org

Why Hello, DOE!

As of July 1, 2016 the Prodigy Cultural

Arts Program is now being funded by

the Florida Department of Education.

With this change, an opportunity has

arisen to examine this remarkable

state agency. Here are some fun facts

Prodigy staffers and supporters can

check out about the newest addition

to the Prodigy family:

Founded: 1869

Annual budget: $23 Billion USD

Headquarters: Tallahassee, FL

Department head: Commissioner Pam

Stewart

Students served: 2.7 million

Mission: The Department of Education

is here to increase the proficiency of

all students within one seamless,

efficient system, by providing them

with the opportunity to expand their

knowledge and skills through learning

opportunities and research valued by

students, parents, and communities,

and to maintain an accountability

system that measures student

progress.

Commissioner

Pat Stewart

4

Well known throughout the Prodigy network for its phenomenal step team and drum line, the Brandon Boys & Girls Club is one of 18 clubs making up the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay. With its reputation for stellar performances, it’s no wonder this remarkable site is slated to host the upcoming 2016 Turn Up IV Prodigy Dance Battle this July.

With all of its cool moves, the Brandon Boys & Girls Club is not just a center for the cultural arts but a haven for other youth enrichment programs as well. Together, with Prodigy and agencies such as The United Way, the Brandon Boys & Girls Club is able to undertake its wonderful mission of enabling all young people, especially those who need us the most, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens.

How’d They Do That? At 88% BGC Brandon Prodigy has an outstanding retention rate. Site Manager Ana Barrios (pictured right) tells us why.

We always contact parents to see why students have not been attending. Our parents like the

program and the perks that come with it (field trips, special events, wraparound services) so they

encourage their kids to keep attending classes. We also try not to have any breaks between lesson

plans. That way the kids are continuously enrolled and involved in classes. We also try to cater

to their interest and make that apart of the classes or events that we plan.

IN

Pictured above: Prodigy students from the FS 88 Drum Line of the Freddie Solomon Boys & Girls Club

Brandon Boys & Girls Club

Programming Locations: 2 Brandon BGC and Freddie Solomon BGC

# of Prodigy Staff: 6 4 at Brandon BGC and 2 at Freddie

Solomon BGC

Prodigy classes: visual arts percussion

Step music production/DJ

Other services offered: Y.E.S. Academy

Youth Employment Services Academy featuring paid internships for participants

Summer Care Summer reading program provided by the United Way matches students with tutors

and scholarships

Dental Care Sun-Coast Dental sponsored program

offers free on-site teeth cleanings and sealants

Career Launch Club teens ages 13-18 embark on a

journey to find success in the world of work

Big Brothers Big Sisters Meetings with children and their

partnered sister or brother are arranged on-site

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department

Donates snacks and school supplies and hosts events

Free Lunch and Snacks Provided at both sites

Walking School Bus Provides trained escorts to walk with

students to the club

5

Rewind The

Prodigy in Pictures THA Prodigy’s Mini Showcase

June 30, 2016

Shown above (clockwise from top left): THA Prodigy student stands by one of his photographs on display, tabletop photos from THA Prodigy young photographers, THA Site Manager Diane Lindsay greets the crowd, a photograph from a THA Prodigy student is displayed at the event entrance, Prodigy Program Manager Josie Rocco and Music Production Instructor Adam Cartwright pose for the camera, guests look on as THA Prodigy students recall how the program has had a positive impact upon their lives

6

From Believers to Achievers 4 Cool Things about Prodigy’s New Student Success Model

Enrolling in Prodigy is

not just about filling

out an application. It’s

about getting to know

each student and his

or her family so they

can be better served.

Did you know over the last year the Prodigy Cultural Arts Program served

students through thousands of hours of cultural arts classes?

Here are four new and improved ways Prodigy’s

network of staff and instructors will utilize

those hours to ensure each child uncovers

and develops his or her highest

artistic potential while making

behavioral and academic

strides.

Prodigy’s open

enrollment means

immediate access for

students! Once a

student is enrolled, he

or she can attend

classes that very same

day.

Prodigy’s promise to deliver life skills through

the arts has gone 15 years strong! This year

students will explore the arts through at least 3

hours of weekly programming lasting 30

days or more.

Every young artist will now have a Student

Success Coach to help them achieve

measurable enrichment goals. Parents and guardians will have

goals, too, like attending a Prodigy class or show.

Transforming Young Lives Now Means “More”

Prodigy’s greatest investment is the Prodigy student. To see the biggest return, students are now encouraged to remain in the program throughout the school year. This new commitment will give students more: more cultural arts classes, more opportunities to shine in showcases, more life skills, more enrichment academically, more events for families and friends. The arts are a highly impactful way to help transform the life of a child and with Prodigy, more is better!

7

The Day We’ve Been Waiting For “As our youth and families are ever changing and growing,

Prodigy has to change and keep evolving”

It’s a new day!

Prodigy’s move to the Florida Department of Education is here and its monumental. Prodigy called DJJ home for 15 years and so it wasn’t an easy switch to move an entire program from one department to another. However, just as our youth and families are ever changing and growing, Prodigy has to change and keep evolving. Let’s be real. We know that many of our youth face extraordinary challenges at home and in their community. Many of them struggle academically or with mental health or health issues. Many of our families, as supportive as they are, also face a myriad of challenges often preventing them from reaching their potential. Let’s be real about something else. Prodigy may have been the first place where a student or parent felt comfortable enough to talk about or outwardly show they were struggling with these sort of issues. Prodigy has always been a safe place for youth and their

families. While Prodigy has implemented some wrap around services over the years, we have only been able to scratch the surface in delivering a more holistic approach to youth development. Now under DOE, we will be able to go deeper with youth and family support. This is a very good thing.

At our core, Prodigy is and will always be a cultural arts program. Our life skills infused arts classes, our showcases, our special events like our dance battle (coming up

HA

PP

ENIN

GS &

EV

ENTS

About the Prodigy Cultural Arts Program

The purpose of the Prodigy program is to provide the instruction, tools and resources that will lead to transformed lives. Youth are encouraged to explore themes and ideas that develop a sense of self-worth, as well as appreciate the worth and value of others and the world in which they live. When youth have a better understanding of who they are and how they connect with their communities, they are better prepared to become productive and socially responsible adults.

For more information, visit www.transformingyounglives.org.

J U LY 2 016

July 16, 2016 | 12 pm - 5 pm

Brandon Boy & Girls Club

213 N. Knights Ave., Brandon FL 33510 University Area CDC

14013 N. 22nd St,

Tampa, FL 33613

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Networking 9:30 am

East Lake Elementary 4001 Boggy Creek Rd., Kissimmee, FL 34744

Continued on page 8

8

Culinary Art

Discover Prodigy’s perfect recipe for teaching children that cooking is an enduring life skill that can be artistic,

creative, and quite tasty!

Girls Inc. Prodigy Lakeland, FL Ages 14 - 17

863-682-3002 x 222

Fashion

Art

The runway meets the Prodigy way in this creative class designed to introduce students to the world of fashion design.

UACDC Tampa I Prodigy Tampa, FL

Ages 10 - 13 813-558-5212 x 217 African Dance & Culture

Journey with Prodigy to explore the rich and colorful

culture of Africa.

Prodigy Moves Various locations and ages

813-558-5212 x 303

*More classes available! Call or email a Prodigy site for a schedule. See inside front cover for a complete listing of sites.

*

Event information

Location

Brandon Boys & Girls Club 213 N. Knights Ave. Brandon, FL 33510

Date/Time

Saturday, July 16, 2016 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm*

*Doors open at 12:00 pm

Itinerary

12:00 pm Check-in

12:30 pm The Cypher dance exhibition

1:00 pm Event kick-off

1:15 pm Special guest performance

1:30 pm The Battle begins - Round I {Preliminaries}

2:30 pm Turn Up Dance Team Challenge

3:15 pm The Cypher dance exhibition

3:30 pm The Battle continues - Round II

{Top 16}

3:45 pm Special guest performance

4:00 pm The Battle Continues - Round III

{Top 8}

4:15 pm Win Big Raffle

4:20 pm The Battle continues - Round IV {Top 4}

4:35 pm Turn Up IV Awards: Top Dance Team Top All Styles Competitor Cypher King and Queen Funk Fresh Dressed- kid, adult

4:45 pm The Final Battle - Round V {Top 2} Turn Up IV Trophies

Ongoing activities and the concession

stand will be available throughout the

course of the event. For more

information, contact Davida A. Bowen via

email at [email protected] or phone at

813-558-5212 x 209.

Continued from page 7

on July 16th) are top notch. But, let’s be real

one last time. Prodigy has had a knack for reaching some of our hardest to reach young people and their families. It’s that, “gravitational pull” as one Prodigy staffer said a few months ago. People are drawn to the energy that Prodigy provides. This will not change under DOE, it will be expanded and multiplied and as that is happening not only will youth be exposed to and cultivate their art talents but also build skills and supports in other areas – making them even better artists, better dancers, better musicians, better students, better sons and daughters and better members of their community. Thank you to DJJ for 15 years and welcome DOE to the Prodigy family. We’ve been waiting for you!

- Mike Trepper Prodigy Director

prodigy monthly july 2016

Documents