Weekly Media Roundup: February 21, 2024

Missoula After-School Program for BIPOC Youth Creating Next Generation of Leaders, KTVQ-TV (Montana)

At the Association for BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) Youth afterschool program in Missoula, Montana, students of color build community, take part in mindfulness activities, and develop their leadership skills. “Growing up here in Montana, the population of people of color — whether that be Native American people or Black people — is very low," student and Association for BIPOC Youth co-founder Sylvie Tower told KTVQ-TV. "And I think that’s pretty evident in our public schools. What then happens is, there’s a lot of misunderstanding about our experiences as kids of color.” The group is one of many afterschool programs provided by EmpowerMT.

Combating Food Insecurity, Observer-Reporter (Pennsylvania)

In recognition of its efforts to address food insecurity in Washington, Pennsylvania, the LeMoyne Community Center received the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s Child Hunger Hero Award. The center’s Homework and More afterschool program provides tutoring and healthy dinners to students in kindergarten through eighth grade. “It is such a blessing to us because we know the reach is reaching further than just what’s inside the building,” Trish Robinson, program director at the LeMoyne Community Center, told the Observer-Reporter. “In order to change a culture, you have to change a mindset. We’re bringing the kids in and teaching them better eating habits, which may lead to better studying habits, which leads to better attitudes.”

MAMS Students Explore Hospital Careers, The Meadville Tribune (Pennsylvania)

Last week, students from Meadville Area Middle School’s 21^st Century Community Learning Centers program in Pennsylvania visited Meadville Medical Center to explore non-medical careers in the health care sector. The students met with representatives from the hospital’s human resources, facility environmental services, and facility engineering departments.  “Meadville Medical Center is the ideal place for students to learn about career exploration because of its awarding-winning care,” teacher Harrison Dixon told the Meadville Tribune. “It is the largest employer in Crawford County and a place where many of the students’ parents work.” The afterschool program also offers art, chess, physical fitness, sign language, and more.

Common Good to Build New Playground and Community Gardens at the Hub, Fox 23 News (Oklahoma)

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, students at Common Good’s afterschool program will soon be able to play outdoors on a new playground set and tend to a community garden. “We operate in an old warehouse market grocery store so there’s no windows within our facilities, and so it’s great for our kids to be able to come outside, see the fresh sunshine, have the wind in their face and play together,” Stephen Pyle, executive director of the Common Good, told Fox 23 News. Community members are excited about the new playground as there are few in the area and are appreciative that the garden will produce fresh vegetables for local residents.