Letter from the Executive Director

Dear YC Families and Community Members,

It is with regret that we must inform you of some substantial cuts to services Youth Crossroads, Inc. (YC) is forced to make at this time. Due to the on-going uncertainty and financial troubles of the State of Illinois, from whom we receive substantial financial support, YC has had to make some very difficult decisions in order to remain viable and continue to provide some of our most crucial services. As of July 01, 2010, we will no longer provide the following services: General Counseling services, Connections After-School Program at Freedom Middle School in Berwyn and the Teen Reach After-School program at Unity Junior High in Cicero. Youth and their families who have been participating in these services will receive information on other community resources to continue services they previously received from YC.

Youth Crossroads will continue to provide:
Crisis Response services: 24 hour response to police stations or schools for situations where a youth is refusing to return home or if a youth has been locked out of their home by their parent.

The Juvenile Delinquency Diversion Program: assessment, individual, family and group counseling, and case management for youth who are involved in the legal system.

Youth Leadership Program: leadership development, community service and life skills training for area youth.

After School Program: education support, life skills training and recreational activities for 6th-8th graders in Berwyn.

We thank you for your patience and understanding in this very difficult transition and we hope to make any transitions as simple and easy as possible. Please do not hesitate to call the YC office should you have further questions.

YLP New Orleans Service Trip
During their spring break from high school, seven teens in the YC Youth Leadership Program (YLP), along with staff and a volunteer, journeyed down to New Orleans, LA to lend a helping hand to survivors of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster. The service trip was made possible by youth fundraising, many generous individual contributors and outstanding coordination by Jessie Schwartz, our YLP Program Manager.

“Going to New Orleans and seeing first-hand all the houses still destroyed had a big impact on me. Helping Ms. Betty (by tearing down an old shed and painting her house) was fun and inspiring. A simple trip to Louisiana became a life long memory. If there is something to be learned from all this, it’s that hope can be found anywhere. It just takes a little effort to inspire it.”
Janet Mendez, YLP teen volunteer

“…Having the experience and being in a place where people’s lives were taken away in an instant was devastating. This trip helped not only make a difference in my life, but others as well. I learned there are not Hurricane Katrina victims, there are Hurricane Katrina survivors.”
Monica Aleman, YLP teen volunteer

Vegas Night Event a Success!
The 2nd Annual YC Vegas Night Charity Event held on March 5, 2010 in Berwyn raised over $24,000 to support our youth services. Our special thanks to event chair Gil Pena, and the Vegas Night committee members. sponsors (too many to list here), attendees, Over 160 people attended and enjoyed Vegas-style games, dinner, auctions and door prizes. YC relies on these special events to support our agency general operational expenses and we appreciate deeply the community’s participation in this endeavor.

New YC Board Director
YC welcomes our newest Board Director Gil Pena who lives in Berwyn with his family. Gil is currently the Regional Manager for Paetec Communications Company, holds a master’s in Architecture, and served in the US Marine Corps. Gil just recently served as our Vegas Night Charity Event Committee Chair and provided leadership resulting in YC’S most successful special event in our history! Congratulations Gil and we look forward to working with you well into the future.

Generation NeXt — Paid Internship Program
Are you interested in Service Work? Do you want to make a difference in your community? YC is looking for youth who are highly motivated to become YOUTH LEADERS. There are 10 positions available and they will fill up fast so apply today!
Download the Application | Download the Flyer

New Teen Reach Program in Cicero
7th and 8th grade Students at Unity Junior High School in Cicero will benefit from the new Teen Reach program via YC and in cooperation with Cicero School District #99, and Corazon Community Services. The program operates Mon.-Thursday from 2-5p.m., Saturdays from 10a.m. to 1 p.m. and on most non-school holidays. More Info >>

21^st Century After School Program at Heritage Middle School
In cooperation with Berwyn School District #100, YC will assist 6th-8th graders at the Heritage School 21st Century After School Program with homework help and academic support, social skills development and a variety of exciting “club” activities such as film production, clothes design, screen writing, and theatre production.

YC College Internships
YC is pleased to provide bachelor and Master’s level internships to aspiring students in the fields of social work, education, psychology and public health. YC currently trains and utilizes 14 interns; 9 master’s level and 5 bachelor’s level. Interns from Concordia University, Dominican University, Northeastern University, Chicago State University, and Roosevelt University are receiving top-notch experience and professional supervision in counseling, co-leading support groups, and all facets of after school program implementation. YC is proud to support these hard-working interns and offer important community-based clinical experience to them in their pursuit to make the world a better place for others.

New Board Director
YC is pleased to welcome our newest board director Steve Schwartz. Steve is currently a history teacher at Oak Park River Forest High School, a former teacher at Morton East High School in Cicero, an experienced world traveler and avid reader on all topics political and theoretical. We look forward to the many gifts Steve will bring to the agency and new ideas to continuously improve our services for local young people and their families.

YLP Youth Leader Internship Update:
After participating in an intensive Leadership Development and Service Project Planning Training over the summer, 11 Youth Leader Interns have been working vigorously to plan and coordinate three service projects that will address the rising rate of teen pregnancies in the Berwyn-Cicero area. Here’s a little information about them:

Teen Pregnancy Help and Support (TPHS)
Teen leaders Anna Monroy (MEHS), Monica Aleman (MWHS), Alejandra Hernandez (MEHS) and Cindy Camacho (FC) coordinated a one-day workshop on October 10, 2009 at the Cicero Community Center for teen parents; covering Nutrition for expectant mothers and their babies, Child Development, Post-Partum Depression and other Community Resources. Topic presenters included nurses from MacNeal Hopsital, AOK Coordinator Rosalind Larson and Leap Learning Systems. Thirteen expecting/teen moms and six teen dads attended. Participants received a small gift bag with baby care items. A bath tub and $40 Target gift card were raffled at the end of the workshop. Congratulations to Anna, Monica, Alejandra and Cindy on a job well done!

Rosalind Larson presentation on Community Resources at TPHS Workshop

Reality: Teen Pregnancy Presentation
Teen leaders Mateo Uribe (RBHS), Lindsey Ramirez (MEHS) and Jonathan Salamanca (MEHS) developed and coordinated a presentation to prevent teen pregnancies for 7th and 8th grade students. The first part of the presentation includes an informational video, followed by activities educating teens about peer pressure and refusal skills from a national curriculum called “Reducing the Risk,” presented by Tammi Reynolds with the UIUC Extensions Program.

The second part of the presentation includes a panel discussion with a current teen parent and an adult who was a teen parent. They’ll share their experiences and struggles as teen parents and convey the importance of waiting for parenthood until you’re ready. These presentations have already begun at Unity Jr. High and are scheduled at Freedom Middle School in November. Congratulations to Mateo, Lindsey and Jonathan on a great job so far!

The Ugly Truth
Teen leaders Janet Mendez (MEHS), Adriana Ortiz (MEHS), Maria Lopez (MEHS) and Clara Sanchez (MEHS) are currently developing a video Public Service Announcement (PSA) that will highlight the truth about teen parenting. This group is targeting young men as their audience because they feel boys can be forgotten when trying to prevent teen pregnancy. They believe if they can create a video with creative graphics, researched facts, contemporary music and entertainment, they can appeal to young men and remind them to take active measures to avoid getting a young girl pregnant. This video will show the costs associated with pregnancy, child birth and raising a child. It will also discuss the emotional and psychological risks as well as the life barriers it can present to children born to teen parents and fatherless homes. These teens hope to get permission to show their video at all the Morton High Schools and at local youth organizations. Congratulations Janet, Adriana, Maria and Clara on all your efforts so far!

Youth of the Month: November '09
Congratulations to Anna K. Monroy for being selected by her peers as November’s Youth Leadership Program “Youth of the Month!” Anna is currently a Junior at Morton East High School and has been a member of YLP since July, 2009 when she was accepted into the Youth Leader Summer Internship. Since then Anna has been trained as a Youth Leader and with the help of three of her peers, she has coordinated her first service project.

Up to date, Anna has contributed over 100 hours of community service work to the improvement of her local community and continues be involved in the development and coordination of other YLP projects. Anna was nominated to represent YLP for the month of November due the progress she has made in such a short as a Youth Leader. Anna has become a more confident speaker when presenting in front of groups. She also consistently supports her peers and helps to keep everyone on task.

FUN Facts about Anna K. Monroy:
Favorite Band/Musician: My Chemical Romance, Coldplay & Paramore
Favorite Food: Pozole (Mmmmmm)
Hobbies: Reading, Dancing & Singing
Favorite Movie: “A Walk to Remember”

A leader you admire/look up to: My Friend
Why? She is always there. She is involved in so much and takes charge when she has to. I look up to her so much and wish to become more outgoing like her.

What are your future academic/career goals: My future goals are to go to college and I would love to become a Pre-K teacher.

Generation NeXt - Paid Internship Program
New Teen Reach Program in Cicero
21^st Century After School Program at Heritage Middle School
YC College Internships
New Board Director
YLP Youth Leader Internship Update
Teen Pregnancy Help and Support (TPHS)
Reality: Teen Pregnancy Presentation
The Ugly Truth
Youth of the Month, Nov. 09: Anna K. Monroy

Youth Crossroads needs your help! As a small non-profit organization, monetary donations from civic groups and individuals are an integral part of our operational budget. Your donations go directly to helping local youth get the guidance they desperately need. Please consider making a donation today via our secure online service. We thank you in advance!