National Youth Service Day Kick Off: Operation PEACE

Posted by on April 16, 2007

As part of National Youth Service Day, on April 20 2007, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School in conjunction with Nicetown Community Development Corporation and The Artists United will be producing the National Youth Service Day Kickoff: Operation P.E.A.C.E (“Positive Energy Activates Constant Elevation”), which comes out of the service learning class operation P.E.A.C.E. The class uses hip-hop music and culture and other urban art forms to engage students and encourage them to think critically about challenges facing their communities, including drugs, gun violence, domestic violence, urban education, poverty, women’s empowerment and criminal justice.

The students have organized a FREE community concert with performances by high school students from several high schools, including: YouthBuild, Bartram, Overbrook, South Philly, Fels, Simon Gratz and Strawberry Mansion. Along with musical performers there will be artists doing live graffiti paneling and there will be representatives from various community organizations spreading information about the work they do in their communities. We would like to expose young people to the various community arts organizations that exist to foster their creativity while making a positive impact on their community.

The objective of the concert will be two fold. First it will serve as a celebration of the student work, and secondly the event will act as a vehicle to advocate for the positive power of hip hop music and urban art. Too often, hip-hop music and culture is represented and cast in a negative light, and the positive impact it can have on the youth becomes lost in the shuffle. It is our purpose to present hip-hop music and culture as an advocate for change and an ambassador for peace.

This year, millions of youth will participate in National & Global Youth Service Day between April 20-22, 2007. National & Global Youth Service Day supports youth on a life-long path of service and civic engagement, and educates the public, the media, and elected officials about the role of youth as community leaders. National Youth Service Day is a great example of what can happen when dedicated individuals come together to serve a cause greater than self.

Please encourage your youth to attend this event on April 20, 2007 at Nicetown Park, 4300 Germantown Ave. Community organizations will be present beginning at 3pm and the show will begin at 5pm. If you have any questions, please contact John Rooney, Community Projects Coordinator, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School at jrooney@youthbuildphilly.org or 215-627-8671 x33.

Lark Rambo
AmeriCorps Coordinator
YouthBuild Charter School