We are excited to share the details of our first program, the Youth Development Program, with you and look forward to keeping you updated on the program's progress.

 

The goals of the Youth Development Program are to:

 

• encourage leadership and academic potential among selected Benton Harbor High School students;

• educate selected students about the role of city institutions in their daily lives and their community's outcomes; and

• provide volunteer support to organizations within the city.

 

The Board and Staff of Advance Benton Harbor in collaboration with teachers at the Benton Harbor High School will select twenty-five students to participate in the YDP's internship and mentorship program. These students will not be selected on the basis of prior academic achievement. Instead, they will be chosen on the basis of potential for leadership and growth via additional support structures provided by mentorship and learning opportunities.

 

Each student will intern for a minimum of one semester at a participating Benton Harbor institution that plays an essential role in spurring the city's economy and/or maintaining the health of the city's citizens. Each will volunteer 1.5 hours per week to activities decided by his/her mentors who will oversee his/her progress over the semester. The Youth Development Program's scholars will also be required to participate in biweekly workshops that ground their organizational work in broader issues of community and economic empowerment.

 

By teaching students how the city’s institutions affect their lives, internship opportunities will expose students to ways in which they can be involved in shaping their city’s future. By providing role models in a positive, empowering environment, mentorship opportunities will motivate students to seek achievement through academic excellence and leadership roles, thereby encouraging them to improve their academic performance and facilitating discussions about post-secondary enrollment. This will in turn foster social cohesiveness and civic engagement after the program's completion.

 

Advance Benton Harbor is pleased to announce that we have received the permission, authority, and support of Principal Reese of the Benton Harbor High School to carry out the Youth Development Program.

 

We have also secured internship/mentorship opportunities for our scholars, including community institutions such as The City of Benton Harbor’s Department of Community and Economic Development, the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, and Abonmarche.

 

Check back for updates!