Youth on the move at Latino Family Services
By Edith Assaff
DETROIT — Thirteen-year-old Christian Sanchez was an upcoming participant in Youth Adelante – “youth moving forward and upward” – at Latino Family Services in Detroit. Not only was he smart and creative, he was also generous and helpful, frequently volunteering at Latino Family Services special events, and wrapping and distributing gifts for Toys for Tots.
When Chris died as a result of misdirected neighborhood gang violence, all his friends mourned, especially those at the Latino Family Services Intel Computer Clubhouse, where Chris spent many hours designing beautiful computerized artwork.
One friend in particular, 15-year-old Luis, decided to memorialize his friend in computer art last November by submitting a tribute to Christian as his entry in the annual international Intel Computer Clubhouse Calendar. Twenty students, all participants in the Latino Family Services Intel Computer Clubhouse’s technology workshops, submitted artwork for the Calendar, along with hundreds of other students from 104 clubhouses all over the world.
And Luis was one of only 12 students worldwide whose art was selected for the 2008 Computer Clubhouse Calendar. His beautiful tribute to Christian is now seen by thousands of people all over the world.
“Luis is a very warm-hearted person who has grown both as a person and as an artist since he became involved in the Clubhouse,” says Nicole Wilamowski, coordinator of Youth Adelante and the Intel Computer Clubhouse at Latino Family Services, both of which are supported by a grant from The Skillman Foundation’s 10-year, $100-million Good Neighborhoods program. “He is only one of many young people whose lives are changed every day by these programs. Our philosophy is to let students experiment with all kinds of technology and art and find their interests, then encourage them to follow that.”
The 62 students enrolled onsite in Youth Adelante received training in a variety of computer programs, participated in college tours, created resumes and were trained in interview techniques. Also, 22 students worked in two-week summer internships, which provided stipends for young people to explore careers in a variety of fields, including health care/nursing, law enforcement, human services, teaching, photojournalism and computer programming. All the Youth Adelante programs are designed to get students engaged and excited about what they’re learning.
Fifteen-year-old Dioni is a good example. Recently arrived from the Dominican Republic, Dioni spent his time at the Clubhouse enthusiastically working in Adobe Photoshop. His efforts paid off when the local weekly newspaper El Central published some of his work in a photo essay along with those of professional photographers.
“The technology workshops gave him something he could excel at,” Wilamowski says.
Belen, 17, dreamed of becoming a fashion designer but thought she would have to limit her sights to “doing nails” at a beauty salon. Through Youth Adelante, she was placed in an internship as an office assistant to Detroit City Council President Kenneth Cockrel last summer, and organized an event for seniors at Belle Isle. In a presentation to other Clubhouse members about how her internship will help her career as a fashion designer, Belen described her interest in entrepreneurialism. She used Adobe Photoshop to design the floor plan for her “boutique” and her business cards and presented other Clubhouse members with a fashion show of her own designs. Belen was awarded an $8,000 scholarship to attend the University of Michigan’s Camp Enterprise last summer where she learned to develop a business plan and other aspects of business professionalism.
“The Clubhouse has definitely launched her forward toward career goals that she may otherwise have thought she had to leave in the dust,” Wilamowski says.
Last summer Lady, 17, and her brother Dioni attended a weekend introduction to the ANR Institute for Multicultural Students at Michigan State University’s College of Agricultural and Natural Resources, and in the fall she was accepted into the program on a scholarship.
“Lady is such a glowing person, constantly overflowing with joy,” Wilamowski says. “She will be such an asset to that program.”
Students at the Clubhouse have access to becoming proficient with industry-grade design software, such as 3DSMAX, used in making movies. The Skillman Foundation grant has enabled Latino Family Services to leverage other grants, including an Adobe Youth Voices grant, enabling students to use film media to “create with a purpose.”
“Of course, our goal is that the films our students produce will be selected by Robert Redford’s Sundance Film Festival,” says Wilamowski. “We set our sights high!”
— Edith Assaff is a Berkley-based writer who has chronicled the Good Neighborhoods program since its inception