Category Archives: Youth Empowerment

A Parent Empowered Enough to Tell It!


Just when I was contemplating the need to adjust my multi-tasking oriented schedule to include writing a blog post that would capture the spirit of our most recent Self-Empowering Workshop for College Bound Students and Their Parents, I received an email from one of the parents that our non-profit has served over the years which should help the process along…with her permission, of course!
I am actually quite excited at the prospect of sharing the opinions and account of this year’s workshop in the words of participants who are inspired and empowered enough to tell their Your Time For Creative Empowerment story. We are indebted to our parents, community leaders and students, our donors and supporters, and our volunteers who were on hand to render much-needed support. It was indeed, the concerted efforts of all that makes the event worth talking about.

Your Time For Creative Empowerment, Inc. takes the relationship that has been established by guest-writer, Mrs. Sandra Morris Aarons, and that of other repeat participants quite seriously. It is the level of involvement and the reasoning behind their relationship with us that empowers us to navigate challenges in a way that keeps us going and makes us consider them members of the Your Time For Creative Empowerment, Inc. Family. We, of course, extend an open-heart and open arms to our first time participants as we welcome them to the Your Time For Creative Empowerment family.

Before you go on to read what Mrs. Aarons had to say, I would like to extend an invitation to anyone who wishes to join us as a guest blogger on matters that inspire them as a result of their involvement with Your Time For Creative Empowerment, Inc. This blog post also includes a submission by rising high school senior, Michael Desir.   

Please contact us through this blog or email us. Info@yourtime4liny.org

Thank You For Your Special Contribution our 2017 Self-Empowering Workshop
When community members come together for good, wonderful things happen!

This is a multiple page post. Go to the next page by clicking on the page numbers 2-5 below the word “Related“.

 

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Elmont High School Senior Receives Creative Empowerment Arts Contest College Scholarship Award


Your Time For Creative Empowerment, Inc. Creative Empowerment Arts Contest $500.00 College Scholarship Winner Malaika Foster of Elmont Memorial High School — for her literary submission entitled “21st Century Youth”— pictured with: (L to R) Program Director, Mr. James Lacy; Founder/CEO, Mrs. Madona Cole-lacy and Board Member, Dr. Jeanine Cook-Garard, at the Elmont Memorial High School 2017 Senior Award Ceremony.

It was a delight to witness the overwhelming support the 2016/17 Senior Class exhibited at the Elmont Memorial High School Senior Awards Ceremony. The rousing applause that followed as each recipient was called to the podium was nothing short of contagious. This camaraderie did not go unnoticed and, as such, has earned the 2017 Elmont Memorial High Senior Class, the 2016/17 Mutual Supportive Spirit Award! 

Find out more about the winning entry of this extraordinary college-bound youth advocate and future Journalist by clicking the link below: http://www.creativeempowermentarts.org/MalaikaFosterwinner.html

Your Time For Creative Empowerment Inc. has proudly served Makaila and her Mom, Ms. Marta Foster since 2014. Ms. Foster’s willingness to participate in the events and activities refects what she perceives as the importance of working collaboratively with community organizations and schools as a parent.— with Makaila Foster and Ms. Marta Foster.

We welcome with open hands and heart, Dr. Jeanine Cook-Garard, who recently joined us as a member of Your Time For Creative Empowerment, Inc. Board of Directors. We thank her for bringing to the table her life and professional skills (as a mother of high-achieving children and a college professor) that will no doubt help in the empowerment of Long Island Area youth. — with Makaila Foster and Ms. Marta Foster, Mr. James Lacy and Mrs. Madona Cole-Lacy.

Makaila Foster, who will pursue her post-high school education in Journalism in the Fall, has been invited to play an active role at the non-profit’s Annual Self-Empowering Workshop, on July 8th, 2017, by sharing with participants, tips on how she navigated high school as a 21st Century youth.  This workshop will address the needs of Junior High, High School, College-Bound Graduates, and Current College Students and their parents. Registration is necessary for this event. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-your-time-forself-empowering-workshop-tickets-34556142352?aff=es2

Click here for event page

Farmingdale High School Students Receive Creative Empowerment Arts Contest College Scholarship Awards


It was an honor to present to Ashley Burbano (Winner) and Urooba Abid (Runner Up), of Farmingdale High School, the 2016/17 Creative Empowerment Arts Contest college scholarship award on Monday, June 8, 2017 for their Creative Expressions of the theme: “Our Hopes, Our Dreams, Our Fears, Our Solutions!”

This year’s ceremony, not unlike others we have attended in the past, quite naturally featured some of Long Island’s highest achievers. What I would like to shine the spotlight on though, is the engaging way in which the Principal, and staff acknowledge presenters. That special letter the Director of Guidance and Social Work, Maureen Moloughney,  sends out before the event does it for me! What a wonderful gesture! My experience with the Farmingdale High School Staff in charge of the Senior Awards Ceremony can simply be characterized as stellar. This year’s CORDIALITY AWARD goes to the Farmingdale High School!

1.              2. 

1. Ashley Burbano, the 2016/17 First Place Winner of a $1000.00                                                                                                                                            Creative Empowerment Arts Contest College Scholarship for her Creative Expression  entitled ” The Silent Syrian Crisis”
2. Left to Right: Your Time For Creative Empowerment Inc.                                                                                                                                                                  Program Director, Mr. James Lacy; Founder/CEO, Mrs. Madona Cole-Lacy;                                                                                                                       Ashley Burbano and her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Luis Burbano

Urooba Abid —a runner-Up and Winner of a $500.00 Creative Empowerment Arts Contest College Scholarship for her Creative Expression entitled “Slaves To The System”

Left to Right: Your Time For Creative Empowerment’s Program Director, Mr. James Lacy; Founder/CEO, Mrs. Madona Cole-Lacy; Urooba Abid and her supportive Mother,  Mrs. lqbal Abid

Ashley Burbano and Urooba have been invited to share how they impressively navigate 21st Century life with participants at the upcoming Self-Empowering Workshop for College Bound High and Junior High School Students at Molloy College on July 8th. Registration is necessary for this event.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-your-time-forself-empowering-workshop-tickets-34556142352?aff=es2

   Left to Right: Creative Empowerment Arts Contest Runner-Up, Urooba Abid; Founder/CEO of Your Time For Creative Empowerment, Inc. and Ashley Burbano,  Winner of 2016/17 Creative Empowerment Arts Contest

Find out more about these well-rounded, phenomenal college-bound students who are obviously also bound for greatness. http://creativeempowermentartscontest.homestead.com/AshleyBurbano201617Winner.html?_=1493965596717

http://creativeempowermentartscontest.homestead.com/UroobaAbid201617RunnerUp.html?_=1494365371159

An Exciting Time of the Year: A Time to Congratulate, Celebrate, and Reward Seniors!


At this exciting time of the year, when high school seniors are reaping the reward of their hard work, I am honored to be granted the opportunity to be in the midst of some of this excitement! Thanks to students who have responded to Your Time For Creative Empowerment’s call for the annual Creative Empowerment Arts Contest!  I also thank and commend the administrators, principals and staff of these schools for the hard work they put into organizing their respective senior award events. I have so far had the honor of making a college scholarship presentation to the following:

Nailah Garard of the Half Hollow Hills High School East

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Left to Right: Mr. James A. Lacy, Volunteer Program Director, Mrs. Madona Cole-Lacy, Founder/CEO, Creative Empowerment Arts Contest Scholarship Recipient Nailah Garard, sister, Japera, brother, Caleb (Medical Student) and proud father, Mr. Stan Garard, of the recipient of two awards that night.Creative Empowerment Arts Contest

Glorieanne Quiban of Farmingdale High School

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Your Time For Creative Empowerment Founder, Mrs. Madona Cole-Lacy acknowledges  Glorieanne Quiban for her winning entry at 2015 Fundraising gala

As I sat amongst other presenters at both awards events, I couldn’t help but feel I truly belonged there – whether or not I was scheduled to make a presentation. Our leaders of tomorrow were being acknowledged for the hard work they had put in throughout the years! Even with the impressive representation of the immediate family members, I could see how the significance of this acknowledgement spills over to the community at large, to become the business of my co-presenters who represented all facets of the community.

I must confess that, if it were possible, I would have given a hug to every one of those ACHIEVERS! I would have told them to keep their eyes trained on the prize, for the world was looking up to them for sustainability.  As I expressed my conviction that they could rise up to the occasion, I would have prayed that they would take this “random lady” seriously enough to believe it.

Glorieanne Quiban, (recipient of two awards)  and her proud mother, Ms. Sheeryn Quiban, join Founder/CEO Madona Cole-Lacy and Program Director James A. Lacy after the Farmingdale High School awards ceremony

I will now share our best attempt at video taping and editing in celebration of one of our leaders of tomorrow, Nailah Garard. I do this proudly, but with a heightened awareness of the fact that Your Time For Creative Empowerment, Inc. is in need of a volunteer professional videographer or an aspiring videographer. Contact us here.

 

Creative Empowerment Arts Contest Scholarship Presentation

 

 

Your Time for Creative Empowerment is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that educates and empowers children, adolescents and parents of both secular and faith-based communities in the Long Island area, through the use of  the arts, fashion and culture as mechanisms to:

* Improve interpersonal relationships

* Avoid pitfalls that are unique to life in the 21st Century

* Specifically identify and effectively develop healthy problem-solving

* Enhance personal development and increase cultural sensitivity.

 

 

 

 

 

The More We Serve Together…


Devon Harris: Yes, I Can | Verizon FiOS1 News – Long Island.

I must acknowledge the ingenious way Mr. Snowden has creatively woven “the common thread” that runs through the fabric of humanity so beautifully. My knee-jerk reaction to this video clip calls for the sharing of the words to a song I was taught as a primary school pupil in Sierra Leone, West Africa.

“The more we are together, together, together, the more we are together,
the happier we shall be.
‘Cause your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends.

The Huddle!
The Huddle!

The more we are together the happier we shall be.”

My apologies to the writer as I take the liberty to further tweak the original song (which reads online as “get together”) to declare, “The more we work together, the happier we shall be!”  When we unselfishly give of ourselves for the common good, comfort and advancement of our children and families, this seemingly mammoth job is quite easily done.

I am honored to be the recipient of unwavering support from those who undoubtedly exemplify outstanding leadership in their respective areas of specialization. Your Time For Creative Empowerment, Inc. thanks you; the youth we serve thank you!

Be on the look out for our online 2014 Commemorative Journal for more on Your Time For Creative Empowerment’s journey through our activities and relationships.

www.yourtime4liny.org

Your Time To …Embrace Long Island’s High School Students


You are invited …. We are excited!

Come see and hear Long Island’s youth present their uncensored expressions on drugs, sex, alcohol, technology and life as they know it today at the

Creatively Embracing 21st Century Youth Scholarship and Fundraising Gala

at 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM on Thursday, November 20, 2014

creative countdown

Your Time To…Embrace Long Island’s Creative, Socially Conscious High School Students! `

At this year’s gala, we will feature students and their work from the following schools: Syosset High School * Roosevelt Senior High * Babylon Senior High * The Wheatley School * Farmingdale High School *Seaford High School *Central Islip Senior High School and Centereach High School so far.

Another highlight of the evening is the acknowledgement of distinguished community leaders.

All contestants get to attend at no cost to them. Discounted reservation rate is available for parents, teachers and well-wishers of contestants. Please click the link below:

http://www.yourtime4liny.org/SupportUs2014gala.html

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“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” -Helen Keller-.