OUR PROGRAMS

Youth Accepting Challenge (YAC)

YAC is an innovative classroom-based education program offered during and after school at Sanford Middle and Roosevelt High School. The program is geared to students who have some or all of the following problems in school: academic, behavioral and/or truancy issues. Students with these issues are referred into the program from teachers, principals and counselors. Students receive full academic credit for successfully completing the year-long classroom-based instruction. Students participate in a curriculum that includes: reading, writing, math, cultural awareness, arts, health, nutrition and Circle, which teaches students how to solve conflict and deal with difficult situations to engender positive outcomes. The program also provides a bridge for involving parents, guardians, and/or other adult role models in the student’s achievement, along with promoting positive parent/teacher relationships.

"THE EXTINCTON OF THE BLACK MAN"

Tyrone - "Man that game, I was doing you all day, we need to hurry up and get to my crib"
Courtney - "Yeah cause you know your mom bout to get that but, move it man it's bout to rain and it's cold I only got this jersey on. Anthony you need to walk faster and quit tryin to be cool. Ain't nobody payin you no mind, matter a fact they can't even see you cause you black as night." Anthony - "Shut-up"
Courtney - "Move to the side so these guys on the bikes can get passed. (But they didn't pass instead they just stopped in front of us)."
KIDS - "Come out of that jersey and yo shoes"
(Courtney in his mind) Please don't shoot, please God, Lord please let them not shoot me, please, please Lord I don't wanna die, I don't want to get shot, please Lord, RUN, RUN, RUN,RUN, RUN, RUN...Courtney, Anthony and Tyrone ran. BANG!!!!!!!!! (GUNSHOT)
Courtney - "I'M SHOT, I'M SHOT, I GOT HIT, I'M SHOT!!!!
Anthony - "COURTNEY!!!"
Tyrone - "COURTNEY!!!"
"I'm so scared, my body is struggling to breathe, I don't wanna die, I CAN'T MOVE, I CAN'T MOVE. I'm scared...."

Courtney Brown was a very special person, Courtney last attended Edison High School. He wasn't perfect but he maintained at least a 2.5 GPA, almost every quarter. He wasn't into gang bangin, slangin drugs, etc. Courtney would stay after school to play basketball which was one of his favorite sports. He would stay after to help his teachers clean up. But to the streets he was known as another easy mark. Courtney was wearing clothes that some felt was worth dying for. Courtney like my brother Tremaine Finley became two other brothers in a long list of the Extinction of the Black Man.

I would like to explain my title to you; there are several methods to the Extinction of the Black Man. Prison is one, prison is one method used by our government to wipe out the black men. More than any other race in this country the black man has been arrested and convicted in this Judicial System. Black men are incarcerated and convicted more than 3 to 1 compared to white men who are arrested for the same crime. When black men are in prison they can't procreate, nor can they take care of their existing families.

Black on black crime is the number one killer of our people. Our boys and young men are dying at a rate un-parallel by any other race. Whether it's by drugs, gangs, robberies, or domestic violence. We find new ways everyday to hurt ourselves. We are literally tearing our families apart. Black men and boys are dying between the ages of 12 - 25 by our own hands. We have to stop this madness. We shouldn't be scared of our own people, we should come together instead of getting rid of one another. We should value life like the way we demand power over one another. We should back and support our families, the way gang bangers back and support each other. We need to go back to "it takes a village to raise a child." Meaning our community has to take part in each others lives. Our neighbors need to start caring about each other again.

Death is the final chapter to the Extinction of the Black Man. Those people who take lives never think about their victims as human beings. Our men have families; they were brothers, uncles, sons, nephews, etc. Our men are becoming extinct because of the senseless act of murder. We make excuses and say they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. That's not true, black men should be able to be where ever they desire without looking over their shoulder. We shouldn't judge power according to whose holding the gun, knife, or any other weapon people seem to come up with.

WE AS A PEOPLE SHOULD NOT FEAR MAN... ONLY GOD!

By: Brittany Finley
Roosevelt High School
Sophomore
Loving daughter, sister, and a friend.
Family for Life
C.O.D.