After School Program
3:00pm to 7:30pm | Monday to Friday
The Brotherhood/Sister Sol (BHSS) understands that the after school hours are a prime time for engaging young people. Our programming offers a safe space where young people, ages eight to 18, can learn and grow, form lasting friendships, have fun, and be enriched by a curriculum that fosters:
• Knowledge of self, creative expression and a sense of personal agency
• Respect and empathy for one’s peers, families and communities
• Healthy relationships and lifestyle choices
• Individual and collective responsibility within and beyond the program
• Ongoing opportunity to explore and practice leadership from need to opportunity
BHSS after school programming provides an entry point for children and youth into our organization and more expansive experiences for members in our Rites of Passage Program and Liberation Program. Though the school programming coincides with the school calendar, it is designed to lead to year around, long-term involvement. Our youngest members transition into teen programming, our teens move into our Summer Leadership Program, and a cycle of participation and leadership is created.
ASP (After School Program for children ages 8-12) operates 5-days-a-week from 3:00- 6:00pm, with extended hours to 7:30pm once a week for the Mentoring Program. A typical afternoon begins with a healthy meal and time for children to unwind before starting their homework. The day ends with enrichment (such as multi-media arts, karate, Afro-Caribbean drumming, nutrition & cooking) and leadership activities. Our programs include:
• Media Arts: Youth produce the blog, Reality Check (realitycheckonline.org), while acquiring computer programming, software, graphic design, and editorial skills. They deconstruct mainstream media messages toward developing literacy of the field and creating work that is reflective of their reality.
• Writers Collective (WC): Youth hone their creative voice and poetry, spoken
word and creative writing in a process of nurtured reflection and exchange. Workshops and discussions enable them to examine social justice issues to understand the world and their place in it, and as inspiration. WC members develop performance skills and compete in slam and writing contests.
• Bro/Sis Arts: Youth explore the performing arts (acting, writing, dramaturgy, producing, directing) to deepen their understanding of social justice issues and to build the Bro/Sis Repertory Company. They examine the history of the arts and its impact on social movements, learn from diverse professional artists, and collaborate on the creation of original theatre pieces.
• Environmental Program includes Gaia Renaissance and Prove it to Gaia (PITG). Gaia Renaissance is an environmental leadership development project for youth ages 14-18. Members create a Mission Statement and definitions for “environmentalist,” “leader” and “team partner” that they strive to uphold. They maintain the Frank White Community Garden adjacent to our brownstone, collaborate on environmental justice projects with other organizations, and provide guidance and support to PITG. (PITG is a component of our Summer Leadership Program. Teens are paid to work in the garden on landscaping, construction and maintenance projects.)
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I believe so deeply in the life-saving work that The Brotherhood/Sister Sol is dedicated to: values and skills building that empower young people and keep them on course; helping young people to see and develop the extraordinary within themselves; ensuring their safe passage to adulthood. It is surely one of the most incredible organizations in the nation. Their work is catalytic! Their leadership, their services and outcomes are without peer. Simply put, The Brotherhood/Sister Sol does the work that few others will or even know how to do…. They have answered the call to repair the village, to secure the children. It’s our responsibility to ensure they have all they need to do God’s work.
[The Brotherhood/Sister Sol] is using their passion to uplift and inspire a next generation through extraordinary work that creates leaders and a sanctuary for children…. where their members can develop a higher vision of themselves.
