The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life.
~Plato 427-347 BC

It is better to build a fence at the top of the cliff than a hospital at the bottom.

Graffiti 2 takes pride in providing quality, safe, and fun after school programming to the children of Mott Haven. Believing in the priceless value and unimaginable potential of each child, Graffiti 2 takes pride in providing activities for children that will revitalize (build their minds and bodies), revive (strengthen their character, spirit, and personality) and revolutionize their lives, families, and community.

Times: Monday-Thursday—After School-5:00 pm

Daily Activities:

Pick-up from school
Homework Help
Bible Study
Prayer
Snack
Reading
Computer
Games

After School Program Values:

We confide in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it.
~Thomas Jefferson

Being brilliant is no great feat if you respect nothing.
~Goethe

Show proper respect to everyone: love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
~1 Peter 2:17

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord.
~1 Thessalonians 5:12

It is easy to give respect, much more difficult to earn respect. The best way to earn respect is to constantly give respect.

The rules and guidelines of Graffiti 2’s after school programs are simple, simply show respect.

1. Respect Authority: Follow all instructions given by staff and volunteers. Show up on time ready to participate
2. Respect others: Only do to others what you want done to you; Use respectful language and keep all hands and feet to yourself
3. Respect Yourself: Complete all possible homework within the time allowed and do your best
4. Respect God: In all actions, think about what Jesus would do. Actively participate in prayer and devotions.

The arts must be considered an essential element of education… They are tools for living life reflectively, joyfully and with the ability to shape the future.
~Shirley Trusty Corey

Creativity is first of all a word about being human, down where the uniqueness of individuation and imagination lie, down where Genesis One is, down where imago dei was graciously bequeathed to each of us.
~Harold Best

In a society that is increasingly disavowing fine art education in exchange for more of “the basics,” Graffiti 2 wishes to ignite the inherent creative spark of children. For a four-week period each summer, children participate with volunteers and professionals throughout the New York community in creating art, drama, music, and dance, ultimately resulting in a final performance and exhibition of their work. The arts, to their own condescension, often demonstrate their usefulness as a tool to benefit educational subjects and life lessons, but Graffiti 2 believes they are essential to the development of children and the ultimate revitalization, revival, and revolution of Mott Haven.

Time: July-August, Tuesday-Thursday, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm

Activities:
Art—print making, painting, sculptures, drawing
Drama—Terminology, Improv, Sketches, Skit Writing, Performance
Music—African drumming, trash percussion, Boomwhackers
Dance—Creative movement, choreography
Bible Study
Snack

Partners: Materials For The Arts

Sports do not build character. They reveal it.
~Heywood Hale Broun

Recognizing the potential for sports not only to build the physical capacities of children, Graffiti 2 values their mental, emotional, social, and spiritual capabilities as well. Throughout the summer, Graffiti 2 coordinates with volunteers from across the country to provide basketball, football, cheerleading, tennis, and baseball (beginning summer 2007) camps to over one hundred children in the Mott Haven community. Children not only learn valuable skills for playing the sports, but are each equipped with the resources to continue play after camp is complete (basketballs, footballs, tennis racquets). Each child in attendance also receives a daily gift which have included Bibles, devotion books, t-shirts, water bottles, watches, hats, toiletry items to name a few.

Times: July-August, Tuesday-Friday, 9:00 am-12:00 pm

Activities:
Sports (basketball, football, cheerleading, tennis, baseball)
Bible Study
Snack

Partnerships:
Upward Ministries
Sports Camp Ministries

You are the salt of the earth.
Matthew 5:13

In a neighborhood with over 10,000 students between the ages of 12 and 17 (Citizen’s Committee for Children of New York) Graffiti 2 is taking a first hand role in revitalizing, reviving, and revolutionizing the lives of teenagers. Graffiti 2’s “Graffiti Serving and Leading Teenagers,” also known as G.S.A.L.T., is an opportunity for teenagers to serve in the after-school program. In this unique program, teenagers freely volunteer time to provide assistance in the after school and summer programs to children from their own neighborhood. To be a part of G.S.A.L.T. teenagers must submit an application, interview with a staff member and complete monthly trainings. The youth are expected to help children with homework, participate in activities and games, and walk children home from 2:30-6:00. Also, homework help for the teenagers is offered from 6:00-8:00 every evening. G.S.A.L.T. allows for teenagers to grow in responsibility, develop their leadership skills, develop peer relationships in a safe environment, be accountable for school and life choices and receive a monthly financial stipend. Modeling servant-leadership, these teens are revolutionaries—people affecting people.

G2 Teens exists to help teenagers transform their lives, move students to love and serve the Lord, and impact the neighborhood for Christ. SURGE, the Sunday night worship service and small groups, provides a fun environment for spiritual questions to be explored and answered. At SURGE, students gather at 5:00 pm, worship, dive into the Word and then split into guys and girls small groups to discuss the message and pray.

G. S.A.L.T. and G2 Teens offers students the opportunity to visit other places through Bigger Picture Travel Experiences. Every summer, Graffiti 2 youth have an opportunity to see other places, challenge themselves and grow through these experiences. Past travel experiences have included living on a farm for a week in Missouri, canoeing the Colorado River and driving tractors in Texas. Click on the video section of the website to view firsthand the student’s past experiences.

Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock.
Matthew 7:24-25

Presented with a need for more volunteer assistance and a desire to strengthen families, Graffiti 2 enlisted the help of parents. Every parent with a child in the after school program is required to volunteer one day a week. Each day, children benefit from parents assisting with homework and activities. Monthly health, financial, or education workshops are scheduled to equip and edify the parents. These parents are taking a first-hand role in revitalizing, reviving, and revolutionizing themselves, their children, and Graffiti 2.

Excerpt from 2006 Parent Handbook

Purpose: To engage parents in creating a consistent and solid foundation on which there children may develop and learn.

Rationale: Parent’s spend the most time with children and therefore have the greatest impact in reinforcing behavior and education.

Benefits:

• Increase volunteers to work with children
• Increase capacity of parents to assist children
• Provide stronger connection between education and family
• Provide stronger connection between Graffiti 2 and family

Program Components:

• Volunteerism
• Parental Workshops—monthly programming to strengthen families and parents

Requirements for Involvement:

• Child participation in Graffiti 2 Community Ministries’ After School Program is contingent upon weekly parental and/or family involvement.
• Every parent must consistently volunteer their time within the program for one day per week.
• Every parent must attend a training session before participating within the program.
• Every parent must attend 50% of monthly parental workshops.

Purpose: To provide young adults the opportunity to gain employment in an environment that will be conducive to further educational achievement, personal growth and spiritual development while providing a community based mentor for children in Graffiti 2’s after school program.

Requirements to participate

• Did not successfully graduate from high school through “ordinary” means
• Resident of the Mott Haven community
• Complete Application
• Complete Interview
• Background Check
• Training Session

Expectations of Fellow:
The Fellow will

• Be punctual and dependable to a pre-determined schedule mutually decided by supervisor and fellow
• Follow moral conduct code of Graffiti 2 Community Ministries
• Complete and be held accountable to a covenant including a personal development plan
• Voluntarily commit time to work on educational pursuits with the assistance of Graffiti 2
• Provide written correspondences as well as picture and video to funders that support the fellowship position
• Maintain a bank account to which all compensation will be made

Compensation of Fellow:
Fellow will be compensated based on the minimum wage requirements of New York State

Results and Outcomes:
Fellows will

• Develop job skills that are transferrable to future employment
• Move forward in educational pursuits
• Earn a wage to support fellow at their current stage of life
• Learn basic teaching skills to lead children in developing physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual foundations
• Grow physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually

Celebrating Easter in a BIG WAY! Hundreds of children and parents hunt for eggs, play games, enjoy concessions, and hear a message of God’s special love for them.

Come join in the hunt or volunteer to help.

Time: Saturday before Easter, 1:00 pm

Nobody celebrates the holidays like Graffiti 2. Families who participate in the after school program are invited to attend the Christmas Celebration. An evening of music, games, puppetry, and Christmas fun, every child walks away with their hands full of Christmas blessings.

Every person has a reason to thank God. Graffiti 2 is grateful for our neighbors in Mott Haven. To show thanks, families in the after school program and many residents of the Diego Beekman building complexes receive a Thanksgiving box filled with all necessary items for a bountiful Thanksgiving meal.

Graffiti 2′s school supply sale is an annual outreach to the Mott Haven community at the beginning of each school year in September. School supplies are sold at an extremely low price so the parents can have pride in buying their children supplies for the school year. This is a wonderful opportunity to share Christ’s love with the neighborhood.

School supplies are donated by individuals and groups from across the country.

For more information on attending or donating materials, please contact us.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6

A joint ministry of Graffiti and Graffiti 2 Community Ministries which will provide mentorship through the entire course of a student’s education (age 5 to 25)

Mission Statement:
New Train provides continuous opportunities for children to move toward their God-given potential in adulthood through coordinated mentorship and incentives.

Program Description:
New Train is a comprehensive ministry of equipping our whole community through transitions from children to youth to adults, moving toward spiritual, social, vocational, physical and mental wholeness.

New Train recognizes the need to be comprehensive (ministering to the whole individual), coordinated (provide tools for collaboration between family, church, school, and mentors) and continuous (provide targeted mentorship from age 5 to 25).

Benefits of this program include:

• Opportunities for spiritual, vocational, physical, and mental growth
• Access to a well-qualified mentor
• Educational enrichment
• Scholarship opportunities
• Cultural incentives including field trips, Bigger Picture Travel Experiences, and mission projects
• Positive peer influence from like-minded students with similar goals
• Awareness of God’s individual plan and purpose in life