Welcome to our 3rd Edition of The Keeper's Secret, our monthly MBK newsletter. Here you will find all of the latest happenings in our My Brother's Keeper Program for Monticello Central School District. With so many amazing things happening in Monti-MBK, why keep it a secret? In this monthly newsletter we will stop at nothing to make sure every voice is heard and no story is left untold. Stay tuned every month and help spread the word so that nothing we do is kept a secret.
Also watch our MBK Public Service Announcement to catch up on all of our highlights from last school year.
The 3rd Edition of our monthly newsletter will be focused on highlighting all of our most recent events and upcoming initiatives. Please follow us on all of our social media accounts to stay informed in live time and keep reading to discover all of our latest updates.
UPCOMING EVENTS
MONTI-MBK 1ST ANNIVERSARY MLK JR. DAY PARTY
MLK Jr. Day will mark our official 1 year anniversary since launching our MBK program here in Monticello Central School District. So much has transpired since we began this journey. The good news is we are just getting started!
COME CELEBRATE THE MOVEMENT... in honor of MLK Jr. and his legacy that brought us here.
When: Monday, January 21st from 5:00pm-9:00pm
Where: 2 Jefferson St. Monticello, NY (Ted Stroebel Recreation Center)
WE HAVE SOME EXCITING NEWS! Come find out what's coming to our community!
FREE DINNER, DANCING, & FUN.... ENJOY GOOD FOOD, LIVE DJ, GAMES, AND PRIZES FOR ALL!
This event is open to the public... BRING ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
MONTI-CARES ANNUAL SKI TRIP FUNDRAISER
Our students work hard, and so do you!
Help us raise money for our MBK students facing hardship to experience the joy of skiing in Vermont!
Monticello High School has been hosting an annual ski trip for years. Unfortunately many of our students facing hardship have never been able to afford the expenses of this trip. Why don't we show our students that Monti-Cares, and help them experience the trip of their lifetime!
Last year we raised NEARLY $2,000 thanks to all of your generous donations and compassionate hearts. Our students had the time of their lives in Vermont and remember it as a "trip they will never forget". Let's make this dream become a reality again and send 4 new students on the trip of their lives!
This year we will be offering scholarships to 4 of our My Brother's Keeper student's who have earned their ranks as established leaders in our program. Students selected will be those among our top tiers who have consistently demonstrated positive leadership, behavior, attendance, and school performance.
Your contribution will earn you the chance to win a FREE vacation to Camelback Resort Lodge and Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark! This is a $500 VALUE!
Includes 1 night stay for up to 6 guests, with 6 Aquatopia passes; and 4 ski or tubing tickets.
Entry Prices: 1 Entry= $25 : 5 Entries= $50 : 10 Entries= $75 : 20 Entries = $100 (GREATEST ODDS / BEST VALUE)
Let's show our students MONTI CARES!
Watch these videos below to see how your generous donations impacted our local youth!
RECENT EVENTS
MONTI-MBK FAMILY THANKSGIVING DINNER
On November 20th, Monti-MBK hosted a family style Thanksgiving Dinner open to the entire community. Over 100 people came out to enjoy great food, fun, and fellowship!
Thank you to our MBK students who proudly served food to our community which was donated by local businesses and community members looking to give back to their community.
Families gathered together to enjoy each other's company and played BINGO with over $200 in holiday shopping gift cards won as prizes!
Special thanks to our MBK Staff Jada Jones, Deshawn Hines, and Shannon Daniel who spent a great deal of time fundraising and planning this spectacular event!
Children and teens also enjoyed games, dancing, and basketball with Coach Dennis.
Over 20 turkeys were also donated to our local families to enjoy with their families on Thanksgiving.
BREAKING NEWS
Mid-Hudson Family & Community Engagement Advisory Council Update
Our advisory council has recently formed a sub-committee to focus on sustaining our efforts in MBK through registering Sullivan County as a My Brother's Keeper Community!
An MBK Community is different from our local school district MBK grant, as it calls all key stakeholders, agencies, resources, local government, businesses, families, and community members to work together towards achieving our MBK National Milestones (listed below).
There are now more than 200 communities that have accepted the My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge – representing 49 states, Washington, DC, and 19 Tribal nations. Mayors – both Republicans and Democrats – as well as tribal leaders and county executives are working with community leaders and youth development experts across sectors to design and implement action plans to expand opportunity.
Our sub-committee will begin by focusing on the 1st step in becoming an MBK community...
STEP #1: ACCEPT THE PRESIDENT’S CHALLENGE
A mayor, county executive or tribal leader officially takes the Challenge and notifies the White House that you will participate (mybrotherskeeper@who.eop.gov). Then, provide a designated point of contact on your staff (usually a senior report to your mayor, county executive and tribal leader and/or a designated non- government leader who will support the work from the outside), confirm your pledge to build and execute a plan to accomplish as many of the goals listed below as possible, and announce your commitment with a press release, proclamation or media statement.
The six goals of the Challenge are:
1. Ensuring all children enter school cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally ready
2. Ensuring all children read at grade level by 3rd grade
3. Ensuring all youth graduate from high school
4. Ensuring all youth complete post-secondary education or training
5. Ensuring all youth out of school are employed
6. Ensuring all youth remain safe from violent crime
WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED WITH OUR PROGRESS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!
NEW PEER MENTORSHIP & RIGHT OF PASSAGE PROGRAM STARTING IN OUR MONTI-MBK PROGRAM
Monti-MBK has recently begun interviewing young men in Grades 9 & 10 to serve as mentors in our MBK program.
Peer mentor candidates are referred to MBK by their teachers and guidance counselors based on their ability to carry themselves as leaders and positive role models throughout each day.
Peer Mentors will then go through official training to equip them with the ability to effectively mentor younger students throughout our elementary and middle schools in grades 4th though 6th at KLR, Cooke, and RJK.
Peer mentors will rotate throughout each building one day a week per building (3 days a week total) to meet with their mentees after school and some weekends.
Using an evidence based curriculum called C.A.M.P. (Cross Age Peer Mentoring Program), developed by Dr. Michael Kocher, students will focus on building connectedness to families, school and community.
The goal is for mentees to work their way up to become mentors themselves as they enter into high school after going through their "Right of Passage" into manhood, which will be held during a retreat over the summer.
This Right of Passage aspect of our program is especially important for boys and young men of color to develop a clear sense of purpose and belonging to their community as they enter into manhood. It is currently being practiced by other MBK programs across NY state and beyond throughout our Nation.