Why It’s Important

The Links, Incorporated created its first program facet, Services to Youth, to equip black youth to use their intellect and spirit of achievement to become successful and productive citizens. Today, we continue to implement aligned, integrated and transformational programs that are responsive to the academic, health, cultural, social awareness, career development, and mentoring needs of youth.

The Services to Youth facet uses an integrated approach to prepare young people to succeed as healthy citizens in the global workforce and to promote healthy lifestyles within families and communities.

Through national initiatives and programs, the Services to Youth facet supports its mission to enrich and enhance the lives of black youth.

Nationally, the primary goals of this facet are to:

• Close the achievement gap from pre-K through college, with the intent of preparing our youth for the global workforce as healthy citizens
• Promote the integration of a health and wellness component focused on youth, families and communities in our Services to Youth facet programs
• Develop training modules for local pre-K through college mentoring programs, to ascertain a high level of support for youth in our communities
• Expand and support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and promote the integration of the arts (STEM to STEAM)
• Promote and support historically black colleges and universities for ensured sustainability

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We Recognize the Needs of the Underserved

Fairfield County is among the wealthiest areas of the United States, however many communities, especially in urban areas are underserved.  A recent study published by DataHaven, in partnership with Fairfield County’s Community Foundation highlighted critical areas of need in our community ¹:

• Fairfield County ranks first in income inequality among the 100 largest U.S. metro areas when comparing incomes of top and bottom earners.
• By 2014, one-fifth of the county-wide population, or 191,300 individuals, were immigrants. 100 percent of net population growth in Fairfield County (2000-14) could be attributed to the increase in the foreign-born population.
• The total number of jobs in Fairfield County has not returned to 2000 or 2007 levels.
  • Decline in middle class jobs, e.g., manufacturing, partially replaced with lower paying jobs in services sectors.
    • Health care roles gained greatest increase in number of total jobs (jobs created).
    • Finance/insurance gained greatest increase in share of total payroll (rising wages).
  • 31 percent of adults in Fairfield County said they were just getting by financially or finding it difficult to manage.

• The greatest number of high needs students and corresponding student achievement gaps, as measured by English / Math proficiency, high school graduation rates are most pronounced in Fairfield County’s urban centers, i.e., Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, in that order.
  • Health disparities – obesity, diabetes, heart disease and mental health issues – are greatest in lower income communities.

• Civic engagement is on par with other communities in the State, e.g., registered voter turnout in elections and volunteerism.
  • Higher rates of engagement correlate with higher income and educational attainment.

1. Abraham, M. and Buchanan, M., et al, Fairfield County Community Well-Being Index 2016

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Our Core Focus

The Services to Youth facet led our chapter’s 2016-2018 umbrella program, aligning all facet areas to target youth in underserved urban communities.  Collectively our umbrella program goals were focused to:

• Narrow the achievement gap by engaging students, grades K-8, in active learning opportunities; emphasis on STEAM
  • Build 21^st century skills: foundational literacies, character qualities, 4-C’s competencies ²
  • Literacy (reading), STEM, Art (visual arts, writing), Health, Citizenship, Global perspectives
  • Encourage healthy lifestyles – nutrition, exercise, positive outlook
  • Instill civic engagement
  • Foster global perspectives and cultural awareness
  • Celebrate children’s success
• Strengthen support to those with more direct access to youth – parents, teachers
• Build upon existing relationships; expand ecosystem of community partners
• Leverage specific Links National programs & initiatives
  • Links to Success, Project LEAD, National STEM Initiative
  • National Poster Arts Initiative, Taking STEM into STEAM
  • National Childhood Obesity Initiative
  • Financial Literacy

2. As defined by World Economic Forum in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group, New Vision for Education: Fostering Social and Emotional Learning through Technology, (World Economic Forum, March 2016) Foundational Literacies (e.g., literacy, numeracy, scientific, ICT, etc.), Character Qualities (curiosity, initiative, persistence, etc.), and 4-C Competencies (critical-thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration).

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Making a Difference

Through our Service to Youth facet initiatives, we have brought numerous enrichment opportunities to students in Fairfield county’s urban communities, in particular through our partnerships in Bridgeport.

Celebrated students’ academic achievement in literacy by hosting a back to school celebration for teachers, parents and students in grades 1-4 who successfully completed the school’s summer reading assignments.

Stimulated middle-school girls’ curiosity in STEM subjects and careers.  Through our partnership with Saturday Academy, Inc. and the Amazing Girls Science Conference, supported enrollment of 50+ girls from Bridgeport Public Schools in each project-based workshop.

Encouraged students’ interests in science and healthy habits by sponsoring the design and installation of a school garden.  Lower grade school teachers leveraged the garden in classroom learning to highlight the life cycle of food plants from seed germination through harvesting.  Upper school students worked with Links volunteers to prepare the garden – including tilling the earth, mixing the soil and planting seedlings.  Funding provided by a grant received from Links, Incorporated and their partnership with kidsgardening.org and Jamba Juice.

Strengthened parent – school partnerships by collaborating with NTS facet to offer a seminar for parents in bullying prevention.

Emphasized the importance of oral health by teaming with HHS facet to provide oral hygiene education and screenings to students in K-6, leveraging the Links, Incorporated National partnership with Colgate-Palmolive.

Offered students opportunities for creative expression in visual arts by partnering with The Arts facet.  Students across all grade levels participated in the Links, Incorporated biennial national Poster Art Competition, creating art reflecting the national Links, Incorporated themes emphasizing health and wellness in our community.  Hosted community-based recognition for student participants and best-in-category awardees.    Further leveraged the art theme with middle school students to encourage writing and use of technology to create a student literary magazine, “Talking about Art:  One Student’s View on Another’s”, featuring ekphrasis ³.

[3] Definition of ekphrasis: plural ekphrases  also ecphrases play  \ˈek-frə-ˌsēz\. A literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art, merriam-webster.com, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ekphrasis