SESAME FLYERS INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
3510 CHURCH AVENUE, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11203

Newsletter Issue # 16
April 2017

Don't Forget To Come To Our Eighth Annual Sesame Flyers International Scholarship and Awards Gala!

Join us at the Eighth Annual Sesame Flyers International Scholarship and Awards Gala on Thursday,May 11, 2017, from 7pm- 11pm, at Giando on the Water, located at 400 Kent Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211.

Help us honor a select group of exceptional individuals who generously and tirelessly have striven to make our neighborhoods and our people better, stronger, safer, and more empowered. These bright lights walking among us know the value of giving back – and the importance of preserving history and culture as we move forward.

Sesame Flyers International will honor Lowell Hawthrone, President and CEO of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and Grill; Tunisha W. Walker, Vice President of Capalino+Company; Cheryl McKissack Daniel, Chief Executive Officer of McKissack & McKissack; Lucina Clarke, Executive Director of MyTime Inc; Kelly-Ann Ross, Sales Representative of Royal Wine Corp; Jahmila K. Joseph, Deputy Associate Director of DC 37; Carlisle Paul, Council Representative of Carpenters Union.

Our Scholarship and Awards Gala will begin with a networking cocktail reception featuring our esteemed honorees, our dear friends, our enthusiastic supporters, and scholarship recipients. For more information, please email gala@sesameflyers.org or call 718. 693. 0500.
 

Executive Director's Message

Dear Friend,


This April, as we prepare for our annual Spring Gala, that will honor the achievements of several outstanding members of the Brooklyn community, Sesame Flyers International would like to also commemorate the communities that it serves. For over three decades, Sesame Flyers International has serviced the East Flatbush, Canarsie and Brownsville communities, made of hard working men, women, and children eager to achieve. Over the years, we have witnessed how these communities have overcome struggles, ushered in opportunities and paved the way for a better future. In midst of these trying times, it is important to acknowledge these historically immigrant communities, who have from the very beginning, had an intransigent interest in being a part of and contributing to the American story. Sesame Flyers International is dedicated to ensuring that every generation achieves this goal.

One of the ways in which we want to ensure this goal is by inspiring our youth. Therefore, Sesame Flyers International is proud to announce that will host our Second Annual Youth Culture Summit. The Youth Culture Summit, to be held on Saturday, May 6th, will be a full day of interactive, hands-on fun exclusively for our teens and will feature guest speakers from the fashion, music and entrepreneurial world. Guest speakers will have the opportunity to share their experiences with the teens. Breakout sessions, where teens will be able to meet the presenters and interactive with other teens will also be included. We are sure that this event will be as successful as the first.

I hope that you have a great April and that your spring is full of rejuvenation, positive energy and celebration.

Sincerely,

Curtis Nelson
Executive Director
 

Sesame Flyers International Provides CASA Program To Students at P.S 269, and Medgar Evers Prep.

This month Sesame Flyers International announced that it will extend its CASA (Cultural After-School Adventures) program to the students of P.S. 244, P.S. 269, and Medgar Evers High School Prep.

CASA afterschool programs, which lasts 90 minutes, are designed by artist instructors to develop in students the capacity for teamwork, for group discipline, and for task completion. Strengthening these skills in a cultural arts context has benefits that impact peer-to-peer and student-to-teacher relationships. In addition, CASA program activities also help students nurture creativity, foster innovation, and stimulate an interest in creating art for their community. Cultural performance arts presented by Sesame Flyers International empower students as they explore personal creative expression through exposure to culturally relevant art forms.

Curtis Nelson, Sesame Flyers Executive Director believes, “Arts programming that is culturally sensitive encourages positive social and emotional growth, bolsters self- esteem as well as provides structured and supervised opportunities in an informal environment for students to express themselves creatively.”
This new programming was made possible through the support of Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs funded CASA (Cultural After-School Adventures) program. Nearly 100 students in East Flatbush and Crown Heights North have an opportunity to explore the arts through workshops in drama, steelpan, and cultural dance.

There will be culminating programs in the spring to showcase CASA program participants' work. The culminating programs will take place at each of the respective schools and are free and open to peers, parents, teachers, and the community.

For more information, please visit www.sesameflyers.org, or call 718.693.5503
 

Sesame Flyers Beacon Reminds You To Be A 2017 SYEP Worksite

Sesame Flyers International would like to remind small business owners that SYEP Worksite applications are available. SYEP, a six-week program (July 5 to August 11) allows hosts to help a young person establish good work habits and learn what it means to run a business.

A recent Wharton UPenn study of the New York City SYEP program found that the program has a profound impact on the youth who participate as the rates of incarceration and homicide are less for youth who are selected by the lottery to participate in the program than for those who are not selected.

Participants who are randomly selected by a lottery are matched with a worksite for the summer in a variety of industries from health care to finance. The SYEP program is a success because local businesses have made the effort of connecting our young people to the benefits of a good work ethic.

Last summer over $93.4 million dollars in city, state, federal and private funds were allocated to this vital citywide program.  This dollar amount was met by over 140,000 youth who submitted applications to participate, while funding allowed 60,113 youth to be enrolled in the program, over 40 per cent of whom were Brooklyn residents and 40 per cent were of African descent. 10,850 local businesses large and small, including those in the private sector, throughout New York City provided our youth an opportunity to experience the rigors and rewards of employment.

Participants work 20-25 hours per week, earn NYS minimum wage and learn time management, fiscal responsibility and how to contribute as a member of an effective team. Participants spend their summer putting into practice the prized 21^st century skill set.  

Sponsored by the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, the SYEP program has implemented web based application and payroll systems for the participants. Participants are issued debit cards and those who have bank accounts are paid through direct deposit.

In addition to developing job skills through work experience, part of each summer’s work experience includes an Educational Component that investigates the areas of Work Readiness, Financial Literacy, Higher Education Exploration, Career Exploration, and Health Education. Among the concepts discovered by SYEP participants, is the range of options available to them after high school, how to think critically about managing money, and how to incorporate elements of a healthy lifestyle that can prevent the diseases that run rampant in our community such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

If you own a local business, you can provide a work experience to a young person that will last a lifetime. Worksite applications are available now, get started with the online pre app here. Contact development@sesameflyers.com for a hardcopy application. The worksite application deadline is May 13, 2017.  For more information, click the DYCD link.