Carmel Magazine

CM SP16 Online Edition

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Community Nonprof it Gives Children a Stable Foundation B Y R E N E E B R I N C K S H ard work, done well, feels good." Com- munity Partnership for Youth (CPY) par- ticipants recite this chant after grammar lessons and group activities, but it also summarizes how CPY leaders feel about their ongoing efforts. Community members founded the nonprofit 25 years ago, after the shooting of a Seaside student athlete. Today, CPY serves more than 350 stu- dents annually through after-school programs, middle and high school leadership groups and a dynamic arts academy, plus all-day summer ses- sions and a family program that equips parents to guide youngsters through their teenage years. Some CPY par ticipants come from unstable homes; others simply need extra academic or personal suppor t. As initiatives provide aca- demic and personal suppor t, they also teach students to act with integrity, respect others and make good decisions. Graduates say that CPY offers a safe alternative to gangs, drugs and violence, while instilling confidence and encouraging big dreams. Alumni now work as teachers, social workers, athletes, attorneys and workplace leaders. "It's about consistency in young people's lives," says CPY Executive Director Shari Hastey. "When children are given the oppor tu- nity to do things differently, when they feel safe and rewarded, it works." Community Partnership for Youth will celebrate 25 years with a July 16 family event; a fall gala will follow. Learn more at www.cpy.org. SHORTCUTS GIVING BACK Benjamin Bruce is program director of Community Partnership for Youth. The nonprofit is celebrating 25 years of serving youth through afterschool programs, camps and more. 76 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 6 Photo: Kelli Uldall "

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