2009 Highlights

Highlights

  • Over 30 teens from across Eastern Massachusetts participated in LEAPS- including teams from Lynn, New Bedford, Somerville, Salem, Springfield, and Boston
  • 8 adult advisors were present throughout the length of the academy to support the teams as well as participating in their own workshops
  • Ant Toombs, Community Playmaker of Project Joy presented a wonderful workshop for the adult advisers on strengthening and supporting youth through play
  • Shauna Rigaud of Black Achievers YMCA gave an awesome training to the adult advisers on getting youth on board in their organizations
  • Ariel Harms of Philips Brook House Association offered project and time management ideas and techniques to the adult advisers
  • Matt Parker, a Boston Streetworker, came in and gave the adult advisers a training on supporting their youth
  • Laurie Jo Wallace of the Medical Foundation, had the adults thinking about youth development and how to incorporate it into their organizations
  • Stephanie Trilling and Ms. Peggy Barrett of Boston Area Rape Crisis Center returned for a seecond year and once again, gave amazing workshops on sexual harassment prevention in the workplace for the participants and adult advisers, while bringing some media coverage with them!
  • Representatives from MassCOSH, REEP (Dave Jenkins), AGO (Lauren Goldman), DPH (Beatriz Pazos and Valerie Machinist), OSHA (Carol Bates), and 1199SEIU (Tyrek Lee and Veronica Turner) all came to offer advice and suggestions for the participants through a round-robin panel

 

  • The participants engaged in an intense but rewarding discussion/debate regarding organizing, lobbying, advocacy, and education in terms of bringing about change  
  • There was a lot of fun and enthusiasm throughout the entire academy
  • The teens engaged in hands on workshops regarding workplace safety and health hazards, and how to control those hazards
  • LEAPS had the most wonderful volunteers any event could ask for
  • Each team designed their community projects and presented them to the group...and there were some ingenious ideas!
  • Everyone who came to LEAPS received a Certificate of Completion and are well on their way to making their communities and workplaces a safer and healthier place!