In conjunction with Temple University’s College of Education and Temple’s Athletics Department, 80 girls and boys from four North Philadelphia middle schools-Jay Cooke Elementary, Paul L. Dunbar School, James G. Blaine Academics Plus and William D. Kelley School-are currently engaged in PYB’s dynamic Middle School Partnership Program.
The experience is designed to help students grow as student-athletes and active responsible citizens through an innovative program consisting of basketball, skill building and game play, positive coaching and mentorship, homework help and reading enrichment, a youth-centered academic and personal growth module, and family engagement workshops. During perhaps our student-athlete’s most impressionable years of adolescence, our intention is to supplement what they are receiving in school and at home with athletic, academic and leadership development programming which will help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for success in school and in life.
Session 2 of PYB’s Middle School Partnership Program is underway! Program Director, Eric Worley, and staff have identified Hoops by Walter Dean Myers as the Session 2 book for all school sites. To kick off the program’s second session, over 25 girls from all four schools traveled to Wayne, PA to participate in a clinic conducted by Archbishop Carroll HS Girls Varsity team. The clinic was held at the state-of-the-art gym at the USLI business complex of Archbishop Carroll Head Coach and PYB supporter, Tom Nerney. This field trip was the beginning of the PYB “Girls Empowerment” initiative being spearheaded by volunteer Girls Empowerment Coordinator, Brooke Queenan.