Our Next Generation, located on 35th and Libson Avenue is a non-profit organization aimed to create a strong foundation for the youth of Milwaukee. Growing up in poverty with little stability limits the good decisions that young teens make today. Which means anything helps from the fundamentals like help with schoolwork, to social skills and making the right decisions in today’s tough world.
Advising not only young children but also young teens lets this organization reach out to the community as a whole. Primarily known as the highest unemployed community in Wisconsin, this organization prepares its residents for the road ahead. Programs such as ‘The High School Connection’ train students to meet and understand the standards of college coursework. If 75 percent of children in this community are underprivileged and more than twice as likely to drop out of high school then others, then it is extremely important to begin this trend of stability and strength through education.
I had a chance to work with a couple kids at St. Andrew's Community Center. One student was a forth grader and lived only a few blocks away. Her favorite subject in school is art. Through a form of self-expression the two students worked to make footballs out of felt. Together they took pride and created a Green Bay Packer football, the states icon. One boy and girl exclaimed that they absolutely love the Packers. You can see that certain something in them that strives for a connection. It’s not just the fact that they love the Packers, but that they need that connection. Connecting the community is one thing that will decrease social barriers and bring the neighborhood out of poverty.
Prior to working with Our Next Generation I had no idea that so many different community members were associated with one another. They all serve to fit the special needs and interests from neighborhood to neighborhood, from young to old. I found that partnerships also aid the communities finance through institution loans. They bring additional resources that would be hard for one organization to provide alone. More importantly I found that partners help connect the neighborhoods with the school, ultimately supporting the local community development.