LCEC May Newsletter
"I want students to be able to recognize the potential
that they have for whatever they choose post-high
school. They should feel like they can open any door..."
- Youth Programs Manager Daniel Steinbring
Help us Give Children in our Community
the Gift of Summer!
The school year is coming to a close and staff and kids at the Center are preparing
for an exciting summer of fun and learning! The children are counting down the
days until summer camp starts, sharing stories about canoe lessons and mornings in
the garden from years past and day-dreaming about the fun activities that lie ahead.
They can't wait to see their friends, jump in the pool, and paint a mural, and they've
even heard rumors they will learn to build a robot this year!
"It's my reward for doing good in school all year. I
can't wait for us to go to the splash park and
swimming-that's my favorite!" explains 8-year old
Davion who has been attending summer camp
since first grade.
For more than 25 years we have helped make
summer a great time for children in our
neighborhood by offering a free eight-week
summer program to K-12th graders.With cooking
clubs, science experiments, art projects, dance
workshops, swim lessons, hiking excursions, and
service projects - we strive to give the children in
our community a summer to remember.
We believe that every child deserves summers
filled with fun, learning, friendship, and plenty of
time outdoors. Over half of the funding for the
LCEC summer camp comes from friends and
neighbors like you. We hope you will help us
continue to make great summers a reality for
children in our community.
If you would like to give children in our
community a summer to remember, it is easy to
give on our Online Giving Page. You can also
contact Nina Gehan, Development Director at
(608) 833-4979 ext 207 ornina@LCECmadison.org.
Thank you for your support!
Youth Action Summer Interns Prepare to Lead
With support from the Madison Community Foundation, this summer a
dozen high schoolers are committing to take on a completely new
experience: the Youth Action Summer Intern program (YASI) at the
LCEC.
Interns will learn about themselves, explore social justice issues, and
receive training in concrete leadership skills - as well as explore careers
and paths to higher education. "We know from the research that youth
who participate in youth organizing are more likely to graduate high
school and go to college. We also know that active young people make
our community healthier, stronger, and more just," says Executive
Director Paul Terranova. "This effort is a fundamental part of the LCEC's
core commitment to build a strong base of active leaders of all ages."
Throughout the summer interns will build relationships with
community partners in Madison, and learn from peers in Milwaukee
and Chicago. They will go on a one-week youth leadership delegation to
Atlanta where they will meet with youth organizing groups and visit
historically black colleges and universities. Interns who successfully
complete the program will receive a small stipend and one semester's
elective high school credit.
And this summer is only the first
step on a long journey! When the
school year resumes, YASI
interns will form the core of a
larger Youth Action Council
(YAC). The Youth Action Council
will be guided by questions like
"Who would you be proud to
have helped?" and "What
injustice would you be proud to
have changed?"
Youth Programs Manager Daniel Steinbring is excited about the new
program. "I want students to be able to recognize the potential that they
have for whatever they choose post-high school. They should feel like
they can open any door they want, and they have options," he said.
We are particularly grateful for the support of the Madison Community
Foundation, and the partnership of Memorial High School, GSafe, and
others who made the Youth Action Council possible.
2nd Annual LCEC Gallery
Night Celebrates
Youth and Community
Artists
A packed room sat and stood at rapt
attention as Jada, age 14, stepped up to
the mic. She took a deep breath, pulled
out two neatly folded sheets of paper,
and told the audience, "I don't know this
girl's name, or even much about her."
Jada went on to share, in poetry form, a
spur-of-the-moment judgment that she
made about another girl - and how she
came to question that notion, learning
and reflecting about herself in the
process.
She was one of ten dynamic performing
acts at the Lussier Community
Education Center's 2nd Annual Gallery
Night. This evening celebrated all of the
young artists in LCEC programs. They
created art with local artists in residence
as part of the Art A La Carte Program
supported by American Girl's A Fund
For Children. For the first time this year
we also featured eight local visual artists
whose work brightened the walls of our
Center with paintings, collages, and
sculptures.
Community Member Spotlight:
Chef Rafael Robles
Earlier this month Chef Rafael Robles volunteered his time to work with teens and
concoct a delicious meal for 125 guests at our 2nd Annual Gallery Night. He
recently started his own small business, A Chef In Your Kitchen. We sat down with
Rafael to learn more about why he wanted to volunteer and his hopes for Gallery
Night.
LCEC: Why did you decide to volunteer for Gallery Night?
RR: I met Daniel, the youth programs manager, when I was working in a hospital,
and he told me all about the LCEC's work. Last year I ended up helping out with the
Gallery Night, and I've been wanting to come out here and volunteer for a long
time.
What was on the menu?
I made an apricot glazed chicken, roasted potatoes, strawberry spring salad, and a
roasted vegetable medley with a balsamic reduction. The balsamic really sweetens
up the vegetables - which, by the way, were chopped by teens in the afterschool
program.
So what about A Chef In Your Kitchen? Tell us more about this new business.
A Chef In Your Kitchen is literally about having a chef - that's me - in your kitchen. I
want to offer healthy dinners for people who don't have time to prepare them. I can
make the whole range from gourmet to comfort food to gluten free, anything you
want - I've done almost everything. When you cook everything on your own, you
don't need to worry about what somebody else has put in it - it's all fresh and made
for you. That's my goal.
Why did you start your own business?
I want the freedom to see my kids off to school, pick them up after school, and be a
part of everything else in their lives. If my business goes well, I'll be able to provide
a service and still fill my role as a father.
Do you have a talent that you'd like to share? Contact our Volunteer & Employment
Programs Coordinator at cristina@LCECmadison.org for more information about volunteer
opportunities.
Announcements

Mark your calendar! The 2nd Annual LCEC Harvest Celebration will take place
on Thursday, October 16th. Interested in sponsoring this event? Please contact
our Development Director at (608) 833-4979 ext 207 ornina@LCECmadison.org

June Community Dinner: Celebrate students in LCEC afterschool programs
who are graduating from elementary, middle, and high school. Friday, June 6th,
5:30-7:30pm.

NFL Auction Items: Interested in donating an item to our annual NFL Alumni
Association of Madison Chapter Auction, or participating in a golf outing?
Please contact our Development Director at (608) 833-4979 ext 207
or nina@LCECmadison.org.

Farmer's Market Vouchers for Seniors: worth $25.00 will be distributed on
Wednesday, June 4 from 11:00 am- noon at LCEC - right before the WMSC
Senior Meal.