MUSIC IN THE PARK @ MILT CAMBELL FIELD

For 19 years, 50+ concerts have been a part of Music in the Park. The event features local, national and internationally known artists. It has been produced by Pat Fields and hosted by the Pioneers and New Outlook Pioneers during its entire existence. The concerts are free and open to the public. During the past two years the attendees have been given an opportunity to donate new school supplies when they enter the concert. The school supplies are distributed to students who annually receive complimentary backpacks from NOP-Penn Jersey Chapter 132.

Funds to cover concert expenses have been raised by New Outlook Pioneers through grant writing, sponsorship and general donation requests.

The concerts bring a diverse group of artists to the stage, and a variety of music genres are presented. Another very popular part of the concerts has been the Plainfield Idol Competition which highlights the talents of young people in the community between the ages of eight and 18. Winners receive cash awards and trophies and some are offered the opportunity to appear on the stage of the Apollo Theater. Several of our Idol contestants have won at the Apollo. Other concert features include numerous vendors that offer food treats and products to the audience for purchase.

More than 2,500 guests come from all over Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland to take part in the concert. It is a huge success!

Submitted by Patricia Anne Fields President of Murry Hill Pioneer Club

The School Based Youth Services:  Plainfield Teen Parenting Program, Inc.

Patricia Anne Fields has been the Pioneer/New Outlook Pioneer volunteer coordinator and liaison to AT&T since the program’s inception 32 years ago. This post is focused on the annual holiday dinner and gift giving event for student parents, children and staff.

SCHOOL BASED YOUTH SERVICES: PLAINFIELD TEEN PARENTING PROGRAM, INC.

Established in 1989 and operating in the Plainfield (NJ) High School, School Based Youth Services: Plainfield Teen Parenting Program, Inc. (SBYS: PTPP) has achieved extraordinary success as a dropout prevention program. The initiative was developed in response to the growing incidences of teenage pregnancies in Plainfield. With an initial grant of $350,000 each (to 10 similar projects throughout the US) from the AT&T Foundation, the program’s earliest mission was to enable teen parents attending school to successfully carry out parenting, educational/vocational and health care responsibilities by facilitating access to needed support services. Additional program goals included helping young parents to break the cycle of child abuse and repeat pregnancies, as well as provide the guiding resources to self-motivate the parents in the program to continue their post high school education. The program also included a quality operated early care and education program for the infants and toddlers of the young parents in its on-site “Infant & Toddler Center” located in the high school. The positive results of this program have made it the national and international model for similar programs and it has been replicated in 14 cities in NJ. Of the 10 initial projects the Plainfield program remains a stellar support program in the community-mostly because of the Volunteer Component. Since its inception, Pioneers have served as mentors, role models and fund raisers for the program and New Outlook Pioneers continue to have an impact in its success.

Some of SBYS: PTPP’s program activities include weekly well-baby and well-mother care, life skills training, family and academic counseling, parenting classes, parent support groups, peer parenting support and information sharing groups, job skills training, tutoring, “for dads only” program, and extended family support efforts. Notable is the fact that the program’s extensive pregnancy prevention component has now been incorporated in the junior high school grades. And, teen pregnancy in Plainfield (and NJ) has been declining the past few years.

Since its inception, nearly 700 students have been enrolled in the program which accommodates up to 28 parents and their children per school year. A significant achievement for the program is that SBYS: PTPP has achieved a 98% graduation rate among its senior student participants with many going on to a continued education or vocation program and become productive citizens in the communities where they live and work. Also, noteworthy – their children, the infants and toddlers, who received the early care and education in the childcare center, continue to make excellent education strides. They appear to be more focused, socially confident, intent on learning and desirous of receiving a good education. Most of the babies that have grown up in this program are college graduates.

Annually program parents and children are blessed with a holiday dinner and gift giving party sponsored and hosted by New Outlook Pioneers. The event is truly wonderful. The dinner is provided by Shiloh Baptist Church members (who are also NOP volunteers). All of the children received PJ’s, outfits and a stuffed animal. The parents receive grocery store gift cards that are donated by John C. Campbell Realty Company (John is a board member). Staff members also receive a poinsettia as a thank you for the outstanding work that they do for the families in the program.

Established in 1989 and operating in the Plainfield (NJ) High School, School Based Youth Services: Plainfield Teen Parenting Program, Inc. (SBYS: PTPP) has achieved extraordinary success as a dropout prevention program. The initiative was developed in response to the growing incidences of teenage pregnancies in Plainfield. With an initial grant of $350,000 each (to 10 similar projects throughout the US) from the AT&T Foundation, the program’s earliest mission was to enable teen parents attending school to successfully carry out parenting, educational/vocational and health care responsibilities by facilitating access to needed support services. Additional program goals included helping young parents to break the cycle of child abuse and repeat pregnancies, as well as provide the guiding resources to self-motivate the parents in the program to continue their post high school education. The program also included a quality operated early care and education program for the infants and toddlers of the young parents in its on-site “Infant & Toddler Center” located in the high school. The positive results of this program have made it the national and international model for similar programs and it has been replicated in 14 cities in NJ. Of the 10 initial projects the Plainfield program remains a stellar support program in the community-mostly because of the Volunteer Component. Since its inception, Pioneers have served as mentors, role models and fund raisers for the program and New Outlook Pioneers continue to have an impact in its success.

Some of SBYS: PTPP’s program activities include weekly well-baby and well-mother care, life skills training, family and academic counseling, parenting classes, parent support groups, peer parenting support and information sharing groups, job skills training, tutoring, “for dads only” program, and extended family support efforts. Notable is the fact that the program’s extensive pregnancy prevention component has now been incorporated in the junior high school grades. And, teen pregnancy in Plainfield (and NJ) has been declining the past few years.

Since its inception, nearly 700 students have been enrolled in the program which accommodates up to 28 parents and their children per school year. A significant achievement for the program is that SBYS: PTPP has achieved a 98% graduation rate among its senior student participants with many going on to a continued education or vocation program and become productive citizens in the communities where they live and work. Also, noteworthy – their children, the infants and toddlers, who received the early care and education in the childcare center, continue to make excellent education strides. They appear to be more focused, socially confident, intent on learning and desirous of receiving a good education. Most of the babies that have grown up in this program are college graduates.

Annually program parents and children are blessed with a holiday dinner and gift giving party sponsored and hosted by New Outlook Pioneers. The event is truly wonderful. The dinner is provided by Shiloh Baptist Church members (who are also NOP volunteers). All of the children received PJ’s, outfits and a stuffed animal. The parents receive grocery store gift cards that are donated by John C. Campbell Realty Company (John is a board member). Staff members also receive a poinsettia as a thank you for the outstanding work that they do for the families in the program.

Submitted by Patricia Anne Fields President of Murry Hill Pioneer Club