SERVICES TO YOUTH FACET
Greater Queens (NY) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated initiated the Services to Youth programming with the “Lunch Bunch” at P.S./I.S. 116Q. This program, which served as a resource room for career guidance, college prep, and tutoring services, significantly impacted the academic and personal development of elementary and high school students. Chapter members conducted mentoring programs, parent advocacy, and student workshops, further enhancing the student's growth. The Chapter sponsored trips to renowned museums to broaden their cultural horizons, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York Hall of Science.
Services to Youth
Greater Queens (NY) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated initiated the Services to Youth programming with the “Lunch Bunch” at P.S./I.S. 116Q. This program, which served as a resource room for career guidance, college prep, and tutoring services, significantly impacted the academic and personal development of elementary and high school students. Chapter members conducted mentoring programs, parent advocacy, and student workshops, further enhancing the student's growth. The Chapter sponsored trips to renowned museums to broaden their cultural horizons, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York Hall of Science.
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Building on this longstanding relationship with P.S./I.S. 116Q, this school remained the home base for our umbrella program, “Highly E.S.T.E.A.M.ED – Linking Resources Throughout Greater Queens.” This unique initiative focused on providing a cohort of students with in-depth exposure to the S.T.E.A.M subject areas, offering them a learning experience unlike any other. Until the pandemic, we facilitated hands-on science education experiences at the Bio-Bus Mobil Science Lab and the New York Hall of Science for three consecutive years, enriching their educational journey and fostering a love for science.
Services to Youth Facet has played a pivotal role in supporting the educational aspirations of P.S./I.S. 116Q students. Through our scholarships, students could participate in the York College NASA MUREP (Minority University Research and Education Project) Aerospace Academy. This program granted them access to NASA’s vast resources. This opportunity significantly heightened their interest, skills, and knowledge, equipping them to pursue STEM careers. This initiative is a testament to our unwavering commitment to fostering authentic STEM experiences among the youth.
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Focused on advancing students, academic achievement throughout the Borough of Queens and their exposure to historically black colleges and universities, our Chapter has partnered with “You Can Go To College,” exposing young people to the academic and cultural experiences of HBCU campuses. The Chapter has supported The Links, Incorporated’s National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Initiative by contributing annually to the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. The chapter has conducted workshops that have helped students focus and create their academic and career vision boards.
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Services to Youth implemented the NSBE, Jr. program to increase our student's curiosity and awareness about science and technology at P.S./I.S. 116Q and P.S. 330Q, the Helen M. Marshall School. P.S. 330, named after Link Sister Helen M. Marshall was the first African American Borough President of Queens, NY.
In efforts to close the reading gap of African American students, in 2023, Services to Youth Facet secured and donated over 1,500 books to Pre-K and kindergarten students throughout Queens. Children’s books authored by African Americans were distributed to children at the NAACP Jamaica Day Care Center, Be Above Day Care Center, and children who reside in the Queensbridge Houses, NYC Public Housing Development.
Increasing the exposure of young people to positive role models in the community, the Chapter partnered with prominent African Americans throughout the community to include elected city officials, entrepreneurs, educators, persons in law enforcement, the medical profession, and other positive influencers in our “Day of Reading” at these schools and institutions.
The Chapter has built upon its legacy of supporting, mentoring, and providing financial support through our scholarship program. Beginning with the Muriel E. Baldwin Scholarship and expanding to the Patricia A. Thomas Scholarship. We award students who need financial support and have been accepted to institutions of higher learning.
Recognizing the financial needs of high school students seeking admission to NYC specialized schools, the program has expanded to provide these high school students assistance. We have also expanded to award STEAM students specifically focused on academic achievement in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
National Initiatives
The Services to Youth facet continues to implement three national initiatives (National Mentoring, National HBCU and Young Achievers), and two signature programs (Links to Success: Children Achieving Excellence and Links STEMReady) in support of our mission to enrich and enhance the lives of black youth.
The primary goals of this facet are to:
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Close the achievement gap from pre-K through college, with the intent of preparing our youth for the global workforce as healthy citizens.
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Develop training modules for local pre-K through college mentoring programs, to ascertain a high level of support for youth in our communities.
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Expand and support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and promote the integration of the arts (STEM).
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Promote and support historically black colleges and universities for ensured sustainability.
Greater Queens (NY) Link Programs
Services to Youth was the lead facet for the Greater Queens (NY) Chapter's Umbrella program, Highly E.S.T.E.A.M.ED - Linking Resources throughout Greater Queens. Program activities include:
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Partnering with PS/IS 116Q to provide students with the educational resources and experiences to increase their academic achievements.
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Providing field STEM field trips to the Queens Botanical Garden, New York Hall of Science, Museum of Illusions, and “Greater New York Smiles” at the Jacob Javits.
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Sponsoring the Biobus – a science lab on wheels – for students to have access to microscopes and specimens.
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Chartering a National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Jr chapter for elementary school-aged children focused on STEM and literacy.
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Providing scholarships to students accepted into Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and York College (CUNY), a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI).
Services to Youth recognized the “highest achievers” from our cohort at PS/IS 116. 22 students received personally engraved trophies, which were provided by the generosity of an anonymous donor.
Services to Youth and Health and Human Services took the students on a field trip where they participated in “Greater New York Smiles.” Pictured here are the students at “work stations” where they were given live instruction on proper tooth care.
At the Museum of Illusion, students played with optical illusions and learned how your eyes see things which your brain cannot understand.
Ninety-Five 4th graders and two classes of second graders received scientific education from the Bio Bus at P.S./I.S. 116. Services to Youth Facet also provided individual microscope kits to each student and their teachers.