SCO News
Congrats 2016 SCO Grads!
July 25, 2016 / Independent Youth News
CONGRATULATIONS!!! The past month was filled with graduations and moving up ceremonies throughout SCO as students received diplomas, awards and certificates in recognition of their amazing achievements! Here are highlights from just a few of our programs:
Read MoreMayor Announces SCO ED Doug O’Dell’s Appointment to NYC Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board
January 28, 2016 / Independent Youth News
SCO is proud to announce that Mayor Bill de Blasio recently appointed SCO Executive Director Doug O'Dell to the newly created NYC Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board. The Advisory Board offers valuable non-governmental expertise, relationships and resources to the City agencies that make up the Children's Cabinet, in order to help NYC best promote and protect children’s wellbeing. Members of the Board include appointees from all five boroughs in academia, faith, media, business, technology, the non-profit sector and the judiciary. In announcing the Advisory Board members, the de Blasio administration recognized Doug for bringing the following expertise: Douglas O’Dell is the Executive Director of SCO Family of Services where he has served in various other roles during his 24 years at the organization. He is an expert in the field of services to vulnerable populations of children, families and adults. During his time at SCO, he created SCO’s alternative to detention and placement programs serving court-involved youth in their homes with family-based therapy and community-based residences. He also launched the agency's Family Therapy Intervention Pilot which promotes families' acceptance of their LGBTQ children and provides services to reduce negative risk factors experienced by LGBTQ youth. Read the full press release below.
Read MoreSCO Thanks Mayor de Blasio for Commitment to Homeless & Runaway Youth
January 15, 2016 / Independent Youth News
SCO Executive Director Doug O'Dell praised Mayor Bill de Blasio for prioritizing the needs of homeless and runaway youth in New York City, stating in a recent press release announcing the City's plans to enhance services to address youth homelessness: "We applaud the Mayor for his encouragement of innovative initiatives to support homeless and runaway youth and young adults in New York City." Read the full announcement below.
Read MoreSCO Family of Services: Building a Brighter Future
January 6, 2016 / Independent Youth News
Each year, SCO Family of Services helps nearly 60,000 vulnerable New Yorkers build a strong foundation for the future. Here are just three examples of the unconditional care and life-changing results SCO brings to all of the lives we touch.
Read More2015 Holiday Cheer at SCO
December 18, 2015 / Independent Youth News
Thank you to the many, many SCO supporters and friends who donated thousands of gifts, organized holiday celebrations or otherwise supported the children, youth, adults, families and communities we serve during this special time of year. Below is just a sample of the overwhelming generosity shown toward New Yorkers in need during this season of giving.
Read MoreACS Close to Home Teens Visit Washington, D.C. Historical Sites
May 21, 2015 / Independent Youth News
At 5:15 am on Friday, May 8, six young men and five staff members from the 128th Street, Close to Home non-secure placement facility in Ozone Park, Queens, left for a whirlwind weekend trip to Washington, D.C. Taking the young men to the nation’s capital grew out of a partnership with Unlocking Futures-Warrior Program, a mentoring project for young men, and a desire for the teens to learn about U.S. history. Ed Michel, the group leader at the residence run by SCO Family of Services, created a full, well-organized three-day itinerary. To prepare, Ed researched extensively before the trip so he could offer the young men meaningful lessons. Here, Ed recounts the trip and what he hopes the teens got out of it: “The number one thing I reiterated to these young people was ‘This trip this is not only about you. This is about other young people who are in the same situation, or will be, to have the opportunity to leave New York State’…Our young people suffer… because they are not often exposed to a lot of different things …they only know the four corners of their neighborhood…A trip like this can be a catalyst to reduce recidivism and …to push forward.
Read MoreCFL students and staff rally to save after-school programs
April 24, 2015 / Independent Youth News
Staff and families from SCO's Center for Family Life in Sunset Park joined a crowd of community members who rallied at Brooklyn Borough Hall on April 23rd, calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to fund 17 after-school programs in high-need neighborhoods that would be forced to close this summer unless the mayor allocates additional funding. Center for Family Life programs based at PS94 and PS169 in Sunset Park, are among the six Brooklyn programs in jeopardy.
Read MoreFirstStepNYC hosts CityTech Nurses for community health event
March 24, 2015 / Independent Youth News
Seeking to raise awareness for two major health concerns facing children and families in Brownsville – uncontrolled asthma and childhood obesity – the New York City College of Technology Nursing Department and representatives from Brookdale and Kings County hospitals Tuesday held a community meeting at SCO/FirstStepNYC, an early childhood education…
Read MoreDream Big, Speak Out Open Mic Event
March 9, 2015 / Independent Youth News
“About My Black”, “Unlucky Number 8” and “The Last Fight” were just a few of the poems our transfer school students recited March 2nd at the 1st Annual Dream Big, Speak Out Open Mic Event at the famous Nuyorican Poets Café. The students have been participating in Dream Big, Speak Out – a program created by the New York Knicks,Garden of Dreams Foundation and Urban Word NYC – designed to celebrate the African American Experience. Watch video highlights from the performance and check out photos from the event below (click thumbnails to view gallery)! Your browser does not support iframes.
Read MoreJanuary is National Mentoring Month – Get Involved!
January 12, 2015 / Independent Youth News
Could you navigate through a twisting, turning, pitch-black tunnel using only your sense of touch? Our kids did just that in the “Touch Tunnel,” one of many cool exhibits enjoyed Saturday by participants in our Family Dynamics Mentoring Program at the Liberty Science Center. See more photos below! January is National Mentoring Month – If you’d like to Be Someone Who Matters to Someone Who Matters, email us at coffice@sco.org. Find out more: http://sco.org/2014-mentoring-benefit/
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