Rosa Parks play by Youth Life Learning Centers at Riverchase

For Black History Month 2012, YLLC-Rivechase students create a short play based on Rosa Parks.

Students start off with a brief overview on Rosa Park’s story during The Civil Rights Movement.  At 0:52, their Rosa Parks play begins.  Listen carefully as students use yellow shirts to indicate those who can sit in the front of the bus versus those who cannot.  In their play, “Rosa Parks,” refuses to sit in the back of the bus even though she is not wearing a yellow shirt.  She is immediately arrested.  Shortly after her release from jail, she begins a boycott.  See clip below to watch the play.

“I learned that Rosa Parks started the bus boycott.  And I learned that we need to treat people fair.”  -Dyamond Armstrong, fifth-grade YLLC-Riverchase student.

What else went on at YLLC-Riverchase for Black History Month?  The students at YLLC-Riverchase were given a choice of writing a song, making a poster, or doing this play.  When the boys decided to write and perform a song about Louis Armstrong, the girls decided to break off and put together this play.

The students were very excited to practice their performances.  No one wanted to go to activity time all week!  They begged to work on their performances longer.

Every Nation Ministries renovates YLLC-West!

Every once in a while, our sites need a small makeover.  After realizing that our YLLC-West center needed a little maintenance, Every Nations Ministries, connected to Bethel World Outreach in Franklin, reached out to lend a helping hand.  They spent their morning doing renovations, updating information, and organizing materials at the center.

You don’t have to tutor a student from a D to an A to be a great volunteer.  Having a clean, updated facility where kids can be comfortable is also very important.  Students get excited to visit our center, and is oftentimes seems as though a second home to continual students.

Many of our volunteers find out about our cause and our services through Every Nations.  The students, teachers, and staff of Youth Life Learning Centers would like to thank Every Nations Ministries and Bethel World Outreach in Franklin for their on-going support and providing us with many new and old volunteers.

For more pictures from Every Nations Ministries volunteer day, visit our Facebook page.

First Lady of Nashville in Attendance at Upcoming Luncheon

Anne Davis, First Lady of Nashville

First Lady of Nashville, Anne Davis, will be in attendance at our upcoming luncheon on July 28th to celebrate ten years of serving at-risk youth through Youth Life’s after-school programming. Davis is deeply rooted in this community, having grown up attending Percy Priest School, Harpeth Hall and later Vanderbilt Law School, where she has been lecturing students for over 20 years. She currently serves on the boards of Nashville Public Television, Friends of Greenways, Friends of Warner Parks, Stand for Children, United Way and Nashville Alliance for Public Education.

Her unwavering commitment to community building and education is congruent with Youth Life’s core values. Through Nashville Alliance for Public Education, Davis works to promote a stronger partnership between Metro Nashville Public Schools and necessary academic resources, much like Youth Life maintains a strong relationship between our teachers and our students’ school teachers. As First Lady of Nashville, Davis works directly with her husband, Mayor Karl Dean, to improve the public education system and keep our youth in school. Mayor Dean went on the record to send Youth Life his support for our “untiring focus” on our children and their future.