Did you miss the First Annual Galentine's Day event? We missed you, but you can read more about it in this article in Scout Cambridge. ​Thank you to everyone who helped put this event together, from those who gave input to those who showed up on a Saturday to volunteer and provide this amazing experience for the girlx of Cambridge. 

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Here we go! February is the shortest month of the year, but maybe that extra day tagged on is the reason why we have so many awesome programs starting up. Take a look and what is up and coming for young people, including opportunities for February Vacation Week, as well as the first annual Galentine's Day! 

Galentine's Day  conference for middle schoolers to come together to support each other and build their personal networks. Workshops on self care, quilting, personal branding, zumba and more. Hosted by Youth Connectors!

• Who: middle school aged girls and those who identify with girlhood.
• When: Saturday, February 22nd 10-5pm
• Where: Google Cambridge 90 Broadway
• For registration info: contact Dami or Medjine

CYP Challenge Week! Display your skills in various athletic, trivia, minute to win it challenges and win points for your team! Fun field trips included. Application deadline is February 12th

• Who: 6-8th graders who are Cambridge residents. Non CYP members welcome*.
• When: February18 - 21st, 9:00am -6pm
• Where: Gately and Frisoli youth centers
• Cost: $50 (must be paid at time of registration)

* For non CYP members, application deadline is Feb. 5th

Maud Morgan AmaZINE Prints! students will use printmaking techniques to make an edition of zines using a variety of media. No experience necessary.

• Who: Grades 5 – 8
• When:  February 18 – 21, 1:30-5:30pm
• Where: Maud Morgan 20A Sacramento Street 
• Cost: $325 for the week
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Improv Boston Comedy Vacation Program  fun and supportive environment within which students can explore and develop comedy improv. No experience necessary.

• Who: Middle schoolers ages 11-14
• When: February 17-21 10am-3pm (extended day available)
• Where: 40 Prospect Street
• Cost: $375 for the week

Parkour Clinic at Brooklyn Boulders a week of parkour and rock climbing

• Who: Middle schoolers
• When: February 17- 21 9am - 3:30pm
• Where: Brooklyn Boulders Somerville 12A Tyler Street, Somerville, MA 02143

All City Drumline no experience required

• Who:  Cambridge Middle School girls
• When: Wednesdays 3:30-4:45pm @ CRLS 
• To register: email arts@cpsd.us

Indoor Soccer   Free pick-up soccer games. Players can come as often as they wish.

• Who:  All current USL players or 6th, 7th & 8th graders who wish to join the USL in spring are welcome. 
• When:  Dec. 5th- March 26th, Thursdays, 6-8pm
• Where: Graham & Parks School gym. 

Snow Shoveling Young people who are interested in earning some extra money are matched with seniors and persons with disabilities who need assistance clearing snow from their property.

• Who: 7th & 8th graders can still sign 
• To apply: complete application and return to Council on Aging (806 Mass Ave.) or OWD (51 Inman Street, first floor). 

Bridging the Gap Free12 week middle school life skills program. Participants earn a laptop at the end of program.

• Who: For middle school students who may be struggling with behavior, academics, self-esteem, communication and anger management.
• When: Mondays and Wednesdays 4-6:30
• Where: The Salvation Army 402 Mass Ave.
• To apply: Contact Amanda Chen
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Robots that Make a Difference: Introduces students to the world of robotics using a
humanities first approach. Then build robotic prototypes to address problems.

• Who: Open to students grades 7-8 
• When: January 14 - April 14 on Tuesdays, 3:30-5:45pm 
• Where: Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch 826 Cambridge Street
• To register: bit.ly/ifprobotics19-20
  
  

Art, Music, Movies & Making: Students learn to dream, design and make (almost) anything with digital fabrication tools including 3D-printers, laser cutters and more.

• Who: Open to students grades 7-8
• When:January 22 - March 25 2020 on Wednesdays 3:30pm - 6:30pm
• Where: Cambridge Public Library  Main Branch 449 Broadway
• To register:  bit.ly/ifpammm19-20

Thank you to those who attended the meeting on Wednesday, January 8th. If the conversation in that room at the Moses Youth Center is any indication of how the year will go, the future of 2020 sure looks bright.

We used our time together to pause, reflect, and take a look back at our personal experiences in school to begin to build empathy for the experiences our young people are facing now. We started the meeting by looking at the Agenda for Children OST recommended Ways of Being. If you've been looking for staff meeting agreements, we highly suggest using these as a way to practice anti-racism through our relationships.

We explored the question: What is an experience in your life as a student/scholar that has had an effect on the way you view, experience and live your life as a racialized human being?  The courage in that room from folks to reach back and look at (sometimes painful) past experiences is a crticial part of the antiracist work we need to be doing to leave a (more) just and peaceful world for our young people.

So now what? Here are some next steps you can take for yourself and on-site to continue this work:

Breakthrough Academic enrichment program that starts the summer after 6th grade and continues through high school. Competitive admissions  

• When: Year round starting summer after 6th grade. 6 week summer session and once a week during the school year. 
• Where: Cambridge Rindge and Latin 459 Broadway, Cambridge 
• Cost: None
• To apply: Complete and submit application  to Valerie Coimbra  vcoimbra@btgbmail.org
• Applications due December 20th
  
  

Brunch and Ball: Teen mentoring program with members of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity that looks to empower teens through speak series, brunch, and a friendly but competitive game of basketball (Teens vs. Bruhz)

• When: Saturday, December 21st; third Saturday of every month until June 20th, 2020
• Where: Moses Youth Center 243 Harvard Street in The Port
• Who: Young people 13-19 years old
• Cost: None
• Register: Submit registration form to Nicole Rodriguez at Moses
  
  

Middle School Activities Club- Urban Air Field Trip

• Who: Middle schoolers pre registered for MSAC 
• When: Friday, December 20th 6pm-11pm 
• Where: Urban Air Adventure Park. 
• Cost: $20 + extra money for food
• Transportation: Vans leave from Moses and Gately 
• Young people need permission slip AND waiver signed (online or hard copy)

Cambridge Girls Softball Winter Clinic pitching, hitting and fielding practices

• When: Saturdays December 14,21st January 4,11,18,25th
  • Pitching from 5:30-6:30 pm (BYOCatcher) Hitting and fielding 6:30-8pm
• Where: War Memorial
• Who: Cambridge girls ages 7-18
• Cost: Pitching $100 for 6 weeks. Hitting and fielding $75. $125 for both groups
• Register: www.cambridgegirlssoftball.com
  
  

Coming up!

Maud Morgan Arts:  Art classes 10 weeks- pottery, drawing/painting, printmaking, stop animation

• Who: 6-8th graders 
• When: January 6 - March 23, days and times depends on class. Check out their website
• Where:  20A Sacramento Street
• Cost Varies based on class ($300-$375), scholarships available!
  
  

Shoot Straight: instructional basketball program for boys and girls grades 3-6. 

• When: 10 weeks beginning Saturday, January 4-March 8, 2020 
• Where: CRLS gym  459 Broadway
• Cost: $50 for 10 weeks. Checks payable to Shoot Straight 
• To register: Submit or mail application and check to Vlad Pierre, Shoot Straight, c/o Cambridge Rec Department,  51 Inman Street Cambridge, MA 02139
  
  

Robots that Make a Difference: Introduces students to the world of robotics using a
humanities first approach. Then build robotic prototypes to address problems.

• Who: Open to students grades 7-8 
• When: January 14 - April 14 on Tuesdays, 3:30-5:45pm 
• Where: Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch 826 Cambridge Street
• Cost: None
• To register: bit.ly/ifprobotics19-20

Art, Music, Movies & Making: Students learn to dream, design and make (almost) anything with digital fabrication tools including 3D-printers, laser cutters and more.

• Who: Open to students grades 7-8
• When:January 22 - March 25 2020 on Wednesdays 3:30pm - 6:30pm
• Where: Cambridge Public Library  Main Branch 449 Broadway
• Cost: None 
• To register:  bit.ly/ifpammm19-20

Sponsored by Agassiz Baldwin,  Cambridge Community Center and East End House will help you understand the effects of trauma on middle school youth development, brain development, and behavior.  You also will gain an understanding of the neurobiology of trauma. The workshop will cover best practices for individuals and programs in trauma sensitivity, the importance of self-care, mindfulness activities, and how to avoid vicarious traumatization.  

The workshop, Working with Traumatized Middle School Youth, will be held at Cambridge Community Center from 10 am to 12 pm on January 31st and will be lead by Alice Cohen.  If you would like to sign up, please register here on Sched.

Please join @loveyourmaginc @theteachersloungema and @ccscambridge for a screening of Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools at the Cambridge Public Library, Main Branch Lecture Hall.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with: Ayesha Wilson (newly elected member of the Cambridge School Committee
Rachel Jean-Louis (CCSC Middle School Principal) Routh Derege (11th grade student at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School) Yodemaell St. Rose (10th grade student at Community Charter School of Cambridge) Noelani Gabriel ) Director of Student and Family Engagement at CCSC (moderator).

Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools is a feature length documentary which takes a close look at the educational, judicial and societal disparities facing Black Girls. Inspired by the groundbreaking book of the same name by renowned scholar, Monique W. Morris, Ed.D., the documentary confronts the ways in which the misunderstanding of Black girlhood has led to excessive punitive discipline which in turn disrupts one of the most important factors in their lives, their education.