Email us at: oursandyours@gmail.com
In March 2005, Jessica Houle, a past resident of Conger's mobile home park in Freeville, NY, decided to change the community in which she grew up. Jessica began Opportunity Understanding Respect Success (OURS) in the mobile home park in her father's front lawn with 7 youth and three adults. In the fall of 2005, Youth Outreach Undergraduates Reshaping Success (YOURS), a Cornell University student volunteer group that staffs the program was launched and programming moved to 4-H acres in Dryden. Several grants were secured and as YOURS and its executive board grow, the program has continued to expand. In August 2006, youth from Hanshaw Village mobile home park in Dryden began to join as well. Already having established a Monday Mentoring Program and a Friday recreation program, the Teen Leadership Council was also developed at that time. There are currently approximately 35 youth involved in our programs which are led by 45 dedicated student volunteers. The organization is dedicated to creating a community center on-site, so youth and adults will have access to opportunities to improve their lives.
Recently, OURS and YOURS extended our work into Hanshaw Village mobile home park with the installation of a family-friendly green space. In Spring 2009 we received the Robert Smith Award, which allowed us to purchase playground equipment and materials for picnic tables to install in a large grassy area in the park. With the help of the park manager and the entire community, we built a playground in the green space. In the future, we hope to allocate more of our efforts to supporting the communities our youth come from. Below are program areas of past and present:
Alice Connors-Kellgren:YOURS President
Alice Connors-Kellgren has been working with
the YOURS program since fall 2007. As a senior Human Development
major, she hopes to pursue a career in community development and
public health. She is currently the Friday program co-coordinator,
where she leads the fitness project, as well as a member of the
fundraising committee. Needless to say, Friday is her favorite day
of the week!
Kayla Altland: YOURS Vice-President
Kayla serves as the YOURS Vice President, by providing general support
for e-board members and volunteers. She is a mentor On Mondays and
attends Leadership Council. Kayla enjoys music by participating in
Cornell Chorale, Jazz Voices, and serving as Cornell Big Red Marching
Band Historian. As an archaeology major, she would like to work for a
museum creating educational programs and designing exhibits.
Julie Newman: OURS Program Manager
Julie Newman is the half-time OURS. Program
Manager. As OURS & YOURS' first
paid staff person, Julie joined the program in February
2008. She works at Cornell Cooperative
Extension, 4-H Acres in Freeville,
and out in the mobile home parks to provide programmatic support and
oversight to volunteers and to coordinate
activities for O.U.R.S. youth
during student breaks, such as over the summer and winter recesses. Starting in Fall 2009, Julie also started running programs at the Dryden Middle School. Current programs and permission slips for OURS, Dryden, and other CCETC Rural Youth Services programs can be found at http://ccetompkins.org/rys/local.htm.
Julie is passionate
about the role the youth can have in community building in their
neighborhoods and actively cultivates opportunities for the youth to
grow and practice social and leadership skills through community
beautification projects and parental involvement. Julie came to the
O.U.R.S. program from her previous role as a housing caseworker,
during which time she had been writing a grant for community
building in the mobile home parks. Julie has also worked with youth
in the past in her positions as
teacher, after-school program coordinator, and advocate.
Ruben Rahman: Mentoring Program Coordinator & Fun Fridays Program Co-Coordinator
Coming Soon
Claire Lyons: Fun Fridays Program Co-Coordinator
Coming Soon
Audrey Bampoe: Teen Leadership Council Program Co-Coordinator
Coming Soon
Helena Herman: Teen Leadership Council Program Co-Coordinator
Helena is a Junior Human Development Major who has been with the Tuesday program for three semesters. She is passionate about entrepreneurship and leadership and also loves working with children. Outside of programming Helena enjoys playing soccer for Cornell Women's Club Soccer Team, reading, and spending time with friends.
Elina Kagan: Fundraising Committee Chair, Secretary
Elina Kagan is a sophomore who has been with YOURS, Monday Mentoring since her freshman year. She had spent a year teaching youth groups while interning at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan, and organized community service events such as toy drives as National Honor Society President of her high school. Elina enjoys dancing, reading, and volunteering on Mondays!
Christine Kim: Public Service Center Liaison
Christine Kim is a sophomore government major
in Arts and Sciences. She is also the Public Service Center Liaison
for YOURS. In the past, Christine has coordinated the Vacation
Bible School program at her local church in Glendale, California and
taught elementary school students in Daegun, South Korea. Christine
enjoys playing flute in CU Winds and loves being a part of YOURS.
Sharmila Sarkar: Treasurer
Coming Soon