Knight Foundation Scholarship/CUNY School of Journalism-Summer Diversity Program

The Knight Foundation provided the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism with a generous three-year grant to run a summer diversity program — and they are actively recruiting for the Class of Summer 2015.

They are looking to bring 20 aspiring journalists to New York City. They will pick up transportation costs and put up the students in on-campus housing for the two months that the program is in session in June and July. These students will receive training from the CUNY J-School faculty and participate in paid media internships that the J-School will help them secure.

To be eligible to apply, candidates must have attended historically black colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions or be members of any journalist of color organization.

There is a competitive twist to the program in that the top five performers will be offered free tuition to study for their master’s at the J-School. The application deadline is February 16.

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Souper Bowl of Caring in Schenectady

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It is projected that over 150 million people will be tuning in to watch the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in the 49th Super Bowl game on Sunday, February 1st, while 50 million Americans will be struggling with hunger. Souper Bowl of Caring gives people the chance to help those who are in need and to think of those who do not even have a bowl of soup to eat.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first Souper Bowl of Caring, when 22 churches in Columbia, SC raised $5,700 for local hunger-relief charities. Since then, young people have rallied schools, churches, businesses and community leaders to work together to raise over $106 million. Like in 1990, Souper Bowl of Caring has remained true to the first collection: 100 percent goes to the charity each group chooses.

Holy Name has supported local charities in Schenectady, NY for the past thirteen years through Souper Bowl of Caring. This year, our Church’s National United Youth Association is joining in the fight against hunger and has joined Souper Bowl of Caring in celebrating its 25th anniversary.

About Souper Bowl of Caring: Souper Bowl of Caring is a national youth-led movement of schools, businesses, community organizations, places of worship and compassionate individuals joining together to fight hunger and poverty in their local communities, transforming the time around the Super Bowl into the nation’s largest celebration of giving and serving. Since the program started in 1990, volunteers have collected more than $100 million in dollars and cans, with 100 percent of all donations going directly to community food banks, soup kitchens or other charities chosen by each group.

Opportunities for Youth in Education and Film

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The New York State Summer Young Writers Institute, June 29- July 11, 2015 at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York.

The New York State Summer Young Writers Institute is a thirteen-day in-residence writing workshop for high school students. Held during the months of June and July the workshop offers young writers artistic development, recognition and respect, and peer support. Students work closely with professional writers, immersing themselves in poetry, prose, creative nonfiction, and the critical evaluation of each other’s work. Admission is limited and participation is determined by the evaluation of creative writing samples submitted as part of the application process. The SYWI is open to any high school student entering the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in the fall of 2015.

Workshop participants attend three instructional sessions per day — a ninety-minute workshop in the morning, and two hour-long workshops each afternoon. In addition, the young writers attend readings and presentations by the nationally-known writers who are part of the New York State Summer Writers Institute, which is held at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. Work produced by each student during the Summer Young Writers Institute is published in an anthology.

Full and partial financial assistance based upon individual need is available to help offset the cost of tuition and room and board. The application deadline is April 1st.

For more information visit the 17th Annual Creative Writing Workshop website or contact the Skidmore Office of the Dean of Special Programs at 518-580-5593.

Casting Auditions in Schenectady for We The Animals

Producer – Jeremy Yaches and Director – Jeremiah Zagar, co-founders of Public Record (a production company that specializes in film, TV, branded content, and commercials) are looking to cast Latino or multi-racial boys ages 7-13 for their new Sundance supported film “We the Animals.” The film, based on a New York Times best-selling novel by Justin Torres, is a coming-of-age story about three young boys growing up in upstate NY in the care of two young parents.

Auditions will be held Saturday, January 31st and Sunday, February 1st from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Schenectady, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady, NY 12307

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Fabulous Valentine’s Raffle — Support our Youth

Make February 2015 – the month of love – a month to win in more ways than one!

The Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle

This summer we will once again be sending our young people to the annual KURS summer encampment and we are saving for CONVO 2015 in the eastern Diocese.

We need your support to give our young people a great beginning in 2015. To start them off right we are holding a month long Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle this coming February to support our youth. Each raffle ticket gives the purchaser a chance to win up to $1,180. The Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle will include drawings for $40 daily prizes and a $100 daily prize on Valentine’s Day. The raffle is drawn each day of the month, giving the ticket holder 28 chances to win! Winners are returned to the raffle bucket, making them eligible to win again and again. Your support will help cover our young people’s summer expenses with the ultimate goal of paying their way completely.

Tickets cost only $10 each. Feel free to contact Fr. Jim at 518-372-1992, Stephanie Dominy at 518-369-1346, or any parish member to purchase a ticket.

We thank you for your support of Youth Ministry and the School of Christian Living at Holy Name of Jesus parish in Schenectady and wish you good luck!

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Center for Women in Government & Civil Society – 2015 NEW Leadership New York Summer Institute

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Applications are now open for the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society’s 2015 NEW Leadership™ New York! Summer Institute

The Summer Institute is an exciting undergraduate leader development program at the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society. NEW Leadership™ New York (NLNY), is part of the National Education for Women’s (NEW) Leadership Network.

The goals of NLNY are to strengthen policy knowledge and skills of undergraduate women, and invite them to become advocates for positive social change. This intensive week-long summer Institute encourages leadership through action, and urges participants upon graduation from the program to develop and lead a campus/community project by offering competitive mini grant awards. The Institute will be held from Wednesday, May 27th through Tuesday, June 2nd, 2015 at the University at Albany campus.

NLNY is open to undergraduate women enrolled at New York State colleges and universities, and to New York State residents enrolled in colleges and universities outside of New York.

Applications are available online. All applications must be received by March 1, 2015.

January 2015 Newsletter – Happy New Year! Happy Abundant Life!!!

January, we are left with a question. For all we have learned about abundant life in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will we decide to participate in that abundance? The New Year always presents an opportunity to make a turn, to pledge our lives to Christ and to membership in His Holy Church. This January we continue our celebration of the forty days of Christmas, we expand our Holy Mass schedule, and we continue our charitable work. Come be lavished with abundant life in your church – right here in Schenectady.

You may view and download a copy of our January 2015 Newsletter right here.

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Reflection for the 4th Sunday of Advent and Confirmation

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Called to make the
Good News known

Brothers and sisters: To him who can strengthen you, according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages but now manifested through the prophetic writings and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus Christ has given us His Gospel – that is the Good News necessary for us to recognize the truth of salvation. This Good News tells us two things: God desires a relationship with us, that He wants to be more than just part of our lives, but in total union with us throughout our lives; and that He loves us so much that He was willing and did sacrifice Himself to make that love and unity real forever. Truly, He came to both preach the Good News and deliver its promise.

As Claudia, Justyne, and Adam complete the sacrament of Baptism-Confirmation with their reception of Confirmation today, they acknowledge and accept as adults what St. Paul tells us: Our redemption and salvation brought about by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, are without controversy. They are true facts that they fully accept and believe in. Claudia, Justyne, and Adam take up the challenge to proclaim this Good News in an adult way. They stand before us in potential and will clearly state: Yes, this is what I want to do. I know that Jesus did this for me, for my family in the faith, and I want to invite all I meet and know to also accept this Good News.

Their potential must now come to realization. They are like bread dough. The Holy Spirit and our family in the faith have filled them with the yeast of the Good News. This has been and remains the yeast of knowing, loving and serving the Lord and each other. But if this dough remains unbaked it will spoil. The baking will come through their witness to Jesus Christ in His Holy Church and in the community. They will face trials (the baking) – for the world either ignores or hates the Good News. The Good News gets in the way of self-centered lives. It requires submission and obedience. We cannot go our own way, we must be obedient and go the way God intends in order to share in the Good News. We must become one in the great family of faith, not just in our minds and homes, but also in Church and on the street.

God’s mystery has been made known to us. This is not just the word of prophets and preachers, but the very Word of God come among us. Today Claudia, Justyne, and Adam are anointed to make the Good News known to all they meet. Christ is salvation to all who believe. Come share in Him.

Advent and Christmas Holy Mass and Event Schedule

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Keeping Advent and the forty days of Christmas at your neighborhood church. All are welcome to join in prayer and celebration as we come to know, love, and serve the Lord and each other. He came to give us abundant life!

Advent

  • December 14: 3rd Sunday of 
 Advent: Holy Mass at 9:30 am. Parish Vigil Pot-luck dinner and Youth Christmas Performance
  • December 21: 4th Sunday of 
 Advent: Holy Mass and Confirmation at 9:30am. Greening of the Church and Free Lunch on Sunday

Christmas

  • December 24: Vigil of the Nativity
  • December 25: Nativity of the Lord, Holy Mass at Midnight and Morning Holy Mass at 10:30am. Festive Repast follows each Holy Mass
  • December 26: Feast – St. Stephen, Proto-Martyr
  • December 27: Feast – St. John, Apostle & Evangelist. Holy Mass at 5pm with the Blessing of Wine
  • December 28: Solemnity of the Humble Shepherds. Holy Mass at 9:30am
  • December 31: New Year’s Eve
  • January 1: Solemnity of the Circumcision. Holy Mass at 9:30am. Happy 2015
  • January 2: Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus. Holy Mass at 7pm
  • January 4: Feast of the Holy Family. Holy Mass at 9:30am
  • January 6: Solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord. Holy Mass with blessing of chalk, charcoal, and incense at 7pm.
  • January 11: Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord. Holy Mass at 9:30am

Mentors needed – RAMP Program

YOUTH POWER!‘s Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) is actively seeking dedicated and caring individuals to serve as mentors to help young people grow in their knowledge of careers and themselves.

RAMP is a high tech, career focused mentoring program for youth ages 11 to 17 who have a disability (diagnosed or perceived) and are involved with or at risk of entering the juvenile justice system. RAMP teaches youth about job options, how to set goals for themselves, and how to reach those goals with steps anchored in their daily lives to successfully transition them to employment, post secondary education and independent living. RAMP is seeking caring and dedicated individuals to spend 2 hours a week serving as mentors for weekly meetings at sites in Albany, Ravena and Cohoes. Mentors receive training and ongoing support as well as have the opportunity to participate in structured mentor-mentee activities which are payed for by the program. Mentors should be willing listeners, encouraging and supportive, patient and flexible and tolerant and respectful of individual differences.

Interested parties are encouraged to watch the four minute YouTube video below, view our recruitment flyer, and contact Elijah Fagan-Solis, YOUTH POWER! Mentoring Coordinator by E-mail or by calling 518-432-0333 ext 19.

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Project VOICE – Free Performance For High School Students

Project VOICE will hold a free performance For High School Students on November 6th at 10 AM. For information and a reservation form, contact Arlene Sampson via E-mail at Questar III BOCES or reservation form here.

This free performance for high school students is by celebrated writers, performers, and educators Franny
Choi and Philip Kaye of Project VOICE (Vocal Outreach Into Creative Expression), a national movement that celebrates and inspires youth self-expression through spoken word poetry. This special event is presented by the Riverfront Arts Education Collaborative and Questar III at The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

Reservations will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Transportation is not provided.