Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service 1/16/2012

Traditionally within EducationWorks the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is not considered a day off because it is a national holiday but rather, a day "ON" as a service day. Americorps members, Staff, and Students alike came together in their respective communities to bring awareness of various topics such as homelessness and hunger, voter registration, neighborhood clean-ups, educational achievement, and peace. EducationWorks in Camden worked in collaboration with other non-profit community organizations and businesses such as Hispanic Family Center, C.H.A.M.P., Global Citizens, and Due Seasons Charter School to make the MLK service day successful.

Students, Staff, and Americorps members from EducationWorks at WWHS (as well as students, staff, and Americorps members from East Camden Middle School and McGraw Elementary School) traveled to Urban Promise Ministries to hear a variety of presentations centered on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s memory and vision of community building and peace.

WWHS EducationWorks participated in a service project on a Peace Mosaic. Students and Staff helped to break glass and mix glue, and construct the individually lettered mosaics (P-E-A-C-E), and will be continuing to complete the peace mosaic project at WWHS.

New Programs for the New Year!!! Trimester 2 Programs

EducationWorks at WWHS is moving to a new trimester of programming!


This semester brings some more of the same great programs we had last semester as well as some new ones!

Project Open Mic (Poetry): Led by our new instructor Ms. Alyesha wise, poetry meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00- 4:45. Students will be working to compose their own poetry and learn fundamental skills of writing and vocabulary as well as write poetry focused on building community, black history month, and a variety of other topics.

Culinary: Culinary is a new program for this semester of programming. It is led by Ms. Chante and it meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00-4:45. Students are learning about what it takes to cook balanced meals, nutritional facts, kitchen sanitation, and how to have fun cooking. They have a hands on food project once a week!

Improv/Wild 'n' Out: Improv is a new program for this semester. It is led by Ms. Chante and Ms. Chaliyah on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-4:45. Students are learning about team building and how to think on their feet! They do a variety of icebreakers and interactive high energy theatre related games. The students also learn how to work through conflicts and improve their social skills!

Science: The students have the opportunity to work Mr. Purdon, who is a Science teacher here at WWHS. He commits to working on Science projects once a week on Fridays from 3:00-4:45 with the students.

iSmart Media: iSmart Media is a continuation of "The Tube" media program from last semester. Students in this program work on developing their media skills in the area of video production, photography, and technology. iSmart meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00-4:45.

Wepa: Students in the WEPA program continue to learn many different spanish dances such as salsa, merengue, tango, and bachata. Students also expand their bilingual vocabulary skills and learn the history of the dances they are working on! Wepa is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-4:45

All About the Benjamins: All About the Benjamins is a financial literacy program for the students. This program is led by Ms. Carter. This program meets Monday- Thursday from 5:00-6:00.

Nutrition: Nutrition is a continuation of the program from last semester led by Ms. Chaliyah. Students learn about a variety of food facts, as well as how to live a healthy lifestyle and how to incorporate exercise in their daily activities. They also watch food documentaries and have discussions on how to improve eating habits in the school and their communities. This program meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00-6:00. Students in this program work on a hands-on healthy food project once a week!

Kinect Party: Kinect Party is a new program this semester led by Ms. Chaliyah. Students in this program meet on Mondays and Thursdays to play a variety of sports and dance games on the Xbox Kinect System. This is a very movement-intensive program that helps students work on their exercising and dance ability in a fun way!

Fabric Design/Knitting: Fabric Design and Knitting is a semi-new program this semester. Students in this program learn how to knit and work on a variety of fashion craft activities. This program is led by Ms. Carter and meets on Wednesdays and Fridays from 5:00-6:00.

Life Skills/Real Talk: Life Skills is a character development program that meets once a week on Tuesdays from 5:00-6:00. It is led by Ms. Chante. Students in this program work on their conflict resolution, social skills, relationship building. Real Talk meets on Fridays from 3:00-6:00.

WWHS TALENT SHOW Culminating EVENT 12/21/11

EducationWorks students at WWHS put together an amazing talent show for the school community, parents, and teachers on Wednesday December 21, 2011 from 1:30-2:45. This talent show was a culmination of all the talents  and skills the students had worked to perfect over the last 3 months during the first tri-mester of programming. Students performed a variety of hip-hop dances, as well as modern dances and a Merengue dance. Students also showcased their singing ability in the talent show, and performed poetry they had written themselves. Some students even rapped and shared music they had produced and written themselves in the "lab" of EW!

Special guest dancers from East Camden Middle School also performed in the talent show under the direction of Melissa DeJesus, a student participant in EducationWorks in the Ladders of Leadership program. Over the course of a month, Melissa taught the middle school students in the EducationWorks program hip hop dance choreography that they performed for the WWHS audience. Party Rock Dance crew, a hip-hop dance crew from Philadelphia also graced the stage at WWHS. They have also come to WWHS in the past to lead hip-hop workshops.

We hope to bring another spectacular performance to WWHS in the future!!

IDEA PERFORMING ARTS Field Trip Nov 10

On Thursday November 10, 2011 students in the EducationWorks after-school program participated in a multi-fauceted field trip at IDEA Performing Arts Center in Camden.

Taken from the IDEA Arts website:

"The Institute for the Development of Education in the Arts (IDEA) was founded in 1996 to serve as a healing presence in the lives of the City’s adolescents, 46 percent of whom live in poverty.  IDEA is a creative learning organization that exists to create better futures for youth in Camden and throughout Southern New Jersey, by tapping into their creative spirit in order to inspire and give power to their dreams and aspirations through arts education."


Students were able to participate in an engaging theatre/improv workshop with Mr. Donovan, as well as a writing workshop with "Black Ice" a well known spoken word poet.


A little about Black Ice:


Before poetry was big business there was Lamar Manson, known throughout the spoken word community as Black Ice. Black Ice is a prolific artist, whose stage performances bridge the gap between hip-hop and poetry. Circa 1993, Black Ice's spellbinding presence, combined with writing that speaks to the common man, helped to bring poetry out of the coffee houses and into the mainstream, simultaneously creating a career as a dynamic performer whose talents proliferate television, radio and theater. Because of his intense love for children and youth, his message can also be heard in classrooms and lecture halls across the country. Black Ice, has lent his genius to the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia, and has made feature TV appearances on BET (Live 8 Concert Special, Rap City the Basement and 106th & Park) and NBC (Showtime at the Apollo), in addition to starring in six consecutive seasons of HBOs Def Poetry Jam. He was cast as a lead member in Def Poetry on Broadway, which went on to win the 2003 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event. The works that most closely define Black Ices personal vision are those where he uses his craft to uplift the masses. Black Ice has performed to audiences as diverse as those at the Hip-Hop Summit, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Source Youth Foundation and ShiNE, and performed for such notables as the Reverend Jesse Jackson,Muhammad Ali and Minister Louis Farrakhan, as well as performing a poem on rapper Fabolous' third album Real Talk. He has released an album called The Death of Willie Lynch in September 2006. His poem "Truth Is" was featured in Pete Rock's 2004 album Soul Survivor 2. 

Alyesha "Ms Wise" Wise performs + conducts a Poetry Workshop @ WWHS!!!

On Monday November 7, 2011 Educationworks at WWHS were honored to have Alyesha Wise in attendance to perform a few of her spoken word pieces as well as do a poetry workshop with the  afterschool program poetry students. 


A little about Ms. Wise:


"Currently the 5th ranked female poet in the world, Alyesha "MS. WISE" Wise is a Spoken Word Artist, Community & Youth Activist from the City of Camden, New Jersey. Born, Alyesha Wise, this 2008 & 2009 Philadelphia Slam Champion has been gracing stages from Boston to Detroit, and beyond in hopes of impacting the world through the Power of Words. In addition, she has opened for artists such as Universal Recording Artists, The Flobots to Hip Hop Legend, Wise Intelligent."

Newark AMERICORPS Launch

As a new comer to the Americorps family, I look forward to the Americorps launches because of the insight I can gain from the various organizations in attendance. This year at the Newark Americorps Launch Friday October 28, 2011 myself along with two other EducationWorks representatives, took part in a workshop that focused on setting the stage and making adjustments for a quality program. My knowledge about how to better our after school program has increased and I look forward to seeing things implemented to further increase our student attendance and to improve the quality of our programs.

WWHS @ East Camden Middle School's Family Night

WWHS EducationWorks students and staff participated in the Family Night that was held at East Camden Middle School October 27th, 2011 in collaboration with EducationWorks, Hispanic Family Center, Food Bank of South Jersey and various other community organizations. Corrine's catered food and provided dinner for everyone in attendance.


There were over 200 ppl in attendance at this event!! This included students, parents, teachers, and visitors!


Wilson EducationWorks students and staff facilitated the Face Painting Station, the Pumpkin Painting Station, and the Caramel Apple station. LiveCrew was also representing for Wilson EducationWorks at Family Night by doing a hip hop dance performance. 


This was truly an evening to remember!!