Volunteer Opportunities Community and the Neighborhood Academic & Academic Association

VOLUNTEER

Volunteer Opportunities at Neighborhood Academic & Athletic Association Neighborhood Academic & Athletic Association relies on families of students and the community to supplement the time and resources the faculty and staff devote to educating and shaping well rounded citizens.

Examples of the numerous volunteer opportunities at the Neighborhood Academic & Athletic Association are listed below:

1. Help students from K through 12 with their homework, especially in math & English
2. Help by providing support services like photocopying, laminating, bulletin board decorating, filing, etc.
3. Help by volunteering in the Library/Media Center
4. Help by providing assistance/support services in the Health Clinic
5. Help by being a parent volunteer to accompany students on Field Trips
6. Help by being a parent volunteer to assist students with Community Service Projects
7. Help by assisting with general office duties
8. Help by assisting a teacher in a classroom

How gangs continue to win in our neighborhoods.

In Many cities across our Nation we see hopelessness as the fuel for increased Juvenile Delinquency. Apparently the status quo for Juvenile programming is not and has not worked in Topeka with the increase in violent crimes.

Gangs win because of selfish programming and territorialism. It is a fact that when they write a Grant we use terms like target population, demographic area, and the economic status of the population to be served. We can see a need to develop graphs and charts outlining the educational make up of said target population, with indicators of vocational needs designed from models that show future hiring trends. These tools are used to make local Grants seem most needed. Unfortunately, the Grant Writers have no idea how to reach the targeted population or to service them. The Community must work with the Grant Writers to integrate ways of reaching our youth.

Our Nation has allowed adults with criminal intent to become the dominant influence in our Youth’s lives. Gangs are sophisticated Syndicate with a hierarchy of leadership based on drug sells, fear, and territorial control. This Syndicate has their own intelligence division, recruiters, and a squad solely for the purpose of enforcement and internal controls. Most teenagers join gangs because they can’t withstand the pressure of the emotional and physical assaults that are placed on them.

How do we win? The Gang climate must be cut off at the source, “The Children.” It’s not a matter of just additional funding, it’s also a matter of reallocating the dollars already available. Parks and Recreation and the Schools District are the frontline Agencies in this battle. Adjustments must be made to deal with the youth crime and children that are unsupervised. There are five major areas that must be dealt with immediately if you want to take control of our community. It is urgent that the following target areas be addressed:

1. A Gang Prevention Panel should be put into place immediately, with the United Way, Workforce Development Agencies, the Chamber of Commerce, Boys & Girls Club, YWCA, YMCA, Scouting, 4h, Civic, Religious, Judges, Schools Districts, the Police Department, Sheriff Department, and the Community.
2. B. We must develop Satellite Community Centers at the Schools in the target areas.
3. C. They must offer recreation and social development programs for area youth,
4. .D. All owners of Movie Theaters, and Skate Centers should be offered Tax Abatement or some sort of economic package to build in the target areas.

The people who supervise or serve youth presently should support this plan with enthusiasm. Unfortunately, there will be some who will resist because of their comfort zone, racism, and or the desire to continue to be retired on the job.

We as community leaders must begin to make better decisions by changing the climate of our youth. It’s not just a Police matter it is a Community matter. No one can say to these young people that they need to make better choices until we, as adults, give them better choices to make.

We sit and watch as our young people wonder around making the wrong decisions, while our tax dollars are used during the hours least needed. It should be noted that most of the Gang Leaders of today, are the neglected youth of the 90’s. We warned that this would happen. We watch as those who said it wouldn’t happen kept their jobs and status, while these forgotten and neglected youth were We explained that this would happen. We watch as those who said it wouldn’t happen kept their jobs and status, while these forgotten and neglected youth were forced to fend for themselves. We need to change history, and not leave it unimproved like the national debt.

All children need to learn that they can volunteer in the their Community and earn their way into participation.

Youth Mentors

Youth Mentors at the Neighborhood Academic & Athletic Association   is also a participating member of Youth Mentors. Youth Mentors is a school-based mentoring effort that links caring adult volunteers from the community with students in schools and is open to all students, grades K-12.

All activities take place on school grounds before, during or after school hours. Youth Mentors volunteers typically visit a school for one hour each week to do things like have lunch with a student, help with reading or academic tutoring, share an interest or a hobby or simply listen. f you are interested in volunteering, please contact our     Volunteer Coordinator, by phone at (785)-861-7000.

How You Can Help Your Community

DONATE

The Neighborhood Academic & Athletic Association has established strong partnerships within the Midwest. Individual donors, local businesses and foundations invest in our students generously each year through grants, scholarships, our annual benefit Expo, cash and in-kind contributions. Grassroots efforts led by parents and students. Community-health centers provide services and screenings to maintain our students' health needs. Contributions of any size are important and welcome! Investing in the Future

Your investment in Neighborhood Academic & Athletic Association will ensure that our students continue to benefit from the academic instruction, guidance and technology necessary to achieve their goals of a college education and a better life for themselves and their future generations. Donors are invited to invest in Neighborhood Academic & Athletic Association in any of the following ways:

1. Outright Donations
2. Cash or pledges of cash
3. Marketable securities
4. Corporate matching contributions
5. Gifts in kind
6. Deferred Contributions
7. Charitable bequests, such as wills and living trusts
8. Life insurance policies
9. Qualified retirement plans
10. Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts
11. Charitable Remainder Unitrusts
12. Charitable Gift Annuities
13. Charitable Lead Trusts

Naming opportunities are available to donors interested in funding specific capital projects within the new NAA&A

Donations can also be made in honor or in memory of someone special to you or your family.

Neighborhood Academic & Athletic Association is a public school that receives funding from federal and state government sources. Additional funding from private and public foundations, corporations and individuals is critical to support these and other operational, scholarship or program funding:

1. Hire qualified faculty, counselors and staff
2. Enable upper school students to receive college-level credit
3. Equip our science and chemistry labs
4. Provide instruments and training for cultural pursuits in music and art
5. Enable student to participate in competitive academic and sports activities
6. Enhance each classroom with state-of-the-art technology

All financial donations are tax deductible in accordance with Internal Revenue Service rules.

Kansas Black Expo '11

Plans are underway for the 8th Annual Kansas Black Expo This yearly event brings thousands of supporters together for a fun-filled weekend.