January 2002 the Boys & Girls Club of Camden County welcomed its first members. The Club now boasts a membership of over 2,500. The Club features a state-of-the-art tech center with 26 computers, a gymnasium that will support two basketball games simultaneously, a 6 lane swimming pool, and a large education center with over 3,000 books. Club Members participate in a comprehensive youth development strategy through various programs and activities.

The Club has become a "safe haven" for the youth who come through our doors each day. It started with the hopes and dreams of one man and now the children of Camden can realize their hopes and dreams of a great future.

Its genesis in the formation of a chorus for performances of "The Nutcracker" by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and the Garden State Ballet, the Newark Boys Chorus School was founded in 1969 to give boys from the Newark area an academic experience on par with their musical training. Serving youngsters in 4th through 8th grades as a springboard to life-long success and fulfillment, the school has 458 graduates, more than 95% of whom have gone on to attend 4-year colleges. The school's assets include a nurturing, dedicated and professional staff, involved parents and a culture that fosters character, self-esteem, poise and discipline.

The Newark Museum's Science Explorers, founded in 1994, is a highly successful job preparedness program that provides at-risk urban adolescents with invaluable education, employment, and mentoring opportunities. Serving 40 students each year, Explorers are recruited at the end of their high school freshman year, and actively participate in the program until their high school graduation. The program is designed to expose the students to as many experiences as possible. Science Explorers have opportunities to attend workshops and field trips to study art mediums such as glassmaking and pottery, and science fields such as geology, chemistry, ecology, genetics, and forensics. They perform laboratory work and design experiments with the coordinator and the professors from nearby universities. The Newark Museum is strongly committed to providing opportunities for the young people to learn, grow, and succeed.

The New Jersey Education Consortium (NJEC) was founded on the premise that education and positive association are the foundation for local community building, broader economic development and infinite individual growth.

In serving the needs of 51 charter schools, the NJEC establishes sponsorships, alliances and other innovative collaborations to bring value-added services and resources to education that support and promote sustainable learning communities.

In spring 2006, twenty-five New Jersey charter schools will place orders through the NJEC organized Charter School Purchasing Cooperative. In addition, this spring, the NJEC will provide nearly 3,000 Essex County charter school students opportunities to compete in the Charter School Athletic League (CSAL), with hopes of securing enough sponsorships to extend the league statewide next fall. Contact Ms. Marisa Giuliani, Community Liaison at (973) 980-9376 for more information on the NJEC and their current capital campaign. www.njeconline.org

In 2005, The Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology (PCSST) launched an annual program to expand the horizons and ambitions of their student body by making the world their classroom. The goals of PCSST's International Program include motivating students to excel; providing exposure to the world outside the student’s immediate community; building the student's confidence and responsibility; and preparing students for the global workforce by experiencing different cultures and applying foreign language skills.

For funding opportunity contact and other information about PCSST, visit us at www.pcsst.org.

The Violence Prevention Institute (VPI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax exempt corporation whose mission it is to reduce the incidence of youth violence through education and behavior modification, including Education, Prevention, Intervention and Research programs. Founded by Board-Certified Emergency Physicians and led by VPI Chairman & CEO Duane J. Dyson, MD, FAAEM, the Institute uses evidence-based research models to assist states, cities, law enforcement, and school boards in designing strategies to address societal problems associated with violent behavior in youth and young adults.

Participants are taught corrective skills to change attitudes about gun violence, gang activities, and other negative social behaviors in order to improve school performance, family relationships, reduce criminal activities, and acquire skills that maximize their ability to effectively negotiate peer relationships and other social interactions. VPI provides an array of compelling programs for students, teachers, parents, public employees, law enforcement and medical personnel.

For more information, please call (973) 395-0311 or visit us at www.vpinstitute.org