  Opportunity | Equity | Youth and Family Voice | Access | Action
What have we been up to?
Supporting Early Literacy for New Orleans Public School 2nd graders.
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Early literacy and a love for reading matters! This past spring, our office partnered with NOLA Library and the Louisiana Children's Museum (LCM) to pilot an innovative program to engage students in a unique literacy and literature experience. Over 600 second graders from public schools across the city visited the Main Library and the Louisiana Children’s Museum as part of the NOLA Readers 2.0 program. This literacy-based field trip was centered around Derrick Barnes’ award-winning book I Am Every Good Thing. Education experts at the Library and Children’s Museum designed a comprehensive curriculum that inspired a love for literacy and reading. For many students this was their first field trip in their education journey due to the COVID restrictions and many more got library cards as well. We are excited to support creative partnerships in service of our children’s wellbeing and we're looking forward to a full launch in fall 2023!
Park Master Plan Advances to the Next Phase
Last month, we held the second round of community workshops to present initial findings and recommendations for the Big Green Easy, the citywide park and recreation master plan.
The plan has two driving principles:
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Equity—a commitment to a just, fair, and inclusive park and recreation system that is tailored to meet the unique needs of New Orleans’ communities, particularly those that are currently underserved.
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Resilience—harnessing the potential of the citywide park system to absorb stormwater, protect critical wildlife habitat, and support the city’s social fabric and cultural lifeways.
We need residents and community partners to review our work so far and let us know what you love, what's missing, and what should happen first! Feedback will drive the next round of updates and the final draft plan that will be presented this summer.
Here's how you can engage and provide feedback!
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Complete the online survey.
- Download and share the flyer on social media.
- Encourage your friends and neighbors to complete the survey.
Residents can watch this video or scroll through the StoryMap for more information about the draft materials (and the community feedback that inspired them)
OYF joins Mayor Cantrell to Celebrate NOLA Youth
The end of the school year brought May flowers and lots of cheers for New Orleans youth. OYF joined Mayor Cantrell on end-of-year school visits to John F Kennedy High School, the Living School and Booker T Washington. John F. Kennedy students showcased their school and led an impactful Q & A session with the Mayor, Living School students showcased their garden and woodworking products, and at Booker T. Washington we joined a youth-led rally against gun violence.
We also had the pleasure of hosting young people at city hall. Our office and NOHSEP met with the Livingston School team for the Aspen Institute Challenge as they shared their solution for food insecurity. We then joined Mayor Cantrell as 6-year-old author Zoey Craig stopped by to read her self-published book. Additionally we were thrilled to celebrate the Washington Carver High School basketball and the Willow School varsity soccer teams for winning their state championships, and to recognize Dennis “Maliq” Barnes for his acceptance to over 185 colleges and receiving more than 10 million dollars in scholarships- Dennis will be attending Cornell University in the fall.
Lastly, it was our honor to stand alongside St. Mary’s Academy students Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Jackson as they received a key to the city for their historic discovery of proving the Pythagorean Theorem with trigonometry without using circular logic.
Our office is proud of all the accomplishments achieved by New Orleans youth.
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OYF Signature Program Updates
The Mayor's Youth Advisory Council end its 4th session and unveils a new logo.
On May 13th, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) closed out its 4th session at Gallier Hall. The ceremony marked an ending for graduating seniors and those serving a second term on the council, but it also marked a new beginning for the program with the reveal of new logo.
Julien Weiner, MYAC Brand Ambassador, explained that the new logo “is about youth empowerment. Our fleur-de-lis is given the wings of a butterfly to represent the young people of New Orleans... MYAC's youth are on a path to self-liberation. We do so under the guidance of our predecessors and caretakers represented in the Office of Youth and Families' sun. We at MYAC are working to soar into a brighter future."
Over the course of their year, these young leaders were steadfast in their commitment to finding solutions to promote youth wellbeing. They took a deep dive into youth mental health and engaged the community in multiple projects on the subject. Single space here In February, they organized a successful Town Hall that discussed the stigma of youth mental health and showcased a dashboard informed by responses from a community wide survey in English and Spanish. The surveys are still open and MYAC invites youth to fill out the English survey here and the Spanish Survey here.
In March,they lead a workshop at the city's Public Safety Summit, titled Pain to Passion, Passion to Power: A Report Out form New Orleans Youth. In April, they collaborated with Dancing Grounds to showcase their PhotoVoice project, which uses photo and narrative as a vehicle to understanding the impact of youth violence, mental health and climate change on young people. Lastly, some members participated in a national town hall by Cities United over National Youth Violence Prevention Week.
As MYAC begins its transition into its 5th cohort, representatives are partnering with NORD for the inaugural NOLA Gen FeZt- this youth-led event by youth for youth will showcase youth entrepreneurship, entertainment and more! Check out the link to sign up as an entrepreneur and receive free tickets.
To learn more about MYAC and to apply for the 5th session, please visit www.nola.gov/myac Applications will be available in August.
Community Resources and Upcoming Events: Summer Time Edition!
 Dance For Social Change-- Registration is Open for Teen Summer Programs
These three summer programs are free! Participation stipends are available. Click here to fill out the form below to get involved or for further information.
Summer Fun--New Orleans Public Library, Summer Fun Reading Challenge 2023!
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Click Here to learn more about NOPL'S Summer Fun Reading Challenge 2023! |
NOLA Gen Fest--NORDC!
NOLA Gen Fezt - NORDC - New Orleans Recreation Development Commission- Calling all teens to come out June 17th for the first Gen Fezt- a festival for teens by teens- Check out the music, food and great youth entrepreneurs.
Training Grounds--Spend Summer Days with your baby!
About Us — TrainingGrounds (mytraininggrounds.org) Working simultaneously with caregivers and early childhood educators, Training Grounds provides a consistent message about the importance of the first five years of life and how everyone can take ownership in improving early childhood outcomes
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The Parenting Center--Children's Hospital
Summer Camp--NORDC
The Summer Camp Expo generally takes place the second Saturday of March and offers an opportunity to speak with summer camp representatives and register on the spot. Parents and guardians have the opportunity to explore a variety of recreational, cultural and academic summer camps provided through the public-private partnerships. Camp representatives are divided between select NORD rec centers. Registration for summer camp begins with the summer camp expo and will continue until camps are full.
2023 Summer Camp Registration Requirements
For information or questions, please contact Youth Programs at (504) 658-3049 or email NORDCyouth@nola.gov.
In The News
Employment Opportunities
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