Checking In With YouthNet

YouthNet continues to make the case that it's a good public investment. The organization's Executive Director, Diane Malloy, made a quarterly presentation to the Board of Trustees on Monday night. The non-profit organization develops and runs after-school programming and enrichment programs for middle and high school students. YouthNet receives funding from the Village, as well as from Maplewood. This year's subsidy from the Village totals $15,000.

Malloy highlighted three areas of organization activity. YouthNet is actively seeking grant monies, and has been successful. HK Community Fund awarded $3000 to the organization, while Wachovia-Wells Fargo Foundation awarded $1000, and work with the Montclair Neighborhood netted $1300.

In the area of programming, YouthNet has administered "MMS Plus," an after-school enrichment program at Maplewood Middle School (MMS). This program will expand to South Orange Middle School (SOMS) in fall, under leadership of teacher Kathy Hester. This spring saw an open gym on Fri. afternoons at SOMS, when officers from the South Orange Police Department, YouthNet staff, and SOMS faculty saw some 40 students weekly. In addition, YouthNet offered swimming at Seton Hall University to ten students each from SOMS and MMS. The students, who travelled to and from Seton Hall in the town jitney, learned to swim.

Tech Zone at the Maplewood Memorial Library, a computer-assistance program, may soon be replicated at the South Orange Public Library. YouthNet saw a number of evening coffeehouses during the school year, and sponsors ongoing bike registration this summer, in collaboration with the Maplewood and South Orange Police Departments.

YouthNet also seeks to place students in mentorships. Some 20 students applied through the Columbia High School Guidance Department, and are working with mentors this summer.

As Malloy concluded her presentation, Trustee Deborah Davis Ford described YouthNet as "a great return on the Village's investment." She further commended Malloy, her volunteers, and the organization for its great diversity of programming. "There's something for everyone, for every interest," said Davis Ford. "That is very difficult to do."