September 2009

Twenty Teens from the North Shore Traveled to New Orleans this August for the 2009 Maccabi ArtsFest.

Twenty teens from the North Shore traveled to New Orleans this August for the ArtsFest 2009. Co-sponsored by the JCCNS and NSTI, this was the first time the North Shore sent a delegation to this outstanding program. It was the largest first-time delegation, and second in number only to the host delegation from New Orleans.

Top-notch artists-in-residence coached teens from all over the country in acting & improvisation, vocal music, rock music, visual arts, culinary arts, dance, digital photography, jazz ensemble, musical theater & broadcast journalism.

ArtsFest teens said:
“During ArtsFest, I was involved in the Culinary Arts program. It was an amazing experience to be able to learn new skills while in New Orleans. I am considering a career in this type of work so the experience was great. I am grateful to the North Shore Teen Initiative for the opportunity and to the host family and chef in New Orleans.”
– Allison Solomon

“The week I spent on the ArtsFest trip was one of the best of my life. The people I met, the things we did, were just the experience of a lifetime. I had so much fun and I think everyone who has the chance to go should go!”
- Shoshana Kranish

Canoeing And Lunch . . .
It's Worth The Ride

In the heat of the summer, 10 NSTI teens wisely put paddles to water and set forth to conquer the mighty Ipswich River. Maybe that’s an exaggeration but they did successfully navigate the Foote Brothers Canoes’ 2.5 hour trip up the river and back. Lunch at the Riverview Restaurant yielded pizza of legend and lore.

Trapeze School

On August 20, 14 NSTI teens tested their strength, agility and nerve 20 feet above the ground – and, of course, a net. Trapeze School New York, Beantown at Jordan’s Furniture in Reading provided an afternoon of fun, fear (the good kind), catch and release at this popular and challenging event.

Derek M. Sheckman Community Leadership Award

Every year the Jewish Federation of the North Shore gives the Derek M. Sheckman Community Leadership Award to a person who has shown outstanding leadership and service to his community.

This year, North Shore Teen Initiative worked in conjunction with the Leadership Award to provide the recipient with seed money for the development of a social justice program geared towards Jewish teens. Josh Chmara, the 2009 recipient, has been working with NSTI to develop a program for teens working with the Jewish Rehabilitation Center in Swampscott.

10 Days 10 Questions: An Annual Tradition

Answer one question per day in your own secret online 10Q space. At the end of the ten days, hit a magic button and send your answers to the secure online 10Q vault for safekeeping. One year later, the vault will open and your answers will wing their way back to your email inbox for private reflection. If you want to keep them secret, perfect. You can also choose to share any of them, anonymously or with attribution, with the wider 10Q community. Next year, if you so desire, the whole process can begin again. Make it serious. Silly. Salacious. However you like. It's your 10Q.

Click here to get your 10Q on.
10Q: Reflect. React. Renew.
Life's Biggest Questions. Answered By You.

*10Q begins Sept 18th.*

More Ways to Connect With NSTI

Visit our website to find:
  - A on-line community calendar of teen activities.
  - A complete listing of volunteer opportunities in the community sign up
  - To receive more information directly www.nsteeninitiative.org/signup.html

Find our page on Facebook (search North Shore Teen Initiative)

Email: info@nsteeninitiative.org

Send snail mail inquiries to: 4 Community Road, Marblehead, MA 01945

ONGOING PROGRAMS

Social Action

Service Learning Opportunities will begin again in Mid-October. Make new friends and make a difference. Last year over 70 teens worked on a variety of service learning projects in Peabody, Marblehead, Gloucester, Lynn, Beverly and Salem. Opportunities will be available all over the North Shore. A complete calendar of fall program will be available soon.

Check our website & Facebook for new opportunities around the North Shore.

Project Adventure

Save October 25th for an outdoor team - building program at beautiful Moraine Farm in Beverly. Like going back to camp for the day, Moraine Farm is the national headquarters for Project Adventure and has a magnificent facility complete with high ropes, low ropes, zip lines and more. We plan to spend the day getting to know people from around the North Shore while exploring all their facility has to offer.

The program will run from 10a.m. - 7p.m including a bbq dinner by the water and our own "drive in movie." $18 per person includes all equipment, meals and entertainment.

CAMPERSHIP INCENTIVE APPLICATIONS FOR FIRST-TIME CAMPERS FOR SUMMER 2010 AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 1

North Shore youth who have never before attended overnight Jewish summer camp are invited to apply for incentive grants to help defray the cost. Thanks to a partnership between the North Shore Teen Initiative (NSTI) and the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC), grants of $1,800 per youth for the summer of 2010 will be awarded to the first 50 qualified local campers who apply beginning November 1.
> Read more

Lobbying / RAC

This February 19 - 22, North Shore Teen Initiative will take a group of teens to the "L'Taken Social Justice Seminar" in Washington, DC. The trip focuses on how Jewish values inform our stances on social justice. Every year more than 100 congregations from across the country bring their high school students to participate in this exciting event.

This unique Washington opportunity enables students to focus on current issues before the House and Senate, prepare to lobby on Capitol Hill, tour the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, participate in Havdalah services at one of the memorials and sample the vibrancy of Georgetown and other exciting areas. Registration materials will be available soon.

Watch for updates at

www.nsteeninitiative.org