NYC Youth Chooses X-cellence in the Face of Adversity
Many of New York City’s Lower East Side and East Village residents
deal with poverty, drugs, alcoholism, broken homes, abusive relationships,
teen pregnancy and violence every day. Dropout rates in public schools are
among the worst in the city. More than 60% of the children come from households
surviving on public assistance. Corners are infested with gang activity.
This was Jeremy’s world.
In spite of social pressures surrounding him, Jeremy has chosen to become
an active participant in Generation X-cel. This keeps his mother from worrying
as she provides for the small family as a receptionist.
Thirteen “Generation Xers” began Generation X-cel on the streets
of Manhattan's Lower East Side and East Village in 1996. Their goal was
to rebel against the stereotype society had placed on them of being aimless,
apathetic and indifferent. They believed that young people could overcome
their depressed environment if presented with positive alternatives. Excited
about their vision, our center in Metro New York has been supporting their
efforts through the Bless a Child program since the beginning!
 Generation
X-cel is reaching out to children and teens like Jeremy through activities
like X-cel After School, a tutoring, literacy, mentoring, peer counseling,
arts, and athletic program. In the summer, 40 children participate in a
full day summer day camp, called X-cel Summer, for eight weeks. Their time
is filled with the arts, athletics, field trips, group activities, and relevant
life themes. Teens interested in the performing arts take part in X-press
@ The 88-STEP Theater. This is an after-school and weekend performing arts
program featuring drama, creative writing, spoken word, dance and sound
studio engineering as well as audio and video production.
Jeremy has participated and excelled in Generation X-cel since 2001. He
was the first winner of the distinguished “X-celler of the Year”
award in 2002. This annual award is given to the student that lives out
excellence, creativity, resourcefulness, resilience, initiative and unity.
In 2003, he played one of the lead roles in X-cel’s debut music video,
entitled “Family Portrait”, a depiction of a child whose life
was plagued by domestic violence. Since then, Jeremy has been an active
member of X-cel’s Youth Advisory Council, meeting weekly to discuss
ways to improve the program and the community.
Instead of being a destructive force in a neighborhood already ripe with
fear and violence, Jeremy has chosen to build his neighbors up with peace
and opportunity. This young man is one of many children whose lives have
been given a second chance at life due to Operation Blessing and our partners.
Thank you for your part. And remember, there are countless more young
people around the world yearning for the same break.
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