Author: Sarah Kucyk

SHYC Participates in #GivingTuesday

(Shaker Heights, OH) – GivingTuesday, the global movement, is rallying its annual wave of giving and unity in the celebration of generosity happening on November 30th. In this continued period of unprecedented need, GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to come together to show kindness and benevolence in all its forms by giving their voice, time, and support to causes that drive systemic change and create positive impact in their communities.

The Shaker Community has always been very charitable with both its time and involvement in helping others. “We appreciate the support youth and families have received throughout the pandemic and we are honored to be part of that effort,” said John Lisy, Executive Director of the Shaker Heights Youth Center (SHYC). “As GivingTuesday approaches, many in the Shaker community still face significant challenges as we resume our daily lives, despite uncertainty. These past two years have been difficult for everyone, but we thank our community members who were able to support us in any capacity they could.”

This holiday season, we encourage you to support organizations like SHYC. Your support for the agency will go towards resources that foster the emotional, behavioral, and developmental well-being of a diverse spectrum of youth in the Shaker community. For the past 50 years, the gifts SHYC has received from donors have provided programming, education and new beginnings. The SHYC continues this legacy today as they advance their mission by fostering a sense of belonging, catalyzing action, and providing leadership within the community.

GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. It was born and incubated at the 92nd Street Y and its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact in New York City. GivingTuesday is now an independent nonprofit and a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

To make a contribution to SHYC, visit the donation page here.

MyCom Shaker Neighborhood’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Video

Congratulations to our Shaker Heights Youth Council for the successful completion of their Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebratory video!

A Celebration of Beloved Community in Honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. coordinated by the Shaker Heights PTO and community partners began on January 4th and focused on the Life & Teachings of Dr. King. Audiences were given access to a printed learning guide which were mailed to District families in January, and a digital learning guide was linked so students and families can engage together on daily topics and resources.

On MLK Day, the PTO and community partners hosted a livestream Celebration with a Cause which included inspiring messages, calls to action, and see beautiful performances.

The video below was produced by Monica Boone, Moreland Community Theatre and featuring performances from the Shaker Heights Youth Center.

MLK program outline:

1. Monica Boone – Introduction
2. Tic/Tok – Shaker Area Students performed to Nas “I Can”
3. Ms. Earline Hooper – poem “Life is Precious”
4. Sam Hooper – “A Change is Gonna Come” written by Sam Cook
5. Roschelle Ogbuji – “Beloved Community” 2019
6. Martinique Mims – Dance to the song “True Love” written by Yemi Alade
7. MLK Segments – 2019 performance – Prester Pickett & MyCom and Shaker High School Students
8. Sam Hooper – “Heaven Made Me Too”
9. Neighborhood title cards – “Help Me Out of the Dark” – performed by Sam Hooper and written by Janice Fullman and Sam Hooper

Shaker Heights Youth Center Publishes 2019-2020 Annual Report

Shaker Heights, OH – The Shaker Heights Youth Center, a critical provider of a wide range of services to address the changing needs of adolescents and their families, has published its 2019-2020 Annual Report.

The 2019-2020 Annual Report highlights the Youth Center’s success stories and programs that include growth amid unexpected economic, political, and social developments and challenges that have required rapid adjustments. The Report features departments’ statistics, and, as always, emphasizes the impact of programs. These collaborative efforts ensure stability and growth within the communities the Youth Center serves.

The 2019-2020 Annual Report is available to shareholders and other interested parties here.

New MOOS Program Installation

In 2019, longtime Shaker resident Kim Harris organized a celebration for Hildana Park. The goal: commemorate several upgrades to the Chagrin Boulevard park, including a new public art piece, Strength in Unity, while also helping to introduce Hildana Park to the broader Shaker community.

Harris, who is the founder of Shaker African American Mothers Support (SAMS), an organization that brings together parents from across the City, says Hildana park did not have much attention or traffic. In the midst of COVID-19 she thought “…what could we do to get people to come and enjoy the park safely and on their own time?”

She became inspired by the idea of oversized comfortable chairs, spaced evenly apart, and decorated by artwork from the Shaker community. The theme for the project was Hope and as Harris explained “with everything happening in our world right now, [the theme] felt right.”

Currently, the installations built by the MOOS Shaker team can be found installed in Hildana Park on Chagrin Blvd and in the Van Aken District. Workshops in the summer of 2020 with this veteran group have been full of MOOS firsts: new pandemic-related safety protocols, virtual design workshops held remotely, and experimentation with a new material, concrete.

The Making Our Own Space (MOOS) program began work with students living in The City of Shaker Heights’ Moreland neighborhood in 2016. Student artists submitted designs to the City’s Public Art Task Force for approval for the 2019 project.

Making Our Own Space @ Shaker Heights is made possible through the generous support of Starting Point, in collaboration with the City of Shaker Heights, MyCom, and the Shaker Heights Youth Center. The program is run by Kent State’s Urban Design Collaborative.

Read more about the installations at http://www.wearemoos.org/shakerheights and https://shaker.life/community/pull-up-a-chair-in-hildana-park/

Executive Director John Lisy Receives The Mel Schulstad Professional of the Year Award

Shaker Heights, Ohio – The Shaker Heights Youth Center is proud to announce that Executive Director, John Lisy, received the Mel Schulstad Professional of the Year award from the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) in September of 2020. Created in 1979, the award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding and sustained contributions to the advancement of the addiction profession.

“I am honored to have been selected for the Mel Schulstad Professional of the Year award,” John remarked. “We are so fortunate to have such a mission-driven team who believes in supporting students and the community.”

John Lisy has served as the Executive Director of the Shaker Heights Youth Center for the last 25 years.  During his tenure at the Youth Center he has been instrumental in substantially increasing its funding and services. “The Shaker Heights Youth Center remains committed to Shaker youth and continues to collaborate with many organizations and individuals who share our passion for helping youth reach their full potential,” Lisy explained. He added, “I am excited to continue to build on this solid base as well as bring new ideas and expertise to the organization in the coming years.”

Since 1970, the Shaker Heights Youth Center has distinguished itself as a leader in the prevention field by fostering the emotional, behavioral, and developmental well-being of a diverse spectrum of youth in the Shaker community. The Youth Center offers programs serving school-aged youth and their families with services that include life skills education, social-emotional learning, academic support, leadership development, student assistance and other prevention services.

For more information about the programs and services provided, please contact the Youth Center at 216-752-9292.

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