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Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau

Photo from Town of Smithtown

The Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau is seeking gently loved or new attire and accessories to be donated for a one-stop shopping experience for young people to look their best. On Saturday, March 16th residents can donate gently loved or brand new formal/semi-formal dresses, jewelry, accessories, bags, and shoes to the Horizons Center, 161 East Main Street, Smithtown from 9 a.m. to noon. All sizes are welcome. The inaugural One-Stop Prom Shoppe at Horizons Center will be available for young people, by appointment beginning on April 1st.

“I applaud Director Janine Marc-Anthony and the Youth Bureau team for orchestrating this fantastic initiative. Creating a private shopping experience for young people who might otherwise miss out on special occasions such as a school dance restores confidence and removes obstacles for local families. Additionally, hosting the collection event provides a teaching opportunity for our youth to give back, appreciate all that they have and happens to be a great help to our environment. Most people don’t realize that textile waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the country. The One-Stop Prom Shoppe collection event gives the community a fantastic opportunity to upcycle one’s closets while giving a young person the chance to stand out on a special night,” said Supervisor Edward R. Wehrheim.

The exorbitant costs associated with attending a formal/semi-formal event can often deter young people from participating in milestone memories such as prom. The Smithtown Youth Bureau’s One-Stop Prom Shoppe removes financial barriers and creates a very personable experience ensuring everyone who wishes to attend a school dance can do so red carpet ready.

“We are thrilled about the Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau’s inaugural One-Stop Dress Shoppe! This remarkable initiative will provide students with the opportunity to attend the Junior or Senior Prom in a stunning dress & accessories that they may not have been able to afford on their own and make their evenings really special,” said  Janine Marc-Anthony, Executive Director.

For questions or more information contact the Youth Bureau at (631) 360-7595 or email: [email protected].

DID YOU KNOW?

Upcycling your textiles is good for the ecosystem:

  • The fashion industry contributes to 10% of global carbon emissions making it the second-largest industrial polluter.
  • According to the State DEC, New Yorkers throw away approximately 1.4 billion pounds of textiles (clothing, footwear, belts, hats, handbags, drapes, towels, sheets and other linens) that could be reused or recycled.

Attending a prom is a very costly event:

  • The average cost to participate in a school prom can run anywhere between $600-$1000
  • Expenses include: attire, accessories, admission, hair, make-up, nails, shoes, and transportation.

On Saturday, November 5th, the Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau, Horizons Counseling & Education Center and Youth & Community Alliance had 54 student and parent volunteers, in conjunction with the Parks Department, Public Safety Bay Constables, and Park Rangers, clean up harmful waste left along the shoreline of Schubert’s Beach. This initiative was conducted to help bring community awareness as a part of the Youth Bureau, Horizons Counseling & Education Center, and Youth & Community Alliance’s efforts to keep the community safe and clean. This event was initially scheduled for October 1st, but was rescheduled. This is the second annual beach clean-up for the group. Last year, volunteers cleaned up Long Beach.

“This was another fantastic turnout from our brightest future leaders within the community. I’d like to thank the Youth & Community Alliance team, our Parks Department, Public Safety Bay Constables & Park Rangers, and most of all our young student volunteers, who all worked together in this year’s cleanup. These events are vital to encouraging the public to be proactive in keeping our shorelines safe for residents and wildlife alike. I commend the Youth Bureau, Horizons Counseling & Education Center, and Youth & Community Alliance, student volunteers and their parents for going above and beyond to protect and care for our pristine beaches and wildlife habitat at Schubert’s Beach,” said Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim.

With the help of Youth Bureau, Horizons Counseling & Education Center, and Youth & Community Alliance personnel, the students collected trash and recorded any evidence of alcohol, tobacco, vape and drug related waste, including a syringe, to help identify the areas where substance use is taking place. The group also collected litter, discarded fishing equipment, and other household items. The New York National Guard Counterdrug Task Force was scheduled to take part in the October 1st event, but they unfortunately could not make the rescheduled date due to a conflict with their schedule.

“We were lucky enough to have great weather on the day of this rescheduled event. It was actually a PERFECT day for a beach cleanup! Alliance student volunteers and a few of their parents were so enthusiastic and happy to be part of this project. It was a very effective beach cleanup; an educational experience about substance use in that location, and a wonderful opportunity for students and families to socialize and enjoy a beautiful morning together,” said  Janine Marc-Anthony, Youth Services Coordinator, Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau

To get involved with future Youth Bureau events, apply to become a volunteer with the Smithtown Youth Bureau Volunteer Corps. Complete and submit the online volunteer application form, available on the Youth Bureau website. Adults and students are invited to register.   

The Town of Smithtown Horizons Counseling & Education Center, Youth Bureau, and Smithtown Youth and Community Alliance are pleased to present a communication workshop for families with children in middle school or high school. This free event will take place in the Hauppauge High School Library, located at 500 Lincoln Blvd in Hauppauge, on Wednesday, February 9th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

In today’s technology driven world, face to face communication is not practiced enough. The workshop is a great opportunity for families to come together in an interactive setting to discuss ways they can strengthen their communication skills and overall relationships with one another.

“Effective communication skills need to be consistently practiced and reinforced, particularly within families. This workshop will give participants the chance to do that in a constructive way.” Janine Marc-Anthony, Smithtown Youth Bureau Youth Services Coordinator

The workshop will focus on communication through body language, active listening, tone of voice, “I” centered messages, and open-ended messages. Participants will have an opportunity to take part in hands-on activities that will help reinforce strategies they are learning throughout the event.

Registration is required in order to attend. Anyone interested can register on the Town of Smithtown website on the Horizons, Youth Bureau, and Youth and Community Alliance pages. Space is limited. Community service certificates will be given to students who attend.

 

Photo from the Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau

The Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau announces a variety of upcoming youth and young adult programs planned for the month of February.

In partnership with Microsoft-Huntington Station, the Youth Bureau will offer three programs in February. On February 16th, the Rock Your LinkedIn Profile Workshop will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. virtually. Participants will learn exactly how to build their online brand, grow and engage a LinkedIn network, and sharpen a basic resume.

On Wednesday, February 17th, the Minecraft Hour of Code Workshop will be held from 11 a.m. to noon virtually. Students ages eight and older will have fun learning and being inspired by Minecraft, computer science and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Using the power of code and AI, students will learn to program a character to prevent forest fires and regrow a forest.

On February 18th, middle and high school students are invited to participate in the Black History Museum: Virtual Museum Experience from 3 to 4:30 p.m.. Students will virtually visit this museum and learn about the Freedom Riders in the 1960’s, and the work they did to protest segregation in public transportation. After the event, students can email the Youth Bureau and request a Town Certificate of Community Service Credit for participation.

The Youth Bureau will have a live virtual encounter with the butterflies and bugs of the Long Island Aquarium on February 19th from 10 to 10:40 a.m.. This free program is limited to 30 participants.

On Friday, February 23rd, there will be a District 7255 Virtual Student Interact Meeting for any students interested in learning more about the Interact Club’s community service and leadership opportunities. This meeting will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Interact Clubs organize at least two projects every year, one that helps their school or community, and one that promotes international understanding. Rotary Club adults sponsor, mentor, and guide Interactors as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills.

The Choosing Your College: How to do an Effective College Search Webinar will be held for students and parents on Thursday, February 25th from 6PM to 7PM. Topics that will be covered include when to begin thinking about your college list, making big decisions such as choosing a major, do’s and don’ts for choosing schools, college characteristics to consider, and effective college search engines and how to use them. A question and answer session will be held at the end.

Finally, the Town of Smithtown Youth Bureau is conducting a Community Needs Assessment Survey from February through April of 2021. Feedback from the brief survey will allow the Youth Bureau to effectively plan programs for the remainder of 2021. All survey participants (students and adults) will be entered into a gift certificate raffle for the month, and the winner will receive a $30 Grubhub gift card. The raffle winner for February’s survey respondents will be announced in March.

For more information on any of these programs, or to register, call the Youth Bureau at (631)360-7595, or view the Youth Bureau’s monthly newsletter here.