CONTACT: Danielle Espinoza

FUERZA YOUTH PROGRAM
The FUERZA Youth Program serves youth ages 14 to 21 during the non-school hours; after school, school holidays, weekends and summer. In the Spanish language “fuerza” means strength, power, energy, and might. These very adjectives describe not only our program, but that which we seek to instill in each young person that comes through our doors.
The program assists youth in developing and maintaining healthy lifestyles by engaging them in constructive activities in an environment that reflects the cultures, languages, and communities from which they come. Quality after school experiences begin with youth planning and implementing their own activities and exploring their interests. The FUERZA Youth Program strives to meet this standard for its youth programming.
Programming will focus on a positive youth development approach offering educational support, practical skills, creative outlets, diverse opportunities, and mentors. Through this process, youth emerge as leaders, more confident of their abilities, encouraged by newfound talents, and aware of their future full of possibilities such as a career, college and fulfillment of their dreams.

The FUERZA Youth Program is a positive youth development program that serves young people ages 14-21 after school, school holidays and during the summer. The programming offered is diverse and includes the following:

• Homework Assistance: youth receive assistance from staff and their peers in learning centers as they work on assignments for school
• Internships: A limited amount of students are selected to participate in a paid summer internship at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. Students are selected from Morton East through a selection process that includes the Principal and the FUERZA Program Coordinator. The selection process begins in May.
• INTERACT with Rotary: Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people ages 14-18. The program gives young people an opportunity to participate in fun, meaningful service projects while developing leadership skills and meeting new friends. Annually, two participants are selected to attend the national Interact Conference and meet youth from across the country who are involved in building community. This program dovetails with our community service partnerships that we have established with local businesses where we place youth who need to complete community service hours. The FUERZA Youth Program participates in the Adopt-A-Block program once per week. Safe Place
• Community Tech Center: Youth are able to access the computer lab daily to do research, apply for jobs, prepare a resume and work on Corazon’s Webpages for youth.
• Sports: Daily youth are able to participate in sports such as basketball, volleyball, softball, soccer and other outdoor games. The youth play basketball in the back courtyard and other sports are played at the local park, Hawthorne.
• Field Trips: Youth and staff together plan field trips throughout the year – educational, cultural, and fun field trips.
• Food/Cooking: Daily, each participant receives a hot meal. Monthly youth and staff prepare snacks together.
• The FUERZA Institutes: institutes are designed for more hands-on, intense, experiential learning. Examples of the FUERZA Institutes include the Culinary Institute, Wellness Institute, Fine Arts Institute, Indie Institute and the Young Authors Institute. VidaFit is a fitness program for youth of all ages and meets weekly. Group exercise classes, strength training and nutrition are core components.
• Recreation: board games, pool, foosball, video games are just some of the daily offerings youth have to choose from
• Special Events: Open Mic Night brings lots of new faces to the center where young people take control of the stage and perform poetry, hip-hop, music and spoken word to an audience of their peers; Poetry Slam is another venue for youth to bring their friends and perform their literary pieces they have created
• FUERZA de Mujer: this is a girls program designed to address the issues that confront girls. The program meets weekly and has special events and field trips.

Hours of Operation:

SCHOOL YEAR HOURS
Monday through Friday: 1:00pm – 9:00pm
SUMMER PROGRAM HOURS
Monday through Friday 11:00am – 9:00pm
All youth will receive a hot meal each day between 3:30pm-4:30pm.
The program is free to all youth.
Contact: Danielle Espinoza

AFTER SCHOOL BLAST
Corazón Community Services offers after school programming in Cicero West Elementary School and Columbus East Elementary School. Programming targets children in grades 1-6 and provides tutoring, mentoring, arts, team building and much more. Parents will also be engaged in various workshops and projects that will be offered through the programs.

Hours of Operation
Cicero West Elementary School
Service if offered: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
Times offered: 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Contact: Izzy Vargas

Columbus East Elementary School
Service if offered: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
Times offered: 3:00pm – 5:30pm
Contact: Kevin Frausto