The occasion was a patriotic, post art-class / Physical Ed. walk through the town and the honoring and observance of the folding of our beloved American flag. Community Harvest Charter is a school that encourages the involvement of positive community relations for the advancement and development of our children.

Our students met and personally interviewed amiable, intelligent and tough American soldiers. Barajas and Ayala, having been deployed to foreign soil 8 times for our nation, were more than happy to speak to our kids, answering every question and explaining the process and significance of the flag folding, securing and salute. Needless to say, we had a blast!

We have had an incredible summer and are continuing the Lesson Plans and State Standards curriculum. Arternatives Creative Youth Diversion Program. Many kids were amazed and actively creative in every single class. This course was designed and initiated by Mr. Hector Rios @ Mid Valley Youth Center in Van Nuys, CA. in 2003. It has developed and continued through New Directions For Youth in 2009, and is currently being taught at C-Harv College Prep Charter Schools to 6th-12th graders. “The best is yet to come”

Several Youth from NDY / Arternatives program are currently working on the Rec Room mural in San Fernando valley of Los Angeles. Rene, Daniella and Tanya’s assistance has been crucial as well as the visit from my creative consultant and partner; Janos Varady* This project should be completed next week.

Artist Counselor Janos Varady giving guidance to NDYF mural team

Leslie working on her own painted portrait

Lil Brandon taking another 18-minute break!?

Director Bart Trevino inspecting Arternatives Youth Team progress……

Stay Tuned for Finished mural!

L.A. County, as we know it, has developed many citywide Parks and Recreation creative programs where inner-city children can spend time expressing their thoughts and perspectives on various platforms and surfaces. Councilman Dennis Zine has reached hundreds of children through his advocacy of the arts as well as lobbying for greater resources, and mentorship for the generations of tomorrow: Arternatives CYDP has been one of his friends in this objective* Parks and Recreation Division, New Directions For Youth, Success Is Our Future (Rewarding Probation Youth in Foster care) and many other LA & OC organizations are doing just that…

Great Park of Orange County, in Irvine, California, opened on July 14, 2007, including art for children to make and see.

From the funding and donations, both from city grants and private sectors, we are able to purchase paints, supplies and resources that bring life and vivid color to so many areas that truly benefit from tranformational youth projects…

We appreciate Councilman Zine, and many others who are making a difference in such children’s creative world and lives*

Thank you,

ARTERNATIVES CYDP 5/4/2009

Projects such as these are a tremendous way to get our kids involved in the beautification and transformation of their communities*

“Youth participants immediately get involved in the planning stages, conceptualizations & sketch layouts, color charting and paint assessments, and finally the diligence and commitment of carrying a seed project through into full finalization and fruition” stated our director H Rios.

The rewards are more than memorable, and the hard work pays off in various ways, from realistically understanding the basics of the task and full engineering of projects, Graffiti removal and transformations, Community service hours completed for court mandated services, and more importantly, learning to work together and stay accountable to staff members and their other arts team members*

We look forward to completing several new murals and creative projects within this and the new upcoming decade*

Rene A. Avelar (G.A.N.G.S. Program Coordinator / NDFY) / H Rios – Arternatives Director 5-2009