In Attendance: Chief Ray Rose, Mundelein Police Department
State Representative Kathy Ryg, District 59
Mary Penich, Lake County Regional Office of Education
Chuck Balling, Gurnee Park District
Alex Marx, Mundelein Park District
Pat Garrity, Lake County Health Department
Liz Nelson, Lake County In Touch
Wallace Brandies, NICASA
Evelyn Dalenheim-Russell, YWCA-Lake County
Sali Martin, UCAN
Cheryl Carlson, Volunteer
Judy Fried, Nicasa
Michelle Michaels, Lake County State’s Attorney’s office
Jim Sipes, Abbott Laboratories
Melissa Ray Schaefer, OMNI Youth Services
Fred Kliora, Mundelein Police Department
Paul Dempsey, Mundelein Police Department
Scott Schaefer, Mundelein Police Department
Odie Pahl, Gurnee School District 56
David Husemoller, Lake County Planning, Building, & Development
Aurora Jacobsen, Waukegan Public Library
JoAnn Jakubowski, Southlake Education Center
Dee Abbate, CLC-Southlake
JoAnn Carpenter, YWCA-Lake County
Migdalia Diaz, OMNI Youth Services
Chris Finkel, Boys & Girls Club of Lake County
Vanessa Flores, OMNI Youth Services
Jack Metcalf, Gurnee Police Department
Sarah Keister, Intern for State Representative Kathy Ryg
Andrew Chusid, State Representative Kathy Ryg’s office
Theresa Loerch, State Representative Kathy Ryg’s office
The next After School Coalition Leadership Committee meeting will be held on
Monday, September 12th at 8:30 a.m. at the Mundelein Police Department.
Announcements:
State Representative Kathy Ryg thanked Jim Sipes for inviting her to speak to NIC members (Northern Illinois Collaboration) about the Lake County After School Coalition and the possibility of sponsorship. Also during the NIC meeting there was discussion of a summer camp fair for employees. Kathy suggested the possibility of the After School Coalition hosting a general public summer camp fair. Jim Sipes offered to share the model for such a program. A follow up thank you letter and invite will be sent to all NIC members.
Judy Fried, Nicasa, presented information on Nicasa’s 40th Anniversary Public Awareness Contest:
2006 is Nicasa’s 40th Anniversary and to celebrate,
Nicasa’s Women’s Auxiliary is hosting a public awareness
marketing campaign competition for college students.
Contact Tricia Bowdidge at 847.775.0541 or Judy Fried at 847.546.6450 for more details.
Michelle Michaels, Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, reported that on October 3rd, from 7:30 am to 1:00 pm, the Lake County Juvenile Officer’s Association, Lake County Superintendents, and Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office will sponsor a seminar to address the increasing number of issues surrounding gang involvement in Lake County. They will discuss what school personnel should know, what options do school and police have when dealing with gang issues, and where they can find help. Speakers include:
Registration ($10.00, $15.00 On-Site) due by September 16th. For more information,
contact Michelle Michaels at 847.377.7834 or mmichaels@co.lake.il.us The gang awareness
seminar brochure has been attached.
Pat Garrity, Lake County Health Department, presented information about the Say Yes! To Youth Success event:
During the week of October 9th, a Waukegan community-wide coalition is organizing the Say Yes! To Youth Success awareness campaign to celebrate the strengths of youth, the roles youth can assume in benefiting the community, and the importance of offering young people opportunities to realize their potential. Participants will promote Say Yes! To Youth Success through posters, marquees, news articles, signs, banners, flyers, payroll stuffers, and stickers. Say Yes! To Youth Success offers a simple process for each group to follow in their own way, yet at the same time provides a very visible affirmation of the entire Waukegan community’s support of the successes of youth. Contact Pat Garrity, Gearing Up for Teen Success Coalition, in care of the Lake County Health Department at 847.377.8187 or pgarrity@co.lake.il.us
Chuck Balling, Gurnee Park District reminded us that the Hunt Club Park Community
Center Groundbreaking is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 24th at 10 a.m.
Chris Finkel, Boys & Girls Club announced the event, Dare to Dream Day, a college and career fair for middle school and high school students, has been scheduled for October 10th at the Boys & Girls Club. Call 847.249.4878 for more information.
Chief Ray Rose, Fred Kliora and Paul Dempsey from the Mundelein Police Gang Specialists discussed gang awareness:
Gangs are groups of people who form an allegiance for a common purpose and commit violent, unlawful, or criminal activities. Today’s street gangs may claim control over certain territory in their community and create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Gang members generally range in age from 13-21 years old but can be as young as 9 years old. Members often have low self-esteem, feel unloved at home or come from single-parent homes, do poorly in school, are involved in narcotics, and have a hard time making decisions and communicating with others.
Gang members are often identified by tattoos expressing gang symbols, distinctive haircuts or eyebrow designs, body language including hand signals, graffiti, and clothing styles.
Gangs offer kids excitement and fun, a sense of belonging, a feeling of “family”, and protection. However, gangs often have guns and drugs, exposing kids to dangerous gang fights and criminal acts. Gang membership can also hamper education and limit future employment opportunities.
By far, the most powerful weapon of preventing gang involvement in children is good parenting/family support and involvement. Help through local law enforcement, civic groups, and federal programs aimed at educating and diversion also focuses on preventing gang membership. The message needs to be sent to young children about the dangers of gangs while giving them beneficial alternatives to meet their needs.
For more information on gang awareness and/or this power point presentation, please contact
Fred Kliora at fkliora@mundelein.org or Paul Dempsey at pdempsey@mundelein.org
Strategic Planning Committee:
Mary Penich, Lake County Regional Office of Education reported they have been working out the details of the 1st Annual Meeting. Mary reviewed the notes (attached) from the Strategic Planning Committee July 25th meeting. The thought was to feature several local programs and during today’s meeting, a list was compiled of possible presenters: Boys & Girls Club,
St. Martin de Pores High School, Omni Youth Services, YWCA of Lake County, Lake County Health Department, NICASA, Gurnee Teen and the Mundelein After School Coalition. Elizabeth Nelson, Lake County in Touch also announced that they are also working on the membership application and the After School Coalition brochure. The target date to mail the invitation is August 26th. Information about the 1st Annual Meeting and the invitation will also be available on the website. The next Strategic Planning Committee meeting will take place on Monday, August 15th at 2:00 p.m., Regional Office of Education.
Next Meeting: Debra Trude-Suter and JoAnn Carpenter from the YWCA-Lake County will discuss National Youth Day at the next Lake County After School Coalition Leadership Committee meeting to be held on Monday, September 12th at 8:30 a.m., Mundelein Police Department.