Programming
Participants meet weekly throughout the school year to work on a variety of projects in communications and the arts in 10-24 week cycles, gaining hands on experience and training. Projects are designed to be relevant to the participants by focusing on subjects that delve into their interests and life experiences. Every project is a means for the students' self-expression. 2005/2006 programming year projects included advertising, film, music and webdesign.While the participants benefit immensely from the guidance of professional mentors and volunteers on each project, they are also expected to take ownership and assume leadership roles. Working with their peers, they gain valuable team building skills, which are essential to success in today’s work environment. The success achieved through completion of TORCH projects builds participants’ self-esteem and assists them as they navigate the other challenges in their lives.
During Mid-Winter recess TORCH participants have the opportunity to spend a day with top communications and arts professionals. This experience enriches the internship program, allowing participants to have a workplace experience prior to their actual internship. Sign up to be a Shadow Day Host for Shadow Day Week 2008 (February 19 - 22).
In an effort to aid participants in navigating the college application process, college preparation programming and support includes:
- College campus tours which include admission and financial aid seminars:
- Day trips to local colleges and universities.
- Overnights at colleges and universities where TORCH participants are also hosted in student dorms, attend classes and meet with TORCH alum who attend the school.
- The annual “Tales from the Campus” College Fair at NYU is held each summer in collaboration with the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) Multicultural Intern Program (MAIP) and the participation of TORCH alumni. The MAIP summer interns (rising college seniors or recent graduates) and TORCH alumni represent over 30 colleges and universities across the country. They not only share materials about their schools but also participate in breakout groups where TORCH students and other invited youth have the opportunity to get personal insights into college life, ask questions and get honest answers about college life. We have also increased our outreach to include students from other afterschool programs and CBO's.
Please contact us if you would like to attend the 2008 Tales from the Campus in the summer (Date TBD) or know a teenager who would like to attend.
- To support the college preparatory programming, TORCH has created a comprehensive college resource guide which includes Organization Tools, Financial Aid and Scholarship Information, Sample Common Application and FAFSA forms, College Essay Advice, College Assessment Questions and College Fair Tips. The guide has been shared with other afterschool and community based organizations.
Participants are placed in summer internships which allow them to further explore career opportunities and interests. Job orientation and career enrichment seminars are held throughout the school year to assist participants in developing the confidence and skills they need to excel in their summer internship placements.
TORCH students participate in workshops in PhotoShop, Quark and Illustrator, skills often required in college and the workplace. They also made special visits to cultural institutions and events throughout the summer such as the Urban Word Poetry Slam and the American Museum of the Moving Image. The annual TORCH/MAIP College Fair "Tales from the Campus" at NYU was expanded in the summer 2004 with over 30 colleges represented. We have also increased our outreach to students outside of TORCH to include high school students from the DOOR, Ice Hockey In Harlem and Harlem RBI for the fair.
TORCH continues to provide individual counseling and referrals for participants who display special needs.
With participants transitioning into the ARP yearly, the program continues to provide support and programming for TORCH high school graduates in college.
In a quality vs. quantity approach it has been TORCH's deliberate and specific goal to delve deep into the lives of the 100+ students who participate in TORCH throughout the year. Our students are recruited in their sophomore year of high school, allowing them to explore a plethora of interests and experiences through their senior year. Furthermore, over 2,500 New York City youth have been influenced and motivated from student planned TORCH initiatives such as the annual Music Fest talent competition and showcase that is open to all New York City high school students and the annual summer "Tales from the Campus" College Fair.
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