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Community Corner

Teens Show and Prove With Project Re-Generation

Outreach program offers cleaning services and so much more.

Bed-Stuy's Project Regeneration (PR-G) is not your typical teen outreach program: PR-G provides cleaning and maintenance services for Bed-Stuy residents and surrounding neighborhoods.

By targeting high school freshmen and sophmores, PR-G prepares teens early for a life of responsible adulthood by engaging them in the Foot Soldiers program, where teens learn home economics and personal development, amongst other skills.

Within four years, teens are expected to achieve a minimum level of annual service hours learning how to open bank accounts, strengthen family bonds, volunteer community activities and prepare for the workforce.

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"PR-G is so many things. We service homeowner's houses which includes sweeping, mopping, taking out the trash and making sure the blocks look neat," said Dashawn Hall, 18, supervisor for PR-G. PR-G provides services not only to Bed-Stuy, but Crown Heights and recently Clinton Hills. "Our foot soldiers are 14- to 18-year-old teens who receive a guaranteed stipend, depending on how much work each teen puts in."

Hall devotes his time to PR-G even as he comes home for Winter break from the University of Bridgeport.  PR-G has given him the necessary life and office skills that he can take out into the real world. "I've learned office management skills, leadership skills and spreadsheets," said Hall.

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Jaheem Kizer, 17, a junior at EBC East New York High School says that PR-G has improved his life: "PR-G is family. I gained more confidence in myself, through my public speaking skills, I wasn't the best speaker before. I learned a lot through on job training and interning," said Kizer.

However, even the incentive of receiving a check sometimes isn't enough for a teen to stay committed to the program. "I've seen some teens that are very enthusiastic at first about PR-G, then as time passes, they aren't as interested as they first were. Or they're not willing to attend one of our mandatory Saturday sessions," he continued.

Still, the program receives a regular corps of volunteers and supporters in the way of local residents who donate their time.

"I've been a volunteer for three months, and I started out as a service coordinator. Then, I was bumped up to education coordinator where I'm now dealing more with the kids and their school work," said Nia Challenger, a recent Howard University Graduate.

Challenger coordinates several activities and workshops on healthy relationships, nutrition, martial arts and exercise. Challenger credits PR-G with giving her valuable office and word processing skills, which she can use in the workforce.

"I love these kids. I wish there was a program like this when I was a teen, I probably would've utilized it," Challenger said.

PR-G's plans in the coming year include moving to a bigger space, expanding its marketing strategies and growing its client-base. 

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