Princeton-Blairstown Center Inc

PRINCETON-BLAIRSTOWN CENTER SERVES YOUNG PEOPLE, PRIMARILY FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, BY NURTURING THEIR SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ADVENTURE-BASED PROGRAMMING.

BLAIRSTOWN CAMPUS PROGRAMSDURING A TYPICAL YEAR, GROUPS OF STUDENTS AND THEIR CHAPERONES COME FROM ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION TO STAY AT PBCS 268-ACRE BLAIRSTOWN CAMPUS IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF NEW JERSEY NEAR THE DELAWARE WATER GAP FOR ONE TO FIVE DAYS. THESE STUDENTS COME FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. MOST OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE SERVICES TO STUDENTS FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WHICH FACE NUMEROUS CHALLENGES SUCH AS POVERTY, LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS, HIGH-CRIME NEIGHBORHOODS, FOOD INSECURITY, SINGLE ADULT HOUSEHOLDS, COURT-INVOLVED YOUTH, OR YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE. THE BLAIRSTOWN CAMPUS SERVES AS AN EXTENSION OF THEIR SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN PRACTICE CRITICAL 21ST CENTURY SKILLS THAT CAN BE TAKEN BACK TO THEIR SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES. THESE TRIPS ARE ORGANIZED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OR FACULTY OF THE VISITING SCHOOL OR ORGANIZATION EXPRESSLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING INSTRUCTION IN NON-COGNITIVE SKILLS USING PBCS SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) CURRICULUM. THE SEL SKILLS THAT PBC TEACHES CAN INCLUDE VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION, LEADERSHIP, COOPERATION, TEAM BUILDING, PROBLEM SOLVING, HEALTHY RISK-TAKING, EMPATHY, AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS; EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROUP DETERMINES WHICH SKILLS SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF THEIR PBC PROGRAM. DURING THEIR TIME AT PBC, STUDENTS WORK IN SMALL GROUPS WITH CAREFULLY TRAINED FACILITATORS AND SPEND MOST OF THE DAY IN INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES, WITH TIME FOR MEALS, SLEEP, AND PERSONAL REFLECTION/ JOURNAL WRITING. DURING A TYPICAL YEAR, THE CENTER SERVES BETWEEN 7,500 AND 8,000 STUDENTS AND LEADERS/ CHAPERONES. BECAUSE OF THE GLOBAL COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE CENTERS BOARD OF TRUSTEES LIMITED OVERNIGHT PROGRAMMING FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2022. IN 2022, THE CENTER SERVED 5,385 STUDENTS, CHAPERONES, AND FAMILIES FOR DAY, EXTENDED DAY, AND OVERNIGHT PROGRAMMING.SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAMPBCS SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM IS A ONE-WEEK ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO STUDENTS FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN NEWARK AND TRENTON, NEW JERSEY. THE PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS LESSEN SUMMER LEARNING LOSS; BUILD SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS LIKE COMMUNICATION, COOPERATION, CREATIVITY, AND CRITICAL-THINKING; AND FORM POSITIVE, SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS AND ADULTS. THE PROGRAM USUALLY TAKES PLACE AT PBCS BLAIRSTOWN CAMPUS BUT BECAUSE OF THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, PBC CREATED A HYBRID VERSION OF THE PROGRAM IN 2021 TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF STUDENTS AND STAFF. PBC STAFF MEMBERS TOOK THE PROGRAM TO PARKS AND SCHOOL YARDS IN NEWARK AND TRENTON MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY AND ON FRIDAYS, GROUPS TRAVELED TO OUR BLAIRSTOWN CAMPUS FOR A DAY OF ADVENTURE EDUCATION. SMALL GROUPS OF STUDENTS SPENT APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS A DAY ENGAGED IN HANDS-ON LITERACY AND STEM PROJECTS. THEY ALSO SPENT TWO TO THREE HOURS A DAY WORKING ON ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THEIR SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS. DURING THE SUMMER OF 2022, PBC PREDOMINATELY RAN THE HYBRID SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM AND ALSO WELCOMED THREE SMALL GROUPS BACK TO OUR CAMPUS FOR THE TRADITIONAL OVERNIGHT PROGRAM. IN 2022, PBC SERVED 272 STUDENTS AND 45 LEADERS/CHAPERONES THROUGH THE SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM. PRINCETON UNIVERSITY GROUPS PROGRAMAS AN AFFILIATE OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, PBC SUPPORTS PRINCETON UNDERGRADUATE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND STUDENT RETREATS IN A NATURAL SETTING. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, COMMUNITY ACTION HAS SENT A COHORT OF FIRST YEAR STUDENTS TO THE CENTER AS PART OF THEIR ORIENTATION PROCESS. ADDITIONALLY, OTHER UNIVERSITY GROUPS USED THE CENTER TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING. DURING 2022, PBC SERVED A TOTAL OF 231 PRINCETON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, STAFF, AND LEADERS/CHAPERONES.