Life Pieces To Masterpieces

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN LIVING IN LOW-INCOME AND PUBLIC HOUSING.

LPTM'S ARTS AND EDUCATION MENTORING PROGRAM ENGAGES ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL-AGED YOUTH IN AN ARTS-BASED PROCESS THAT GUIDES THEM TO CHANNEL THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES THROUGH ACRYLIC AND FABRIC STITCHED COLLAGE PAINTINGS, ORIGINAL POETRY, PROSE, ORATORY, MOVEMENT, AND MUSIC. EACH COLORFUL, SEWN, ACRYLIC-ON-CANVAS COLLAGE ILLUSTRATES A SHARED STORY AND REFLECTS THEIR COURAGE TO CREATE THEIR OWN DESTINY - TRANSFORMING THEIR LIFE PIECES INTO MASTERPIECES. CONDUCTED FIVE DAYS A WEEK FROM 3:30 - 6:00 PM, THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES RIGOROUS HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE, TUTORING, LITERACY TRAINING, AND MATH SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTED BY STUDENT VOLUNTEERS FROM LOCAL UNIVERSITIES. THE RESULT IS DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF IMPROVEMENTS IN MENTAL HEALTH, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, SELF-AWARENESS,POSITIVE MALE RELATIONSHIPS, AND CIVIC AND SOCIAL ABILITY - WHICH IN TURN HELP OUR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN TO BELIEVE IN THEIR ABILITY TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THEIR OWN LIVES, THEIR COMMUNITY AND ULTIMATELY THE WORLD THEY LIVE IN.

OUR SUMMER PROGRAM, CONNECTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE, ENGAGES BOYS AND YOUNG MEN AGES 3-14 DAILY FROM JUNE THROUGH EARLY AUGUST. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON THE STUDY OF A NEW FOREIGN COUNTRY EACH SUMMER AND INCORPORATES THREE CORE STRATEGIES: IN-DEPTH MATH AND LITERACY TUTORING DESIGNED TO PREVENT SUMMER LEARNING LOSS; PROMOTING CREATIVE SELF-EXPRESSION; AND DISCOVERING AND EXPLORING THE CULTURAL SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY IN DC AND FOREIGN NATIONS. CONNECTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE BUILDS ON LPTM'S SCHOOL-YEAR FOCUS OF LEARNING AND GROWTH IN A SAFE, LOVING, AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND REMINDS OUR YOUTH THAT THEY ARE GLOBAL CITIZENS.

THE SATURDAY ACADEMY (SA) PROVIDES OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AGES 14-18, WITH ACADEMIC SUPPORT, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS TRAINING, BLACK MALE DEVELOPMENT, LEADERSHIP KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, FINANCIAL LITERACY, ART, AND PUBLIC SPEAKING PRACTICE TO PREPARE THEM FOR POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS. OVER 9 MONTHS, STUDENTS MEET THREE SATURDAYS PER MONTH FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM FOR 90 MINUTES OF ACADEMIC TUTORING WITH COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL MENTORS, FOLLOWED BY AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS CRITICAL TO PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS. OVER THE PAST DECADE, 100% OF SA PARTICIPANTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND ENTERED COLLEGE OR OTHER POST-SECONDARY TRAINING.

COLOR ME COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS ADVANCE OUR STRATEGY FOR DISMANTLING STRUCTURAL RACISM AND OTHER BARRIERS TO EQUITY. INFORMED BY LPTM'S 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND CO-LED BY LPTM GRADUATES, THE HIGHLY INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS PROVIDE A SAFE, NON-JUDGMENTAL ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND IDENTITIES TO EXPLORE THE IMPLICATIONS OF RACE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, CULTURAL BACKGROUND AND IDENTITY IN HOW WE SEE OURSELVES, EACH OTHER, AND THE WORLD. AT THE END OF THE WORKSHOP, PARTICIPANTS COLLABORATE TO CREATE ARTWORK IN THE LIFE PIECES ART STYLE, COMMUNICATING AN ACTION THEY WILL TAKE TO INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE AND A VISION OF SHARED HUMANITY IN THEIR OWN LIVES AND THE WORLD. COLOR ME COMMUNITY HAS DEVELOPED FROM A PROGRAM INTO A LIFE PIECES ENTERPRISE WHOSE CLIENTS INCLUDE THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, NATIONAL AND LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ART BY LIFE PIECES - "CREATING ART . . . CHANGING LIVES" - LIFE PIECES TO MASTERPIECES TAKES ITS NAME FROM THE UNIQUE STYLE OF ART THAT OUR APPRENTICES COLLECTIVELY CREATE. YOUTH COLLABORATE TO DECIDE ON A LIFE EXPERIENCE TO MAKE THE TOPIC OF THEIR PAINTING AND THEN MAKE THEIR MASTERPIECE TOGETHER BY PAINTING, CUTTING, ARRANGING, AND SEWING PIECES OF CANVAS. EACH COLORFUL, SEWN, ACRYLIC-ON-CANVAS COLLAGE ILLUSTRATES A SHARED STORY AND REFLECTS OUR YOUNG ARTISTS' COURAGE TO CREATE THEIR OWN DESTINY - TO TURN THEIR LIFE PIECES INTO MASTERPIECES. LPTM APPRENTICES HAVE CREATED OVER 2,000 ARTISTIC MASTERPIECES, AND THEIR ARTWORK HAS BEEN DISPLAYED IN SUCH VENUES AS CHILDREN'S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, THE WORLD BANK, NBC'S TODAY SHOW, CHICAGO MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, THE DC MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ART BY LIFE PIECES CREATES A SOURCE OF EARNED REVENUE BY MAKING MANY OF THESE MASTERPIECES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE, RENTAL, AND DISPLAY. PARENT ENGAGEMENT - LPTM SUPPORTS PARENT ENGAGEMENT VIA "FAMILY NIGHTS AND PARENT "COLOR ME COMMUNITY CIRCLES", A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS (OFFERED ONLINE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC) TO EXPOSE PARENTS TO LPTM'S PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK. THE WORKSHOPS HELP PARENTS COMPREHEND AND APPLY THE CORE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES WITHIN THEIR OWN LIVES AND HOMES TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR CHILDREN'S LEARNING, SELF-EXPRESSION AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS. THE WORKSHOPS ALSO HELP PARENTS BUILD A SENSE OF BELONGING WITH THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE AND NAVIGATE SIMILAR CHALLENGES SUCH AS DEALING WITH COVID-19 AND RACIAL INEQUITY. AFTER 4 COHORTS OF PARENTS COMPLETE 8 HOURS OF LPTM'S HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM TRAINING IN 2022, WE WILL HOST A GRADUATION AND WILL IDENTIFY THOSE PARENTS WHO WISH TO BECOME FACILITATORS OF LPTM PARENT CMC CIRCLES. THESE PARENTS WILL BE GUIDED THROUGH CMC "TRAIN THE TRAINERS" WITH THE HOPE THAT, AS WE HAVE WITH OUR LPTM APPRENTICES, WE WILL BUILD AN LPTM PARENT CULTURE OF "EACH ONE, TEACH ONE."

LPTM'S ARTS AND EDUCATION MENTORING PROGRAM ENGAGES ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL-AGED YOUTH IN AN ARTS-BASED PROCESS THAT GUIDES THEM TO CHANNEL THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES THROUGH ACRYLIC AND FABRIC STITCHED COLLAGE PAINTINGS, ORIGINAL POETRY, PROSE, ORATORY, MOVEMENT, AND MUSIC. EACH COLORFUL, SEWN, ACRYLIC-ON-CANVAS COLLAGE ILLUSTRATES A SHARED STORY AND REFLECTS THEIR COURAGE TO CREATE THEIR OWN DESTINY - TRANSFORMING THEIR LIFE PIECES INTO MASTERPIECES. CONDUCTED FIVE DAYS A WEEK FROM 3:30 - 6:00 PM, THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES RIGOROUS HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE, TUTORING, LITERACY TRAINING, AND MATH SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTED BY STUDENT VOLUNTEERS FROM LOCAL UNIVERSITIES. THE RESULT IS DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF IMPROVEMENTS IN MENTAL HEALTH, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, SELF-AWARENESS,POSITIVE MALE RELATIONSHIPS, AND CIVIC AND SOCIAL ABILITY - WHICH IN TURN HELP OUR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN TO BELIEVE IN THEIR ABILITY TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THEIR OWN LIVES, THEIR COMMUNITY AND ULTIMATELY THE WORLD THEY LIVE IN.

OUR SUMMER PROGRAM, CONNECTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE, ENGAGES BOYS AND YOUNG MEN AGES 3-14 DAILY FROM JUNE THROUGH EARLY AUGUST. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON THE STUDY OF A NEW FOREIGN COUNTRY EACH SUMMER AND INCORPORATES THREE CORE STRATEGIES: IN-DEPTH MATH AND LITERACY TUTORING DESIGNED TO PREVENT SUMMER LEARNING LOSS; PROMOTING CREATIVE SELF-EXPRESSION; AND DISCOVERING AND EXPLORING THE CULTURAL SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY IN DC AND FOREIGN NATIONS. CONNECTING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE BUILDS ON LPTM'S SCHOOL-YEAR FOCUS OF LEARNING AND GROWTH IN A SAFE, LOVING, AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND REMINDS OUR YOUTH THAT THEY ARE GLOBAL CITIZENS.

THE SATURDAY ACADEMY (SA) PROVIDES OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AGES 14-18, WITH ACADEMIC SUPPORT, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS TRAINING, BLACK MALE DEVELOPMENT, LEADERSHIP KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, FINANCIAL LITERACY, ART, AND PUBLIC SPEAKING PRACTICE TO PREPARE THEM FOR POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS. OVER 9 MONTHS, STUDENTS MEET THREE SATURDAYS PER MONTH FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM FOR 90 MINUTES OF ACADEMIC TUTORING WITH COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL MENTORS, FOLLOWED BY AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS CRITICAL TO PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS. OVER THE PAST DECADE, 100% OF SA PARTICIPANTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND ENTERED COLLEGE OR OTHER POST-SECONDARY TRAINING.

COLOR ME COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS ADVANCE OUR STRATEGY FOR DISMANTLING STRUCTURAL RACISM AND OTHER BARRIERS TO EQUITY. INFORMED BY LPTM'S 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND CO-LED BY LPTM GRADUATES, THE HIGHLY INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS PROVIDE A SAFE, NON-JUDGMENTAL ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND IDENTITIES TO EXPLORE THE IMPLICATIONS OF RACE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, CULTURAL BACKGROUND AND IDENTITY IN HOW WE SEE OURSELVES, EACH OTHER, AND THE WORLD. AT THE END OF THE WORKSHOP, PARTICIPANTS COLLABORATE TO CREATE ARTWORK IN THE LIFE PIECES ART STYLE, COMMUNICATING AN ACTION THEY WILL TAKE TO INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE AND A VISION OF SHARED HUMANITY IN THEIR OWN LIVES AND THE WORLD. COLOR ME COMMUNITY HAS DEVELOPED FROM A PROGRAM INTO A LIFE PIECES ENTERPRISE WHOSE CLIENTS INCLUDE THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, NATIONAL AND LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ART BY LIFE PIECES - "CREATING ART . . . CHANGING LIVES" - LIFE PIECES TO MASTERPIECES TAKES ITS NAME FROM THE UNIQUE STYLE OF ART THAT OUR APPRENTICES COLLECTIVELY CREATE. YOUTH COLLABORATE TO DECIDE ON A LIFE EXPERIENCE TO MAKE THE TOPIC OF THEIR PAINTING AND THEN MAKE THEIR MASTERPIECE TOGETHER BY PAINTING, CUTTING, ARRANGING, AND SEWING PIECES OF CANVAS. EACH COLORFUL, SEWN, ACRYLIC-ON-CANVAS COLLAGE ILLUSTRATES A SHARED STORY AND REFLECTS OUR YOUNG ARTISTS' COURAGE TO CREATE THEIR OWN DESTINY - TO TURN THEIR LIFE PIECES INTO MASTERPIECES. LPTM APPRENTICES HAVE CREATED OVER 2,000 ARTISTIC MASTERPIECES, AND THEIR ARTWORK HAS BEEN DISPLAYED IN SUCH VENUES AS CHILDREN'S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, THE WORLD BANK, NBC'S TODAY SHOW, CHICAGO MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, THE DC MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ART BY LIFE PIECES CREATES A SOURCE OF EARNED REVENUE BY MAKING MANY OF THESE MASTERPIECES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE, RENTAL, AND DISPLAY. PARENT ENGAGEMENT - LPTM SUPPORTS PARENT ENGAGEMENT VIA "FAMILY NIGHTS AND PARENT "COLOR ME COMMUNITY CIRCLES", A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS (OFFERED ONLINE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC) TO EXPOSE PARENTS TO LPTM'S PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK. THE WORKSHOPS HELP PARENTS COMPREHEND AND APPLY THE CORE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES WITHIN THEIR OWN LIVES AND HOMES TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR CHILDREN'S LEARNING, SELF-EXPRESSION AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS. THE WORKSHOPS ALSO HELP PARENTS BUILD A SENSE OF BELONGING WITH THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE AND NAVIGATE SIMILAR CHALLENGES SUCH AS DEALING WITH COVID-19 AND RACIAL INEQUITY. AFTER 4 COHORTS OF PARENTS COMPLETE 8 HOURS OF LPTM'S HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM TRAINING IN 2022, WE WILL HOST A GRADUATION AND WILL IDENTIFY THOSE PARENTS WHO WISH TO BECOME FACILITATORS OF LPTM PARENT CMC CIRCLES. THESE PARENTS WILL BE GUIDED THROUGH CMC "TRAIN THE TRAINERS" WITH THE HOPE THAT, AS WE HAVE WITH OUR LPTM APPRENTICES, WE WILL BUILD AN LPTM PARENT CULTURE OF "EACH ONE, TEACH ONE."