ETSS means different things to many in Columbus, Ohio. But to over 3,000 youths, ETSS or the Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services means free summer camp, free after school program, summer employment program and participatory Youth Summit.
Friday, August 4, 2017 hundreds of youths gathered at the Ohio Dominican University, Columbus to round off the 2016/2017 season at the 7th Annual Call to Action Youth Summit with the theme “Actions of Kindness: Justice, Peace and Freedom.”
For seven years, the ETSS has worked with the Franklin County Commissioners and other sponsors to engage youths in elementary, middle and high schools in progressive activities that keep them busy and away from crime.
Moving from one end of event center to the other during the outdoor session of the 2017 Youth Summit, the Executive Director of ETSS. Dr. Seleshi Asfaw told NewAmericans that ‘we are happy to see the children enjoying it a
nd having fun.”
“It was started in 2011. The reason why we wanted a Youth Summit was to look at certain issues in the society that affect youths such as crime and violence and even external pressure such as terrorist acts that invade the youths ideology. These were things the parents and government were not comfortable with. We felt it was better to let them know things they cannot be involved in by keeping them busy.
If you give the youths an opportunity of where to stay during after school time and during summer time, a safe place where they can learn, educate and understand each other and work with different culture then it will really be a positive thing. In such a way they will be busy, they will learn and do things in a safe place and they will get leadership training and become productive members of the society,” he disclosed.
The proposal that was therefore put to the county commissioners and through the Franklin County Homeland Security got approved and gave birth to the Youth Summit. The first Youth Summit was “A call to Action Youth Summit”.
According to him, “The program enables the children and their parents to come together and celebrate our successes during the summer time and celebrate our successes during the academic years and our achievements. The first year was encouraging because we had about 250 youths that participated and was held at the Capital University. The second was at the Police Academy.”
With about 3,000 youths participating since inception, the project has grown from that initial dream of a Youth Summit to after school program, summer camp, summer youth employment and leadership program.
Dr. Seleshi pointed out that, “Participation has continued to grow and it is becoming very competitive.
In our Summer Employment program, we have only 120 spots for the youths to get employed and be involved and to acquire work experience. This time 500 applicants applied but only 120 were given placements. For the Summer Camp over 750 registered in all our six sites and only 300 got opportunity to be part of the summer camp experience.
“And for the youth after school program in the elementary, middle school and high school, the number is rising and we don’t have enough space for all the kids that are interested. The parents have seen how the youths programs are effective and helping their children. Many parents have told us of how grateful they are that their “children have improved in math and reading and the field trips they enjoy every week.”
In acknowledging the sponsors, the Director of Development, Laura Berger told New Americans that, “we are grateful to the Franklin County commissioners, and the Ohio Family Support and Job Services for providing the fund and other sponsors like ADAMH, United Health Care, Homeport, Ohio Capital for Corporation for Housing, College Liftoff, Ohio Dominican University, Paramount Advantage and other partners. We enjoyed support from Girl Scouts, Joel and Amy Harcar, Youth for Home Rights, Bowditch Consulting, Oral B and Greentree Dental, The James – the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and some restaurants for their generous support like Llibela, Dabakh African Restaurant, King Gyro and Himalayan Grill.”
The project which started with one site can now boast of six sites with children and parents clamoring for more. At the Youth Summit on August 4, the Master of Ceremony, Makida Bekele, a senior in Gahanna Lincoln High School has been involved in the ETSS youth program since inception.
Parents also play their part as stated by the Executive Director, “the most important part is the parent engagement. We have parent engagement structure in our program. Any parent that brought children to our program must participate in the parent engagement program and also must volunteer some hours to work with the children.”
In his evaluation, Dr. Seleshi said that, “the most satisfying work we’ve done at ETSS is investing in our future. We have seen these kids grown from elementary school, followed them to middle school and followed them to high school. Now we are following them to college. After graduating from college we are giving them opportunity to work with us. Our attendance rate is 94 to 95%. Our kids are in a safe environment, they are nurtured with education and at the same time they learn a skill that they will need in their future career which include the software skill and the job training. We are building from the base.”
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