The New Ark Fellowship Project is an Africana Institute sponsored pilot program.  We have partnered with two organizations to convene the project: Wisdom Shapes Minds and Kheper International Associates.  Both organizations are working with youth in Essex County mostly Newark.  This program strives to bring awareness to area youth about three important life enhancing pillars: College, Careers and African History.

We want students to understand the value of a college education in maximizing their future opportunities.  Essex County College is the major feeder for neighboring Colleges and Universities.  This initiative will open the door for more youth and their parents to be aware of the excellent opportunities provided by Essex County College.  However, we do not see attending Essex as the only option for students, the project's goal in this regard is for students to attend any college after high school graduation.

The Project's career objective is to have students think innovatively about their futures.  We developed the project using STREAM (Science, Technology, wRiting, Engineering, Art, and Math) as the primary professional as the approach to careers.  The project's approach uses a cinematography as point of access.  The students will develop short films to address the core concepts of this project.  The students will work with experts in various fields to develop their content.  Cinematography expert, Benedict Hadley will direct students on their path to producing an excellent final project.

Over the year, many urban school principles have indicated that lack of academic success and proficiency in the African diaspora community is do to the lack of knowledge of self.  The New Ark Fellowship Project is going to bridge the gap in this area by focusing on the Sankofa, which will teach youngsters that they need to know their history.  They will explore how African history is fundamental to STREAM and all they do.  We intend to insert them (their African history and culture) into their education where they usually do not see themselves.

The New Ark Fellowship Project takes a holistic approach to education. While focusing on STREAM and Africana Studies, students will be exposed to ideas about health and wellness, life skills, dance, entrepreneurship, and other complementary ideas.

Akil Kokayi Khalfani, Ph.D.
Director, Africana Institute
Associate Professor of Sociology
Essex County College
West Market and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Newark, New Jersey 07102

973-877-3219
http://www.essex.edu/ai/khalfani_profile.html<http://mail.essex.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=c21c5f185b494b9fb37ddb0007e741fc&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.essex.edu%2fai%2fkhalfani_profile.html>

Thanks, comm.drum