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Operation Shoestring and Kuumba Promos has collaborated to facilitate a bi-weekly Tuesday Evening Seminar Series for youth leadership and personal development called Leadership/Personal Development and Life Skills w/OPS-KP (LPD-LS). The seminar series is intended to introduce leadership skills and life management skills to Jackson area youth to build their capable for community leadership and service. The 2011-12 seminar series began Tuesday, August 16, 2011 and will convene every first and third Tuesday at the Operation Shoestring location, 1711 Bailey Avenue, 6:30-8:00pm. To enroll your child in this project contact Ada Robinson (601.353.3663) or Brotha Lukata (601.957.2969).

The seminars are free and provides guidance to the youth for doing Self Assessments, Goal Setting, Leadership Assignments, Strategic Planning for Academic Success, College Prep, and Career Development Assessment. The personal introspections will aid the students in preparing for the next stage of life in their developmental process, with "Success" as the ultimate goal of the preparation. "We are looking at ‘Changing Attitudes; Increasing Aptitudes ...Elevating Altitudes’ for inner-city youth", according to Lead Trainer Asinia Lukata.

Complimenting the personal development guidance, the seminar series will also provide life skills training for the students. Areas of life skills training will include, but not be limited to, Improving Self Image, Decision Making, Myths & Realities associated with Smoking, Alcohol and Marijuana, Violence & the Media, Coping with Anxiety and Anger, Communication Skills, Social Skills, Assertiveness & Resolving Conflicts. Still further, the seminars will emphasis cultural enrichment to enhance the student’s sense of self-efficacy. Cultural field trips and discussions on African American History 101, Intro to Kwanzaa, Women’s History 101, the Juneteenth Holiday and written assignments will help re-enforce their cultural pride and motivation them to achieve their life goals.

The partnership between Kuubma Promos and Operation Shoestring was made possible because of the similarity of missions of the two groups. Operation Shoestring, which is "investing in the hearts and minds in our community, and Kuumba Promos, which is "promoting the increased learning of Black History and Black Culture in an edu-taining way", both want our youth to strive for excellence. The LPD-LS Seminar Series promotes those attitudes in the youth.

Parents interested in enrolling their children in the project should contact Ada Robinson (601.353.3663) or Brotha Lukata (601.957.2969). The seminars are held 6:30-8:00pm, every first and third Tuesdays at 1711 Bailey Avenue and are free.