"Sidewalk Celebration" began in 1996 in Trailer City – a Virginia Beach at risk community. The program is an outdoor, youth-led outreach to children residing in at-risk neighborhoods. This high energy program goes right into the neighborhood, eliminating the need for transportation, and addresses topics relevant to the life of an at-risk family. Life lessons are presented through the use of music, puppets, object lessons and drama. Candy, prizes, school supplies, groceries, clothing and lunch are often distributed to families that attend.

"Sidewalk Celebration" promotes youth volunteerism and are often led by both privileged and inner city youth who have been trained and groomed through the Youth Leadership program. Youth volunteers work with committed adult volunteers as a team to create and design program materials, dance, puppet materials, and drama. The program also serves to connect the local church with our under resourced communities.

Since 1996 this program has been presented to over 11,000 young people living in Hampton Roads, the Bronx in New York and townships in South Africa.

Small groups of adolescent at risk girls meet right in their own neighborhood to learn God’s plan for them in regards to dealing with life’s very relevant issues such as lying, gossiping, excelling in school, self esteem and other topics. The girls are taken through an 8 week study series. There are 3 sessions per year. Life is celebrated with the participants by taking them shopping for back to school clothes and hosting events to celebrate how special they are to God.

This 10 week program will provide 45 underprivileged youth throughout Hampton Roads the opportunity to learn in-depth computer techniques, specifically the downloading of pictures, developing, scanning, editing and printing digital imaging all in conjunction with written context. The program takes place in the at risk community. Each participant will create a photo journal around the theme: Life in My Neighborhood. The program will include teaching young people how to look at life through the lens of a camera and create written journals about their pictures. The end result of this program in 2007/2008 will be a presentation to display the children’s work, either at a library, community center or a church. The program will build confidence and self esteem as well as teaching new computer and photography techniques to underprivileged children.

"Moving Forward" will be open to 35 participants in Atlantis Apartments in Virginia Beach from 3^rd – 12^th grade. The participants will be evaluated by a computer assessment program called Switched on Schoolhouse. Each participant will then be assigned specific computerized materials they need to work on per the assessment. The computer program is Christian based and will provide necessary instruction to participants along with tutors and program manager. "Moving Forward" program will incorporate the skills they may have missed and then strategically move them forward academically. The goal at the end of the school year would be for this student to advance to grade level.

Boat building is taught through learning life lessons, Strength, Attitude, Integrity and Love. Team work is emphasized in addition to character building lessons. The end result is an actual boat will be designed, stored in a hanger and will compete in the Cardboard Regatta in the fall of 2008. We anticipate working with 3 groups of young people ages 9-14 to build these boats.