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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 28, 2008 - 17 Saturday forum part of Black Youth In Action By Melanie Cummings SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Teens Mariah Vincent, Mikah Small and Amara Anomneze intend to start something soon ­ at school, after high school and far into their future. They are leaders. So are Martin Pitt, Ishmael Mohammed and 17 other students age 13 to 18. If this crew didn't know they had it in them before, they do now after participating in a daylong program aimed at encouraging black students. Called the `Black Youth in Action Project' the local event, which took place at the Milton police station, was the second phase of a community leadership and anti-racism initiative organized in partnership with the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton (CCAH) and Halton police. The first session was conducted last year in Oakville. This Saturday, March 29, back in Oakville, the CCAH will host an Interpersonal Communication Workshop & Youth Forum -- a free Black Youth in Action workshop. It will take place at the Oakville Town Hall, 1225 Trafalgar Rd. from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free for youths aged 14 to 19 years. The workshop, to be led by Larry Johanson, will focus on how to be an effective communicator and will include presentation of program completion certificates towards high school volunteer hours. It will also include appearances by performing artists Michael St. George (dub poet) and master drummer Dick Smith. The project in Milton focused on infusing self-esteem and learning time management and students gained insight into bullying, gang violence, deciphering graffiti as well as the ins and outs of a police officer's workday and the credentials that got them there. "Our goal is to instill in them pride for their communities at school, in their neighbourhoods and city, to be good citizens and people who can be counted on to do the right thing," said CCAH president Veronica Tyrell. Anomneze is a Grade 9 student at Bishop Redding Secondary. While she relished a presentation that focused solely on her race, especially in light of Black History month, practically she is using the time spent Saturday at the Milton police station toward the 100 hours she needs to accumulate for a McDonald's Restaurants postsecondary scholarship. For Small, 16 and a student at Port Credit Secondary School in Mississauga, it was an up-close look at a potential policing career . For now though, Small wants to use the leadership skills she has learned to start a charitable fundraising effort at her school and then perhaps a heritage club. The lessons of the day that stuck most with Pitt, a 15-year-old student at Iroquois Ridge Secondary in Oakville, is life from the perspective of a police officer. Don't touch them, reach for anything and remain respectful when stopped, he said. Mohammed, a 16-year-old student from Oakville's White Oaks Secondary School (WOSS), intends to take action in light of the threatening messages conveyed through graffiti. "If I see or hear about who did it, I'll stop them or call the police hotline," he said. According to Staff Sgt. Al Frost of Halton Regional Police, who oversees the community policing support, "it's telling that a bunch of young people would want to come here and spend a Saturday at the police station. These are very dedicated kids." Richard Pinnock, who is the project co-ordinator for the Caribbean association, said it's all part of a long-term effort to develop the leaders of the future. "We're asking them to be accountable to their communities," he added. The CCAH is a charitable organization that was established in 1977 and works with Halton schools and police to foster positive connections with black youth. It also runs a steel band program for all ages among several other community events. The seminar was part of a two-phase project created in response to a March 2003 research study called Growing Up Black in Oakville ­ The Impact of Community on Black Youth Identity Formation and Civic Participation. Through interviews with close to 60 randomly selected black youth in Oakville, ranging from 13-24 years of age, youths expressed interest in providing leadership in initiatives that would help close the loop between black youth and the community. To reserve for Saturday's workshop contact 905-257-0581, youth@ccah.ca or www.ccah.ca. Fe Ro at ya u l re MA DE IN CAN A DA R FAB IQ U É AU C A The Brand Is oyal. The Sleep Is Divine. 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