By Mafara L. Spurlock

Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development

No Ordinary Summer

H Street CDC Prepares District High School Students for the Future

While some District high school students basked in the warmth and glory of summer, many kids, like 14-year-old Jasmine Curseen, used their summer vacation as a time to prepare for their futures.

        “This is a summer I will always remember,” said the Archbishop Carroll 9^th grader.

        Curseen and 10 other District high school students participated in H Street Community Development Corporation’s (HSCDC) annual Summer Youth Initiative. Each year HSCDC, a member of the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development (CNHED), selects students from disadvantaged neighborhoods to participate in the program. And each year HSCDC tailors the program around a specific theme. This year’s theme was Nonprofits – Telling Their Story.

        “Gosh,” said Curseen recounting the skills she’d developed during the summer. “I can say for sure that my writing will be much better this coming school year,” she boasted.

        As part of their summer curriculum, the HSCDC interns were required to interview leaders of local nonprofits and civic organizations and create newsletters describing the work of each of the eleven community organizations. Other daily activities included: interactive seminars on financial investments and wealth building, training in Microsoft software, and tours of local newspaper offices and universities.

But it wasn’t all work and no play for these youths. Once a week, the interns participated in recreation periods where they received golf lessons.

 “Golf is a skill that will teach the interns a lifelong lesson in career networking,” said HSCDC Summer Youth Coordinator Michael Jackson, who also took part in the H Street program four years ago. The 21-year-old journalism student is now a senior at Howard University and attributes his passion for writing to the Youth Initiative.

“The Summer Youth Initiative shows young people that they can be and do anything they choose, in spite of their surroundings,” Said Yulonda Queen, HSCDC business services and training manager. “Every year we look forward to having them around and helping them discover hidden talents.”

As for Curseen, her mother, Jean Hunter, said there has been a significant change in the youngster’s behavior since she began the program.

“She just seems to exude self confidence and maturity. She’s always been a headstrong girl, but now she also appears to be more independent.”

In addition to honing her writing skills, Curseen said she’s also learned how to be a team-player.

“Before I began this internship, I didn’t really like working in groups. But now I see the importance of working with a team, and how it will benefit me in the future.”

The teen believes she’d like to be a pastry chef when she grows up. “And when I’m writing out recipes and working with other award winning chefs, the skills and techniques that I learned this summer will certainly come in handy.”

The interns’ last day at HSCDC was Thursday, August 14. And on that day each gave an oral presentation on a nonprofit or civic organizations that he/she interviewed. During the presentation, the interns confidently presented displaying their newfound interviewing and public speaking skills, not to mention their creative use of Microsoft PowerPoint. 

HSCDC is a private, nonprofit, community-based organization that

prides itself on making a difference in Washington’s residential and business communities. Since its inception in 1984, HSCDC has addressed the needs of residents and businesses through its commercial and residential projects, business services and small business loan programs.

Mafara L. Spurlock is the communications officer for the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development.

The 2003 H Street CDC Youth Initiative interns (Lt to Rt) Back-row: Gregory Little, Jasmine Curseen, Steven Brown, Coordinator Michael Jackson, Carla Bartholomew, Karima Scott, Hershella Millroy. Front row: Marcus Dallas, Ndsettia Argyle, Donte Felder, Janay Bass, Timothy Ruth