In the year of 2008, W.A.T.C.H. (What About The Children Here) was organized as a non-profit corporation here in Chicago, dedicated to helping inner-city young men recognize and realize their life gifts and full potential.  The inspiration for starting W.A.T.C.H. came from my personal experience raising three African American sons as a single parent.  Like so many other parents in this situation, my goal was to make sure my sons grew up safely, to become productive citizens and fulfill their God-given purpose in life.

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And so W.A.T.C.H. programs were launched, with crucial help from like-minded people in the community in Chicago in July 2009.   Being fortunate to partnership with various organizations like, After School Matters, SOS Village, Chicago, Bank of America and many more and also having dedicated and committed instructors we have had a very successful time. This has created a powerful, successful impact on many young men in our community.

 

The W.A.T.C.H. Youth Empowerment Academy is a multi-purpose initiative that embraces a variety of creative mediums, with an infusion of arts integration programming.  Each participant is taken systematically through an inquiry and design unit that guides them through the seven cycles of successful enlightenment; which are frontloading and asking questions, gathering information and constructing knowledge, making knowledge visible and presentation and feedback.  Within that six cycles are the four steps of knowledgeable growth which are cooperation, trust, problem-solving and challenge.  The cycles and steps are displayed throughout the duration of the program via various distinct modules.  

 

W.A.T.C.H. is committed to making a difference in our young men lives.  We are motivated by a quote from the great

Frederick Douglass that says;

 

 “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”