Stories from the Third Sector

Stanford Social Innovation Review's newest blog, Third Sector Grit, highlights the important but largely untold stories of nonprofit workers. As TSG blogger John Brothers explains,

Third Sector Grit is most times not the stories of the sector’s executive leaders; more often it refers to those community champions in each nonprofit who do not have the larger titles but who are individuals that the organization could not move forward without. I would venture to say that the definition of Third Sector Grit are the individuals and stories in each nonprofit that showcase its most valuable asset, the ‘firmness of spirit and unyielding courage in the face of the hardship’ toward fulfilling its mission.

From working closely with nonprofits for the better part of the past decade, we at The ThinkTank know how vital these "on-the-ground" staffers are to the organizations and the communities they serve. That's why we think this new blog series is so special.

Have a Story to Tell?
If you work in the nonprofit sphere, chances are you know of someone whose story deserves to be told. Brothers invites story suggestions and nominations on his blog site.

To read the first profile in the series or contact Brothers with a story suggestion, please click here.

NFTE South Florida Invites You to the 2010 Regional Youth Business Plan Competition

The New York Times' Thomas Friedman is talking about it. The Huffington Post is talking about it. Millions of students across the country are experiencing it.

What is it? The transformational power of entrepreneurship education. If you live in the Miami area, you can witness it for yourself tomorrow evening at the 2010 Regional Youth Business Plan Competition at Miami-Dade College.

This is an event you don't want to miss. Click here to learn more.

Mock DUI Gives Students a Sobering Wake-Up Call

Prom night, graduation parties, drinking and driving. The combination is a lethal one. So deadly, in fact, that more than 700 young adults die each prom season from alcohol-related injuries.

Fortunately, one South Florida youth organization called DFYIT (Drug Free Youth in Town) is on a mission to change that.

On April 29th, 2010, DFYIT joined forces with the City of Miami Fire and Police Departments and 50 student actors and volunteers to recreate a scene of blood, booze and body bags at Miami Beach Senior High School.

The group used ambulances, fire trucks, and motor vehicles supplied by the City of Miami Beach to produce a frighteningly realistic simulation called “Cheat the Reaper; Live to See Your Future,” which plays out the deadly scenario resulting from a teen’s careless and tragic decision to get behind the wheel after drinking during the prom.


THE SCENE
Two students argue over who will drive home from the prom, as the male student is already intoxicated. Although the female is sober, her boyfriend refuses to let her drive the car. A horrible crash ensues. As bodies lie scattered and still, the boyfriend quickly realizes that his girlfriend his dead. Fire rescue arrives and begins to cut through the roof of one of the cars, removing the injured victims. The victims are rushed to ambulances and the young woman’s body is covered in a white cloth. Police arrive on the scene to take the young man away in handcuffs.

SHOCK FACTOR
For the students of Miami Beach Senior High, the final scene of this reenactment may have been the most hard-hitting. A hearse and coffin were displayed in an emotional funeral scene, where fellow students gave a eulogy in honor of their deceased friend.

The dramatic event represents a joint effort among the city, school and community organizations to communicate the extreme dangers of drinking and driving to South Florida’s students.

DFYIT and local authorities hope the event will instill greater awareness and encourage students and young adults not to drink and drive during prom night, graduation celebrations, or any other time of year.

Since DFYIT’s inception at Miami Beach Senior High in 1998, there have been zero instances of DUI-related car crashes or arrests among the students from the school during prom weekend, proving that educating students about the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving does, in fact, save lives.

Youth Business Plan Competition Breeds Bright Ideas and Innovators

As far South Florida’s next generation of go-getters are concerned, the era of the Innovation Nation is upon us – and it started right here at home.

Yesterday, young entrepreneurs from 21 area schools put their clever business ideas on display at the NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship) South Florida Youth Business Plan Competition semi-finals.

Armed with creative ideas and the business skills they’ve learned through the NFTE curriculum taught at their schools, these ambitious students are ushering in a new period of economic growth and innovative thinking throughout South Florida and the nation.

The NFTE South Florida Business Plan Competition semi-finals featured a batch of fresh and diverse business ideas that range from niche photography services to delectable frozen treats.

Move over, Silicon Valley!
Some of the students have even gone so far as to invent their own products. One tech-savvy Broward teen has invented a retractable headphone cord designed specifically for iPhone and iPad users. Not only does the product remove the hassle of tangled, messy cords; it also comes with a handy belt clip for Apple users on the go.

Other students combined their passion for their favorite hobby with the business savvy they learned through their NFTE entrepreneurship class at school. One student’s idea, a photo graphy business for luxury cars, has already generated a steady flow of business from eBay sellers looking to put their vehicle’s best face forward in online auctions.

The consumer’s sweet spot was also a target at this year’s competition: a student from Miami Central High School concocted a delicious idea for a frozen yogurt business specializing in a line of tropical flavors.

The top six business plans from the semi-finals will be on display at the NFTE South Florida Regional Business Plan Competition on May 12, an annual event that gives young entrepreneurs from low-income communities the opportunity to perfect and pitch a business plan and receive valuable feedback from top business leaders.

The stakes and the excitement are high – join students from Broward and Miami-Dade schools as they rise to the challenge of presenting complex business concepts and demonstrate that they have the gumption –and the goods – to take control of their destinies and embark on their own unique pathways to entrepreneurial success. To learn more about the NFTE South Florida Regional Business Plan Competition on May 12th, 2010, please contact Erin Schmidt at eschmidt@thinkinkpr.com.

Kinloch Kids Paint No to Drugs

Usually when we hear the word “graffiti,” it is associated with something negative: criminal behavior, gang activity, groups of youngsters up to no good. But what if graffiti could be used to do just the opposite – what if graffiti could help inspire kids to be drug- and alcohol-free?


That was the idea behind the graffiti art initiative at Kinloch Park Middle School, where South Florida-based youth drug prevention program DFYIT (Drug Free Youth in Town) teamed up with a local graffiti artist, school administrators and a group of middle school students who were eager to wreak havoc – er, make art – on school property.

The end result truly was a work of art – a massive graffiti art mural encompassing the entire back wall of the school’s cafeteria. Now when Kinloch Park students gather there for lunch hour, they can’t help but notice the colorful scene, which asks a simple question: “What is your natural high?”

Danny Lopez, the DFYIT staffer who conceived the idea for the art initiative, says the project was a great outlet for the students, who wanted to spread the message to their peers that being drug-free is not only fun – it’s cool, too. And, in addition to boosting their “street cred” at school, the students involved in the art initiative spent a whole weekend interacting with positive role models and making a lasting impression on their school community.

And it couldn’t come at a better time. Along with the continued problem of illicit drug use among local youth, South Florida is witnessing unprecedented increases in prescription drug abuse rates among children and teens. Add to that the strong correlation between youth substance abuse and violent activity (one national survey, for example, found that 94% of violent teens reported using alcohol, 85% reported using marijuana and 55% reported using several illegal drugs), and it becomes clear why drug-prevention outreach programs like the Kinloch Park initiative are so needed in our community right now.

The Kinloch Park graffiti art initiative is a great example of what young people can accomplish when they have the right tools. And it certainly makes lunchtime a lot more colorful!

Student YouTube Videos Put New Spin on the Anti-Drinking PSA

DFYIT has launched a YouTube video contest through its SoBe Sober underage drinking prevention campaign, giving teenagers an opportunity to create a 60- to 90-second video conveying the dangers of underage drinking and binge drinking.

The video must address why underage binge drinking is dangerous, provide at least two to three facts to support the claim and offer solutions on how to combat the problem. Read what the Miami Herald is saying about the contest here.

Check out the grand prize entries and vote for your favorite video now!