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These
guys are
as
effective as any
I have seen.
... [T]hey are rebuilding
troubled communities,
one person at a time.
Nicky
Cruz
WELCOME
to
Generation Xcel, a holistic youth outreach program based in the
housing projects of Manhattan's Lower East Side.
Founded in
1996 by 13 local teens and staffed primarily by volunteers, Xcel
now serves hundreds of children a year through after school education,
summer programs, and community outreach efforts. For
more about us, go here.
THE
BUZZ
-
NEW
Xcel's
by youth for youth strategy has been featured on local and national
media and been praised by public officials as varied as Rep. Nydia
Velazquez and Mayor Giuliani. Called "strategic," "visionary,"
and "effective," see what the buzz is all about, here.
XCEL
ORIGINALS -
NEW
At
its core, Xcel is committed to nurturing creativity in its young
people. Many have taken the challenge and begun expressing themselves
through original writings and other artwork. Samples have been
catalogued here. Be sure to come
back for more. To learn about
Xcel's core values, go here.
A
PLEA FOR A FRIEND
Generation Xcel grew out of the holistic vision of a community
church, Abounding Grace Ministries. Xcel wishes to show its gratitude
by introducing that church to you. For more information, go here.
REMEMBERING
9/11
Generation
Xcel Thanks its Heroes:
Read the transcript of Jeremy's "Thanks
to Heroes" speech delivered at MSG on the first anniversary
of 9/11. NEW
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XCEL
NEWS
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Community
Solutions responds to Katrina. Given our history
with 9/11, we dispatched Matt Stevens to Houston to
assist Doug Stringer of Somebody Cares America in organizing
relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Visit our Katrina
Blog for updates from the field. Donate
online via Paypal to support Matt's work on our behalf.
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Visit Jeremy's blog online.
Visit Xcel Originals for original writings by the Xcel family.
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Xcel
After School.
Accepting applications now.
See headline and downloads above.
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Xcel
Summer photos.
Experience Xcel Summer 2005
with an online slideshow
here.
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Hoops.
Jam @ Xcel's tenth annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament,
Saturday, 7/23/05. Featuring music by DJ
Kenny Mitchell and TRUCE.
Details here.
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Celebrate
Xcellence.
The fourth annual Celebration
of Xcellence honored the achievements of Xcel After
School and Xpress students, Friday, June 3 at Abounding
Grace Ministries. For award recipients, photos, and more,
go here.
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Thanks
to the Urban
Youth Workers Institute
for inviting Jeremy to keynote a general session and present
two seminars at their annual conference May 24-26. Approximately
2,000 youth workers from across the nation attended. More
on Jeremy's experience
here.
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Ignite
compassion in your community at Chain Reaction 2005!
The 2005 Chain Reaction schedule is set. Sign up for
a spring break or summer project, or plan a CR weekend in
your community. Visit the
Chain Reaction website for details.
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Billy
Graham Crusade Hires Xcel.
The
Greater
New York Billy Graham Crusade hired Jeremy Del Rio
of Generation Xcel to executive produce the youth outreach
for the June Crusade. For more info, visit The
Coalition's Blog.
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Eight
Xcel alumni graduate college in 2005! Congratulations
to Ahndrea Allen, Mei-Ling Garcia, Luis Velez, Elsa Carlo,
Carlos Olivieri, Kenny Grohowski for graduating in May
2005, and Jonathan Del Rio and Luis Carlo for entering
the home-stretch toward completion in December 2005. Read
tributes
to each graduate here.
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Generation
Xcel welcomes incoming Board members:
Mayra Lopez-Humphreys, MSW, associate professor of Social
Work at Nyack
College; Rick Edrich, president of Spot
Creative; Chris Eddy, co-owner of Barmarche;
Evelyn DeJesus, UFT
delegate; Kevin Cedeno, high school senior, and Lorreal
Torres, high school junior.
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Xcel's
2004 Top Ten. Read this
unfunny list of Xcel program highlights from 2004 here.
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For
more news items, see NEWS
ARCHIVE.
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Mommy,
Help Me
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Speak-out
Reprinted from YouthWalk,
10/99
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Ties
and Stockings
Reflections
on Marriage
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PHOTO
GALLERIES
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Help
me understand why you're not here
Leaving all of us in great fear
You left a lifetime behind
Then left half of us blind
Now life for you is dead
And mine is ahead
[Read the rest of the poem here.]
-
By Julie S., 12
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Hiding
in my bed under the covers, with only my eyes exposed, I
saw him pass by my room with a kitchen knife in his hand
and heard his violent death threats. Yet another alcohol
and drug-induced rage had come to torment our home.
"STOP IT DADDY," I kept repeating to myself silently
under my breath. [Read Luis'entire
testimonial.]
— By Luis Velez, Xcel co-founder
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Marriage
is such an iffy thing. My mom hasn't bothered to get married
once; men annoy her. My Tio Jimmy divorced his wife, staying
with her only because they had a kid together. My dad didn't
bother to marry my mom and is now married to a kind and
beautiful woman named Mimi; too bad he doesn't appreciate
her. Some people see it as a burden. ...
And yet I think marriage and the small motions that go along
with it are such beautiful things; maybe I think so because
it is so rare around me. [Read
the rest of the story.]
— By Tristan Brooks, Xcel intern
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interSECTIONS
(5/04)
Holiday
xPressions (12/03)
NY
Jets (11/03)
Summer of Service (2003)
Law
and Order SVU (3/23/03)
9/11
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ANNUAL
REPORTS
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OUR
PLEDGE
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Read
Xcel's
2002, 2001 and
2000
Annual Reports online.
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We
at Generation Xcel believe that the way we manage our finances
reflects our integrity in every arena. We believe that we
exist in the public trust and must operate in order to earn
and maintain that trust. We
have, therefore, established strict limitations on how we
use our resources. [MORE]
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The
video takes several minutes to download;
please be patient. 
