Emerging Ministries Corporation

Emerging Ministries provides adolescents 14-24 yo education, vocational development, spiritual, & democratic renewal through our Alternative Learning Communities for Youth program. In 2001, four older teens from Cookman United Methodist Church, living amidst poverty, violence, and hopelessness wanted a job. Actually, we discovered, they wanted a vocation. They wanted to make a difference! However, the barriers of poverty, violecnce, poor grades, negative peer pressure, and injustice were becoming overwhelming for them. On any given day in their North Philadelphia neighborhood, less than half of the youth attend school. Sadly, students who drop out of high school have a 63% higher incarceration rae than those who complete high school. They are also twice as likely to live in poverty. EMC's young founders perservered against these odds, and unlike 62% of their peers, graduated high school because of the intervention and assistance of adult religious and civl-rights mentors. Their struggle and ultimate success fueled in them an altruistic determination to make a difference in the lives of other young people who they began t name "at-risk for greatness". Jesus once told the story of an employer who was looking for workers. He noticed a group of "corner boyz" standing around at the end of the work day. The employer said to them: "why are you standing here idle all day?". The once hopeful workers replied: "Because no one has hired us!" (Matt: 20). Youth in our neighborhood desire grealy to work, to contribute to society, and suport their families. However, like the workers in Jesus day, they don't get hired. In fact, the underemplyment rate in the neighborhood is 46%. "EMC saved my life!" This statement has been made over and over again by young participants. Because of this ministry, many high potential youth whose societal potential could remain untapped, unnoticed, and undervalued because of the hardships of poverty, illiteracy, and neighborhood violence, have blossemed into productive and caring community leaders and workers. During one  visit to Denver, sponsored by EMC's late friend and "Uncle", Dr. Vincent Harding, a young participant eccstatically exclaimed to him: "I'm down with hope!". This developed hope has enabled EMC to create an environment that overcomes the community's seemingly negative odds and assists 80+% of our urban, low income youth to complete high school and embark on a vocational career with God- and Community-serving purpose. The time-proven restorative practices of peer and adult mentoring, civic engagement, spiritual renewal, and small group learning relationships confirmed best-practice data that show the effectiveness of our model. EMC Welcomes the older urban youth that many shun and fosters small, neighborhood-based learning environments for up to 25 adolescents in the communities enduring institutions - it's chruches. Youth receive daily education support, individual and group mentoring, while completing their high school education in a mixed digital and didactic learning center through a diploma or GED. Students who have been barred from returning to public school because of chronic truancy or ajdudication are welcomed and thrive. Each year, 10 yeoung poeple from each of four "Alternative Learning Communities" are recruited to be "Ambassadors of Hope". The Ambassoadors program offers mentored civic engagement grounded in non-violent processes that promote spiritual and democratic renewal in order to encourage young people to also pursue their responsibility to foster the creation of the "more perfect union" that our nation's founders and their successors dream of. Although the youth begin with court involvement, less than 1% become inccarcerated, over 80% complete high school, and more than 20% attend college. The learning center's cost ($75,000/center for 25 students)  is less than 50% of that of government-funded programs for adjudicated youth. God bless you for your generosty and prayers.