Suburban Mosaic: Evanston center marks 40 years of helping young adults find jobs

Graduating high school and landing that first job can be challenging for students coming from disadvantaged communities whose career pathways are uncertain.

That's where Evanston-based nonprofit Youth Job Center comes in.

The workforce development organization is celebrating its 40th year helping graduating high school seniors learn what it takes to get a job and work toward building a career. It partners with nearly 50 high schools across the Chicago area to provide employment support before graduation.

The center offers individualized coaching around building communications skills for the workplace, personal finance and accessing wraparound services, such as finding safe housing.

Jebbeh Fahnbulleh, 24, of Des Plaines, said she found her confidence with the center's help. The Evanston Township High School graduate now works with seniors as a care manager at a Park Ridge facility.

"They're always guiding me through difficulty," she said. "Sometimes I get down and upset but they're always ... cheering me on ... making me feel like I'm worth (it), (that) I should not give up. They're literally like a second family to me."

The center provides support to disengaged youth across the city, suburbs and state who are unemployed and not college-bound. It primarily serves 18- to 24-year-olds, 54% of whom are Black, roughly 30% Hispanic, about 15% white, and about 0.2% Asian.

"The population we serve is already marginalized. Layering in the stigma of not attending college creates barriers to seeing what's possible," said Lucretzia Jamison, the center's executive director. "We have 89,000 young people who are currently disengaged (statewide)."

That can lead to higher rates of violence, crime and poverty, she added.

Part of the center's goal is closing the skills gap created by retiring baby boomers, Jamison added.

STEAM leaders

Mission: MathMinds will host camps for Creating Future Female STEAM Leaders this week.

The nonprofit was founded by 16-year-old Ruby Arun of Inverness, an incoming junior at William Fremd High School in Palatine, to mentor elementary/middle school students and spread awareness about STEM. Arun has expanded its mission to help inspire girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics fields.

The camps run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Starting Monday, participants will learn to collaborate, get advice from mentors, and discuss pitching ideas.

On Tuesday, they will get entrepreneurship and business insight from former Microsoft executive Gayle Keller and Nima Parikh, president of Digital Marketing.

Wednesday's session will focus on coding and a University of Chicago female empowerment panel.

Thursday's session is about transforming visuals and art.

And on Friday, participants will share their pitches with a panel of judges.

Winners will be featured at Mission: MathMinds' Fall Conference 2023.

Register now at missionmathminds.org/summer. Limited seats available.

New Hindu temple

Join the grand opening celebration for a new Hindu temple near Schaumburg this weekend.

The 21,000-square-foot Shree Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Temple and Cultural Center is situated on eight acres at 540 Martingale Road in unincorporated Schaumburg.

A Mahapooja (grand prayer service) will kick off festivities from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. It will be followed by a Nagar Yatra (procession) from 4:30 to 6 p.m. with murtis, or idols, placed in decorated floats and carried around in the area surrounding the temple. The procession will be flanked by traditional Indian folk dancing and devotional music. It will step off from the parking lot of the Chicago Marriott Schaumburg, 50 N. Martingale Road, cross the intersection of Schaumburg Road and head southbound to the temple.

Kirtans and bhajans - devotionals that are part of Hindu culture - will be offered from 7 to 9 p.m.

From 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, religious leaders will ritually install the murtis and inaugurate the temple and cultural center.

Roughly 600 attendees are expected to mark the opening.

A celebration also is planned from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 7 a.m. to noon Sunday at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center, 1551 N. Thoreau Drive. It is expected to draw between 1,000 and 1,500 participants, including local elected officials.

For more information or to register for the events, visit YDSChicago.org.

Senior quinceañera

Elgin-area seniors who want to experience a quinceañera can join an afternoon of fun, music, entertainment, and a fashion show at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Senior Services Associates, Inc., 205 Fulton St., Elgin.

The event is open to seniors of all cultures and backgrounds. There will be a bilingual program that afternoon.

A quinceañera, or a fiesta de quince años, is a coming-of-age party traditionally celebrated by Latin American families when a girl turns 15 years old. It is a celebration of life, and a collective representation of love and support, officials said.

There will be a meet and greet with Illinois Department on Aging Director Paula Basta.

Register by calling Minnie Vasquez at (847) 741-0404. To contribute a gift basket for the raffle, contact Community Outreach Specialist Maria Borrero at Borrero_m@cityofelgin.org.

Teaching grants

Applications are being accepted now through Thursday for ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) Relief's EMPOWER grants open to teachers nationwide.

The back-to-school grant provides financial assistance and resources, aiming to enhance the quality of education and enable teachers to create a lasting impact on their students.

Classroom grants can be used for projects and materials relating to the core subjects - science, literacy, mathematics, art, physical education, and social studies. Supplies include, but are not limited to, the purchase of books, software, calculators, math manipulatives, art supplies, audiovisual equipment, and lab materials.

Grants up to $2,000 will be awarded, pending availability and demand. Organizers are anticipating 50 grant recipients. Within one month of receiving the award, classroom leads must submit a one-page report on the use of funds and its impact.

Elementary and middle school teachers at public or private schools are eligible to apply. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Thursday. For questions, email back2school@icnarelief.org.

Spanish speakers wanted

Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 is seeking Spanish-speaking volunteers to provide tutoring in reading to young students in the Wheeling area.

Research shows children who fall behind in early literacy skills require intensive intervention to catch up.

After receiving training and materials, volunteers will tutor one-on-one students in kindergarten, first or second grade at Twain and/or Whitman elementary schools. Spots are available from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during the school year.

Complete an interest form by visiting tinyurl.com/tmtrd7u4.

• Share stories, news and happenings from the suburban mosaic at mkrishnamurthy@dailyherald.com.