Years before she came on as development director, Laura Gosa was intrigued by New City Kids. The sense of community and spirituality of the after school program touched her in a special way, beyond the music that she heard at one of their concerts.
Gosa first became a supporter in 2012. Over time, she waited for a moment when she could do more, knowing that she had something to contribute to the program.
“I think my skills are a good match,” she said, during an interview in late August.
Gosa, who has both a B.A. in French and European Studies and a M.A. in International Studies from the University of Kansas, has a track record in programs involving social rights. Before starting with New City Kids in January she served in a number of roles for the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, including director of operations, development and resource network director, and program and funding associate.
A resident of Jersey City since 2004, she got to see New City Kids develop into a key after school support program for some of the neediest kids in the city.
When founded in 2000, New Kids was envisioned as a platform for religious instruction, a role that changed by 2005 when the need for after school and other programs for kids became obvious.
“The founder tried to fit it into what was needed in the community,” Gosa said.
Started modestly, the program now has a number of sites in Jersey City, as well as facilities in Newark, Paterson and Grand Rapids, Mich.
Gosa, who came on to the program in January, said she was attracted to its spirituality and its mission when she first encountered it in 2012. She said she believed her skills fit in with the program.
Fitting in with the community
New Kids is certified to provide after school programs for low income and kids at risk from 1st to 8th grades. But one of the innovative features is its mentoring program, that pairs students from high schools in Jersey City with lower grade kids, allowing the older kids – provided they maintain a certain grade point average – to serve as both role models and educational guides.
The idea is to create a community of academic, leadership, musical, and spiritual development, she said.
And the benefit isn’t merely to the younger kids. All of the Teen Life Interns over the last eight years have gone onto college from high school. 90 percent have finished, and remarkably, some have come back as alumni to volunteer their time with the program.
New City Kids aims to instill in the kids involved that they are important, partly by providing “a purpose-driven, structure and supportive environment,” and also by building positive relationships between younger kids and their older mentors.
Nearly all of these high school mentors come from diverse backgrounds and from local high schools such as Dickinson, Snyder, and Lincoln.
These teams have adult job coaches, who help oversee the program.
Gosa said this is about having a human rights impact on the ground while also having a very practical economic impact as well. Studies show that a lot of lives are changed, she said.
More kids this year
This year the problem will accommodate about 200 kids, 100 of whom will work out of the program’s main facility on Fairmount Avenue, 40 at a facility on Vroom Street, and 60 in a program run in Public School 22. The main staff works out of the Fairmount Avenue office.
Gosa said the program still has a spiritual aspect, but it is designed to provide hope for kids who live in tough situations, providing them with help at school as well as life skills such as cooking, dealing with finances – how to open an account, balance a check book, and such.
In August, the team geared up for the new school year, holding orientation, and hiring of new team members. This involves allowing team members to interact with the families. New City Kids encourages a parental environment. Mentors and staff help the kids prepare for the new school year
“These are city kids and we like to get them outside.” – Laura Gosa
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Some of the program’s goals are designed to help answer kids’ questions about potential careers.
Adults coordinate with the teams, and each team is assigned an adult. The program has a social worker and student counselors on staff.
The program also has a summer camp in July, and a free sailing program.
While the sailing program provides kids with intimate knowledge of boating, it is actually a lesson in team work and communications, bringing kids in contact with the river and nature,
The program also offers teen retreats for boys and girls, a themed event that can take place in other locations. In one such retreat, they made use of a house in the woods.
“These are city kids and we like to get them outside,” Gosa said.
This is also why the program offers a number of field trips
The after school program, which runs from 3 to 6 p.m. on school days, usually has some physical activity as well as a study aspect. Kids do their homework, and also work on areas they might need help in such as possible reading or math skills.
The program does an assessment of need since many of those kids involved come from immigrant and non-English speaking families. The program also does an exit assessment to gauge individual progress.
The program has a number of funding sources that include churches, private donors, foundations, government, and corporations. Some alumni of the program have come back to help. The program is always looking for partnerships in order to keep expanding and has a number already with local schools and churches.
“But we’re always looking for new sponsors so we can help expand the program,” Gosa said.
There is a need, as indicated by the waiting list at each of its locations.
“It would really be great if we could serve more,” she said.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com