MidCity Excellence launches new ‘Youth City’ program to inspire next generation of journalists

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A longstanding nonprofit in Midtown St. Joseph is taking its mission to new platforms by giving youth hands-on experience as multimedia journalists and content creators.

From interviewing and video editing to scriptwriting and other lessons, local youth are getting the chance to experience and document the world as multimedia journalists as part of MidCity Excellence's new "Youth City" initiative launched this summer.

“We have our YouTube show that the kids are participating in that includes recording and editing. We've partnered with some of our business owners here in town who are going to offer interviews to our students," said Program Director Erica Green, a marketing major at Missouri Western State University.

Students had the chance to visit and interview with local businesses like Kingdom Cuts Barbershop and Will Woods State Farm Insurance this summer, documenting as journalists but also learning about entrepreneurship and business development along the way.

The newfound program combines the nonprofit's core mission of youth mentorship and educational support with reporting that emphasizes healthy and drug-free lifestyles, one of many initiatives, including its well-known drumline, theater and dance programs, among others.

“They will come up with many different reasons that kids are saying, 'I want to live a drug free, opioid free, healthy lifestyle. I want to achieve my goals,'" MidCity Excellence CEO and founder Kimberly Warren said. “We do that by presenting vibrant alternatives ... developing young people so they can achieve academic and career success."

MCE student Isabella Mccallon has developed into one the programs top young mentors and thinks the program fits perfectly with the rising popularity of tech and video production, especially with teenagers.

“It's very exciting. So the cool thing is, whenever we go to different places, we get to record, we get to talk to different people, see different things. It's never just like the same one day. Every day is different. So a lot of opportunity," she said.

MidCity students officially posted their first multimedia show on YouTube in August and are well underway with two more video segments. The program is open to any and all students who wish to attend MCE's summer or afterschool sessions at 604 S. 20th St.

Green and Warren are eager to see the first group of students develop and take the reins on future projects, passing down knowledge to future students.

Founded in 2001, the nonprofit prioritizes education through interactive and engaging lessons as opposed to traditional lectures or classes, instilling a sense of ownership and pride that boosts creativity and motivation.

"It has to be some life lessons that are vibrant, that are exciting, and that speaks their language and gives them creative control," Warren said.

With many students being exposed to or directly impacted by drug use, violence or other unsafe habits at an early age -- actions that can drastically impact their health and chances of future success -- she said new and existing programs can be a life-changing outlet for many.

The nonprofit was recently awarded $11,000 through the Opioid Settlement Review Board to expand its programming and provide new healthy alternatives to substance use, including purchasing opioid prevention curriculum, providing access to Narcan and offering training for lead coaches and instructors.

"We have had kids that have overdosed before. We've had kids that wound up at the hospital before, some of them, on purpose, have taken things that they thought would numb them. And we have to fight for them to stay on this side of life and to fulfill their God given purpose," Warren said. "If we don't do anything to prevent and intervene, we will continue to lose lives. It takes so little to engage so many. So the time is now."

In addition to Youth City, MidCity Excellence is preparing to launch a new business-themed program that teaches the values of entrepreneurship, money management and planning, enlisting the help of local business experts to provide insight along the way.

Mccallon praised the program for helping establish valuable connections between MCE students like herself and community leaders and businesses.

“I think it's very influential because you get to interact with all sorts of different people with different careers, different opinions and interests. Some of those people I could potentially get jobs with or could potentially be my bosses someday," she said with a smile.

For students, that means developing key skills such as branding and product design, creating business plans and giving formal presentations at City Hall committees.

“We have an upcoming entrepreneurial truck where they'll be making their own T-shirts and hats and mugs and we may venture into the food business a little bit," Warren said. "When you start a business, we're going to talk about the investment, the money side of it. How they earn MidCity bucks."

To keep students engaged along the way, the nonprofit offers a system that rewards students with points for strong attendance and putting cellphones away in "phone jails."